Oak Forest 2021 Election: Village, Township, Schools

OAK FOREST, IL — The Consolidated Elections are finally here. After months of preparation and campaigning, candidates and residents will soon know who the people of Oak Forest have elected for school boards, village board, township boards and more.

The polls in Suburban Cook County open at 6 a.m. Tuesday and will remain so until 7 p.m. Election officials say that if you're in line by 7, you will be able to vote no matter how long the line is.
Oak Forest voters will weigh in on a number of contested races in this election. Here is a break-down on what to know this Election Day.

Oak Forest voters will weigh in on a number of contested races in this election. Here is a break-down on what to know this Election Day.

City Council

Current City Treasurer JoAnn Kelly is not running for re-election. Kelly has served the city for the last 25 years as the City of Oak Forest's 6th Ward Ald., city treasurer and mayor. She was elected as treasurer in 2013.

This year in Oak Forest, even numbered aldermen are being challenged. Every two years, the election switches from odd and even numbered aldermen that must seek re-election, if they wish to stay in the position. Out of the seven wards, aldermen positions from wards two, four and six are up for grabs.

• Henry L. Kuspa — Seeking re-election as mayor. He is running uncontested.

• John F. Janozik — Seeking re-election as Clerk.

• Robert Shaw — Running for Clerk against incumbent Janozik.

• Erika Vetter — Kelly is not seeking re-election, and newcomer Vetter is running uncontested for the treasurer seat this April.

• Richard Simon — The incumbent 2nd Ward Ald. is running for re-election unopposed.

• Paul Selman — The 4th Ward Ald. is seeking re-election this April.

• John Harris — Harris is running for the 4th Ward Ald. seat against incumbent Selman.

• James Hortsman — The 6th Ward Ald. is running for re-election uncontested this April.

Library Board

Two incumbents are seeking re-election on Election Day. Bradley Duff-Hudkins and Mary Walter are both running uncontested.

Hudkins is the current Treasurer of the library and Walter is the current Secretary. The Board of Trustees meet on the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. The meetings are public and all are welcome to attend.

The board is tasked with establishing library policies and plans, alongside hiring the library director and other delegates to ensure responsibility for managing the library daily.

School Boards

In December, 693 candidates filed to run for school boards all around Cook County. Here is a look at Oak Forest school board races:

Community Consolidated School District 146 candidates Jill Dunlap, Rick Lloyd, Patty Chlada, and Julie Berry are running as a slate in the 146 Party. Other candidates in the running include Shane Wilson, Julie Jackson and Vincent J. Aiello. Learn more about the candidates running in the race by reading their individual candidate profiles, here.

Bremen High School District 228 candidates include Larry F. Canning, Mary List, Otilla Kelly-Stokes, Evelyn M. Gleason, Marcus Douglas and Deborah Stearns.

Arbor Park School District 145 candidates are Maryann Ing, Tina Moslander, David Rana, Wendy Lux and Candace Smith.

Park Board

The Oak Forest Park District has two Board of Commissioners positions up for grabs. This year, incumbents James "Jim" Katula and Charles Wolf were the only two who filed to run. Both unopposed, Wolf, vice president and Katula, secretary, are slated to remain part of the five-member board after the election.

Park boards are responsible for creating and enabling park district policies. Commissioners are responsible for passing ordinances and resolutions, similar to village and city board members. The board also is responsible for adopting budgets, appointing committees and more.

Bremen Township

The Bremen Township races are all uncontested this year. The names appearing on the ballot include:

• Kathryn Straniero for Supervisor
• John D. Lord for Clerk
• Willie A. Jones for Assessor
• John P. Flaherty for Highway Commissioner
• Carolyn R. Carter for Trustee
• Mary Catuara for Trustee
• Edward P. Maggio for Trustee
• John M. (Mike) Tatro for Trustee

Register To Vote

On Election Day, voters who are not registered to vote can register and vote at their home precinct only. Find your home precinct using the voter information tool. Voters planning on registering to vote or updating their address on Election Day must bring two pieces of identification to register, one with a current address.