Palatine Township Candidate Forums

The LWV of the Palatine Area’s “All Politics are Local” campaign encourages get-out-the vote for April 6 Consolidated Election.

The 2020 election had the highest voter turnout ever! And while it’s tempting to be tired of politics and ready to take a break, now is not the time to become complacent. The Consolidated Election—covering a wide variety of local races—is coming up on April 6, 2021. From school board trustees and mayors to library board members, municipal trustees and alderman, these people affect our daily lives in a very significant way. They make sure the snow is plowed, our children are educated and safe, our water is clean, our communities are healthy and so much more. These local races matter so much.

“Candidate Forums are an ideal way to see and hear your community leaders and their opponents explain their views, defend their voting record, and answer questions posed by our fellow citizens,” says Vicki Martin, co-president of the League of Women Voters of the Palatine Area. The elections for State and Federal offices garner a lot of attention, and rightfully so. But the policies and decisions made by our local governing bodies literally affect our lives on a daily basis. The condition of our roads, the schools our children attend, and the services and facilities provided by our parks and libraries all originate with these local officials.”

Palatine Township candidate forums:

DATE: Tuesday, MARCH 9

Palatine Township – TRUSTEE

Time: 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Moderator: Maria Peterson

Candidates: Thakar Basati (D), Leslie Bolanos (R), Megan Gawlik (D), Nathaniel Groh (D), Bill Pohlman (R), Deanna Santman (D), Michael Smolka (R), Christine Svenson (R)

Register: https://www.palatinelibrary.org/events/league-women-voters-candidates-forum

Palatine Township – HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER

Time: 8 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Moderator: Maria Peterson

Candidates: Aaron Del Mar, Matt Flamm

Register: https://www.palatinelibrary.org/events/league-women-voters-candidates-forum

DATE: Thursday, MARCH 11

Palatine Township - SUPERVISOR

Time: 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Moderator: Cate Williams

Candidates: Andy-John G. Kalkounos, Melissa Ortega

Register: https://www.palatinelibrary.org/events/league-women-voters-candidates-forum-0

Palatine Township – CLERK

Time: 8:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Moderator: Cate Williams

Candidates: Tracy Boland, Lisa Moran

Register: https://www.palatinelibrary.org/events/league-women-voters-candidates-forum-0

All candidate forums are run by trained, non-partisan moderators. Equal time is given to all candidates to answer each question. The candidates will have two minutes to present an opening statement, in turn, by number drawn. Questions will be vetted in advance by the League for appropriateness and relevance from those solicited from League members as well as community members and non-partisan groups. The moderator will ask questions in rotation so that each candidate will have the opportunity to be the first to answer. Candidates will have an equal and predetermined amount of time to answer each question. After the questions are completed, each candidate will have one minute to provide a closing statement, following the same rotational order. In the event a candidate is unable to participate, they may submit a 3-minute statement, which will be read by the moderator. No surrogates are permitted to participate. An uncontested forum, that is, one with only one candidate, is not permitted.

The League of Women Voters of the Palatine Area is a non-partisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information, visit lwvpalatinearea.org.

The Palatine Public Library welcomes everyone to access diverse materials, collaborative spaces, technology, programs, and services. For more information, visit palatinelibrary.org.

Disclaimer(s) Virtual Programs

Registered participants will receive an email with a link to join the virtual program. Programs can be accessed from a computer, tablet, or mobile phone. First-time participants may need to download and run the free software upon joining a program. For this reason, we recommend joining a few minutes early.

For a list of forums and to register, visit: https://www.lwvpalatinearea.or...