Schaumburg & Hoffman Estates Candidate Forums

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.

We encourage our community members to learn about who’s on their ballots, what the candidates’ positions are and when, where and how to vote. In keeping with our mission of encouraging a well-informed electorate, the League of Women Voters of the Palatine Area is hosting 16 virtual candidate forums beginning March 6, 2021 and running through March 20, 2021.

States Palatine League Co-President Vicki Martin, “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. 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.”

Upcoming Hoffman Estates / Schaumburg Candidate Forums:

DATE: Saturday, MARCH 13

Village of Hoffman Estates – PRESIDENT

Time: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Moderator: Katherine Sawyer

Candidates: William D. McLeod, Mark Mueller, Nicholas F. Waryas

Register: https://schaumburg.libnet.info/event/4865693

Schaumburg Township District Library – TRUSTEE

Time: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Moderator: Tamara Butler

Candidates: Erin Flannigan-Davies, Anita Forte-Scott, Emily Gilbert, David Jonen, Amy Mueller, William Olson, Carol Pye

Register: https://schaumburg.libnet.info/events?days=62&term=schaumburg township district library

Village of Hoffman Estates – TRUSTEE

Time: 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Moderator: Katherine Sawyer

Candidates: Karen Arnet (incumbent), Michael Gaeta (incumbent), Karen V. Mills (incumbent), James Murre, Gaurav Patel and Renee Robinson.

Register: https://schaumburg.libnet.info/event/4865694

DATE: Saturday, MARCH 14

District 211 – SCHOOL BOARD

Time: 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Moderator: Chantelle Porter

Candidates: Curtis Bradley, Jessica J. Hinkle, Anna Klimkowicz Timothy McGowan, Amy K. Nelson, Kristen M. Steel, Robi Vollkommer, Denise K. Wilson, Roxanne Wittkamp

Register: https://schaumburg.libnet.info/event/4865710

DATE: Monday, MARCH 15

Schaumburg Township – TRUSTEE

Time: 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Moderator: Katherine Sawyer

Candidates: Robert N. Fiorio (D), Demetrius J. Gibson (D), Lauren Saternus (D), Matthew J. Steward (D), and incumbents: Diane Dunham (R), Charlotte Kegarise (R), Nimish Jani (R), Jeffery S. Mytych (R)

Register: https://schaumburg.libnet.info/event/4865710

All candidate forums are run by trained, non-partisan moderators. One of this year’s moderators is Katherine Sawyer, who serves as the Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communication and the Chief Advancement Officer at the college’s externally facing functions including marketing, social media, legislative affairs, community outreach, and the college’s charitable foundation. As a 25-year resident of the Northwest Suburbs, and a member of the League of Women Voters of the Palatine Area, Katherine has been trained in candidate forum moderation by the Illinois League, and serves as a regular moderator of forums for Federal, State and local races in the area.

Equal time is given to all candidates to answer each question. The candidates will have two minutes to present an opening statement and then be asked questions in rotation so that each candidate will have the opportunity to be the first to answer. After the questions are completed, each candidate will have one minute to provide a closing statement.

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.

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.