Palos Voters To Pick Municipal, Township and School Board Members

PALOS, IL — Illinois’s 2021 consolidated election seemed to creep up with no warning whatsoever. Voters’ hesitation to sign nominating petitions in the midst of a global pandemic may have contributed to the 63 percent of candidates running unopposed in Cook County contests in the April 6 election.

Palos Heights, Hills and Park voters head to the polls to vote for municipal, township and school board candidates.

Palos Heights

Palos Heights has three contested aldermanic races. Voters will pick one candidate in their respective wards:

Ward 1

Donald Bylut
Daniel McCarthy III
William Moran

Ward 2

George Castor, Jr.
John “Jack” Clifford

Ward 3

Dolores Kramarski
Healther Mulligan Begley

George Popelka is also facing off against James Daemicke for city treasurer.

Palos Hills

Long-time Palos Hills Mayor Gerald Bennett has an opponent, Sandy Szczygiel. One of Palos Hills’ aldermanic race is contested, with Phillip Abed facing off against Anna Biedrzycki.

Also, Damian Ciszek is challenging entrenched incumbent Kenneth Nolan for treasurer. Nolan’s wife, Jane, is also facing stiff competition from a challenger for Palos Township clerk.

Palos Township

One of the most watched south suburban races is in Palos Township, which has been at the center of protests by the Arab American community and their allies over the past four years for anit-Muslim remarks made on social media by Trustee Sharon Brannigan. Her fellow board members have not forced Brannigan to resign, nor have the censured her, despite their typically short meetings disrupted by protesters, who’ve put up two challengers.

The incumbent Palos Township Independent Party has replaced Brannigan with newcomer Tasneem Abuzier. Independent Mervate Mohammad is running as an independent

Running against incumbent Jane Nolan for village clerk is Tammy Georgiou. Embattled Tr. Sharon Brannigan is challenging the current Palos Township assessor Robert Maloney.

Michael McHugh is running as an independent against incumbent Gene Adams for the office of Palos Township highway commissioner.

School Boards

Three school boards also have contested races in the Paloses. Voters will also vote for candidates running for Community High School Dist. 218, which includes Richards, Shepard and Eisenhower high schools,:

Subdistrict 2

Cindy Bartczak
Sarah Kaliski-Roll

Subdistrict 3

Candice Cantelo
Tanjilsa MB Williams

Subdistrict 4

Frank Gassmete Jr.
Thomas Kosowski

North Palos Dist. 117 has six candidates running for six seats, including:

Ron Moran
Deborah Groark
Barbara Rebidas
Ewa Bochenski
Marzena Luberda
Steve Stratakos

Seven candidates are vying for four seats on the Palos Community Consolidated Dist. 118 school board, including:

Timothy J. Baker
Mark Kelly
Jennifer Marie Jensen
Susan M. Szafranski
Terrence M. Heafey
Edward Gal
Donald H Jeanes