Tinley Park 2021 Election: Village, Township, Schools

TINLEY PARK, IL — The Consolidated Elections are finally here. After months of preparation and campaigning, candidates and residents will soon know who the people of Tinley Park 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.

Tinley 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.

Village Board

In October 2020, Mayor Jacob Vandenberg announced on Facebook that he will be leaving office after the April election, saying it was an honor to represent the village. Vandenberg was elected in 2017 and served two years as one of the village trustee before becoming mayor.

"It has been the honor of a lifetime to represent my fellow Tinley Park neighbors and businesses," Vandenberg said. "My primary responsibility in life is to dedicate 100 percent of my time, energy, focus and love on being the husband, father and small business owner that is expected of me. The saying of 'not having enough time in the day' applies to me daily. The decision was easy: My family is first, no matter the scenario. Therefore, I will not seek re-election for mayor of Tinley Park."

To read Vandenberg's entire statement, visit his Facebook page here.

Two names appear on the ballot for the mayoral position. Trustee Michael Glotz is running for the spot, and announced his intentions to do so with the Our Tinley Party back in October 2020.

The other mayoral candidate is Kevin Suggs, who in March announced his intentions to end his campaign due to health-related concerns.

"After much deliberation, I have decided to end my campaign for Mayor. It has been an uphill battle and a great learning experience," Suggs said. "I have cherished the moments of meeting many residents. There is much work that needs to be done in the Village. Stay engaged to ensure that your voice is heard."

Suggs' name still appears on the ballot, and he may still receive votes.

Related: Kevin Suggs Ends Campaign For Tinley Park Mayor | Tinley Park, IL Patch

Orland Township

Two slates of candidates and a write-in are all hoping to claim Orland Township spots on Election Day.

The Orland Township Together Party and its slate of candidates is backed by incumbent Paul O'Grady. The candidates include:

• Paul O'Grady — Orland Township Supervisor Candidate: Paul O'Grady
• Maria Sanfilippo — Orland Township Together Candidate: Maria Sanfilippo
• Patrick Feldner — Orland Township Together Candidate: Patrick Feldner
• John Lynch — Orland Township Together Candidate: John Lynch
• Michael Maratea — Orland Township Together Candidate: Michael Maratea
• Antonio Rubino: Orland Township Together Candidate: Antonio Rubino
• Rich E. Kelly — Orland Township Together Candidate: Rich E. Kelly
• Cindy Murray — Orland Township Together Candidate: Cindy Murray

The Orland Residents for Responsible Government and its slate of candidates is backed by Scott Kaspar. The candidates include:

• Scott R. Kaspar — Meet Orland Township Supervisor Candidate: Scott R. Kaspar
• Lora Kreczmer — Orland Residents For Responsible Government's: Lora Kreczmer
• Andrea Bowles — Orland Residents For Responsible Government: Andrea Bowles
• Joseph J. Solek — Orland Residents For Responsible Government: Joseph J. Solek
• William Keefer — Orland Residents For Responsible Government: William Keefer

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Related:

• Orland Township Candidate Turns Self In On 2-Year-Old Warrant
• Candidate William Keefer Responds To Questions Over Lawyer Status

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  Brian Younker is seeking re-election for Township Highway Commissioner as a write-in candidate. Learn more about Younker by reviewing his candidate survey here.

Orland Township residents can vote on three different referenda this April. The referenda will be written as followed:

• Shall the terms of office for those persons elected to the offices of township supervisor, township trustee, township clerk, township assessor, and township highway commissioner in Orland Township at the April 6, 2021 consolidated election and at each election for any of such offices thereafter, be limited such that no person so elected may serve more than three (3) full four (4) year terms in the same office for terms beginning after the passage of this referendum?
• Should the U.S. Congress pass legislation to place a carbon fee on fossil fuel producers, where the money collected from those fees is divided equally among all Americans, incentivizing businesses and consumers to reduce climate destructing emissions, transition to clean energy, and protect our economic well-being?
• Should Orland Township petition the Illinois Department of Public Health to become a designated immunization site for when the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine becomes available?

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

School Boards

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

With four seats open on the Consolidated High School District 230 school board, four incumbents filed in the uncontested race. Tony Serratore, Melissa Gracias, Susan Dalton and Kate Murphy-Peterson.

Kirby School District 140 has a slate, incumbents, newcomers and write-ins all vying for votes in the April 6 school board race. The candidates include the All -4- KSD140 slate of four candidates include incumbents Carol DeMicheal and Tom Martelli, along with newcomers Luciana Shalash, Aileen Mullee. Kevin McKeown is also running for the board. He is currently the Athletic Director of Consolidated High School District 230's Andrew High School. Meagan Doornbos is running as a write-in candidate and has been serving as the Assistant Principal at Palos South Middle School in District 118. Learn more about the D140 race here.

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.

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.