Election Results

Who won? Which referendum succeeded? Who lost? Are the results going to make for changes in our community?

There are many ways to report election results. It is not just about numbers and candidates. It is more about the temper and sensibility of a community as they participate in the democratic process. What does it all mean?

Our local elections were typical of many towns. Would the city council have new faces ready to change the way business is done? Or will there be continuity with familiar faces? Same for the Park District, Library District, school board and many other issues on the ballot.

In Warrenville, Illinois these were the results:

For Mayor, the incumbent won easily over a challenger focused on one primary issue – flooding – and a scattering of ideas on intergovernmental leadership and cooperation. The incumbent won I think because he has a mature understanding of all the issues the community faces and has a productive process in analyzing all of them to make workable decisions. For aldermen two were challenged. One by a newcomer and another by a long-term resident with connections to previous political controversies. Both challengers lost. The result: consensus leadership on the council as it continues to prepare for the future – whatever that holds. The council’s posture is positive and forward thinking.

The Park District incumbents won the right to continue serving the public.  The incumbent leadership team has a strong vision of the budget, mission and future for the park district and will be able to continue pursuit of those elements to serve the needs of the community while husbanding fiscal resources. New faces were offered for the Library Board and they included some old hands. One was retained; one old hand newcomer was barely rejected while a newcomer joined the board. All three appeared to be well suited for the position they campaigned for.

The school board (CUSD 200) focused on retaining three familiar faces and introducing one new face supported by the incumbents. Two incumbents were retained, while a newcomer made his entrance to the board. Time will tell if the two towns represented will get equal consideration for education resources.

A key referendum for a new facility to handle pre-school students with special needs lost 2 to 1. Not a positive note but expected during difficult economic times. The kids with the greatest needs – especially at an early, tender age – will still be supported well; just not as well as they could be in a facility designed for that purpose rather than a makeshift, worn out school building designed for other purposes.

Winfield, Illinois had a major leadership issues highlighted by the elections. They have an incumbent group of town trustees all running for re-election. They are opposed by a vigorous panel of independents with much hullabaloo present. Yard signs, banners, three newspapers in publication with warring claims. Time will tell if the winners and losers will make a difference for a town facing severe economic hardships and intractable problems.

Perhaps the larger story is turnout. Local elections often get little voter attention and participation. That is too bad because local government units is where voters have the most impact. It is the local community that gets the services it needs – or doesn't  – and where the voters can exert the most power. If we all pay attention to the local issues the regional and national issues will fall in place much more easily. There’s a lesson in there for all of us to learn.

Fail locally, fail nationally. Strong communities build strong regions and states. Lord only knows what happened in Illinois! We have an extremely weak state and weak regions. Some counties are doing well but that is because local citizens have stepped forward to take responsibility.

Why not the state legislature and Congress?

April 11, 2013