Candidates for local government boards can’t meet with every voter, but talking with candidates and hearing their views about the challenges facing villages, schools, parks or libraries is an important part of making a decision about who to entrust with leadership positions.
That’s why the Chronicle started the Meet the Candidates project. We invited candidates to submit profiles that provide voters with credentials, views on top issues and goals they would reach for if elected. In 2021, we added video interviews to give candidates a chance to respond to questions about issues that many voters are interested in.
This year, we received 27 profiles and did interviews with 20 candidates in competitive races. We also have included videos posted by the League of Women Voters of their candidate forums. We have linked to stories about league forums and to a story and letter to the editor about the referendum in Thornton Township to start a 708 mental health services board and levy a tax to support it.
All content below is free.
Homewood School District 153 Board of Education – Vote for up to 4 candidates.
Candidate profiles
(Ashanti Bethea and Ron Zinnerman did not provide profiles.)
Panel discussion with candidates Alex Bosch, Jim Schmidt and Ron Zinnerman
Flossmoor School District 161 – Vote for up to 3 candidates.
Profile: Theartris Childress III
Profile: David Linnear
Profile: Christina Popolla-Vlietstra
Profile: Michael Rouse II
Homewood-Flossmoor School District 233 – Vote for up to 4 candidates.
Profile: Pam Jackson
Profile: Beth Larocca
Profile: Nathan Legardy
Profile: Gerald Pauling
Profile: Christopher Riedel
Homewood Board of Trustees – Vote for up to 3 candidates.
Profile: Cherise “Cece” Belue
Profile: Anne Colton
Profile: Jay Heiferman
Profile: Julie Willis
Flossmoor Board of Trustees – Vote for up to 3 trustee candidates and one clerk candidate.
Profile: Arlene “Sugar” Al-Amin
Profile: George W. Lofton III
Profile: Jim Mitros
Profile: Rosalind Mustafa
Profile: Gina LoGalbo, Flossmoor clerk
Homewood Public Library – Vote for up to 3 candidates.
Profile: Jennifer Cutshall
Profile: Tom Popelka
Profile: Adrienne River
Flossmoor Public Library – Vote for up to 4 candidates.
Profile: Jessica Barnes
Profile: Lisa Komorowski
(Leilani Shute and Christina Roberts did not provide profiles.)
Homewood-Flossmoor Park District – Vote for up to 2 candidates.
Profile: Brent Bachus
Profile: Angie Coderre
League of Women Voters forums
Flossmoor candidates
Homewood candidates
District 233 candidates
Election news and opinion
Mental health referendum question to appear on ballots in Thornton Township
The Thornton Township Board voted Jan. 10 to approve a referendum for placement on ballots in the April 4 election, putting the decision to establish a mental health board in the hands of Thornton Township residents. Reposted with permission from the Lansing Journal.
Letter: Area officials urge nonsupport for the referendum to incorporate a 708 board tax in Thornton Township
We … would encourage a no vote on the April 4 referendum that levies an annual tax to provide community mental health facilities and services. We are united in understanding the good intent behind the referendum because we all deeply care about the mental health of our constituents. However, in our opinion, the method to pay for this is not to impose additional taxes on the south suburban communities, because we as a region are significantly overtaxed already.
Election 2023: District 233 candidates share priorities for H-F High
Six candidates vying for four seats on the District 233 school board shared information about themselves and what they hope to accomplish for Homewood-Flossmoor High School if elected to the board on April 4. Incumbents Pam Jackson, Gerald Pauling and Nathan Legardy and challengers Christopher Riedel, Charles Dieringer and Beth Larocca addressed questions submitted by a sparse audience at the Homewood-Flossmoor area League of Women Voters forum March 1 at Homewood-Flossmoor High School.
H-F teachers make District 233 candidate endorsements
The Homewood-Flossmoor Education Organization has endorsed four candidates for positions on the District 233 school board in the April 4 election. The teachers union, representing about 220 teachers and instructional assistants at Homewood-Flossmoor High School, has selected newcomer Christopher Riedel and incumbents Pam Jackson, Gerald Pauling and Nathan Legardy to support for reelection for the four open positions.
3 incumbents meet 1 newcomer in Flossmoor trustee candidate debate
Infrastructure, business development and even seasonal decorations came to the table when candidates for Flossmoor Village Board met in a debate on Wednesday, March 15, at village hall. The H-F Area Chapter of the League of Women Voters hosted the debate for the four candidates vying for three seats, including incumbents George Lofton, James Mitros and Rosalind Mustafa, and newcomer Arlene “Sugar” Al-Amin.