The Dance Begins: Oak Lawn Village Board Matchups

All is quiet at Oak Lawn Village Hall with village board candidates completing filing their nominating petitions to get on the April 9 ballot.

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On Wednesday afternoon, said that no one has so far filed a challenge against any of the candidates’ petitions. The deadline to file a challenge in Oak Lawn is Friday, Jan. 4.

With most local races uncontested, the Oak Lawn Village Board races may be the only dance in town. The last day to file a declaration of intent to run as a write-in candidate in any of the local races is Feb. 7.

There were no last-minute surprise candidates emerging at the Dec. 26 filing deadline, with the exception of Joe Sorrentino, the current D123 board of education president who announced his candidacy for Oak Lawn trustee in sixth district.

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Trustee Tom Phelan (Dist. 6) announced last month that he would not be seeking a third term on the village board.

Hitting the ground running is Oak Lawn mayoral candidate Sandra Bury, who is challenging the incumbent Dave Heilmann. Heilmann is chasing his third term and is running a slate of candidates called the Mayor's Indepdence Party. (To run as a slate, a candidate must be fielded for each open village board position.)

Bury, running on a platform of “transparency and ethics” has sent out several mailers critical of the mayor. She has yet to reveal any of her plans for how she intends to address public safety, the pension cliff, tax revenue, business development and infrastructure.

Bury has aligned herself up with a group of candidates who call themselves Oak Lawn First. All are running as independents. The candidates include incumbent trustees Alex Olejniczak (Dist. 2) and Tom Duhig (Dist. 4); and challengers Tim Desmond and Mike Carberry who are running in the first and sixth districts, respectively.

Here are the final village board matchups, pending write-in candidates:

Mayor

• David Heilmann (incumbent; Mayor’s Independence Party)
• Sandra Bury (challenger; Oak Lawn First)

Village Clerk

• Jane Quinlan (incumbent; self)
• Melissa Moran (challenger; Mayor’s Independence Party)

Dist. 1 Trustee (2-year term)

• Cynthia Trautsch (incumbent; appointed to fill vacancy; Mayor’s Independence Party)
• Tim Desmond (challenger; Oak Lawn First)

Dist. 2 Trustee

• Alex Olejniczak (incumbent; Oak Lawn First)
• Julie Misner (challenger; Mayor’s Independence Party)

Dist. 4 Trustee

• Tom Duhig (incumbent; Oak Lawn First)
• Tim Reilly (challenger; Mayor’s Independence Party)
• Terry Vorderer (challenger; self)

Dist. 6 Trustee

• Carol Sheahan (challenger; Mayor’s Independence Party)
• Mike Carberry (challenger; Oak Lawn First)
• Joseph Sorrentino (challenger; self)

Read Oak Lawn Patch 2013 election coverage and commentary:

• Mayor Fills War Chest With Dinner and A Show

• Quinlan Announces Bid for Third Village Clerk Term

• Melissa Moran Announces Run for Village Clerk

• Bury Announces Oak Lawn Mayoral Run

• THE BLADE: Heilmann Declares Independence from Unity Party

• OPEN LETTER: OL Planning Commissioner Announces Run for 4th District Trustee

• OPEN LETTER: Retired OL Police Chief and War Vet Announces 4th District Trustee Run

• OPEN LETTER: Oak Lawn Lifer Jumps Into Dist. 6 Trustee Race

• Phelan's Fiery Farewell: 'I'm Not Going Away By A Long Shot'
• D123 School Board President Declares Candidacy for Oak Lawn Trustee