The La Grange Area League of Women Voters has been around for over a century, but its next round of candidate forums will be anchored in the internet age as it takes the informative sessions online.
Residents will be able to submit questions to candidates for the La Grange Park Village Board, La Grange School District 102 Board of Education and the Lyons Township High School District 204 Board of Education.
League member Ann Lee said they’ve “transitioned to Zoom Candidate Forums since COVID,” and have stayed with the format because of several advantages, including not needing a venue, and making it easier for candidates to participate .
Trained moderators will be chosen for the events, and the online format will help them manage the time allotted to each candidate while avoiding audience disruptions.
The League is hosting forums only in contested races and has scheduled forums for La Grange School District 102 (Feb. 4), La Grange Park Village Board (Feb. 5), and Lyons Township High School District 204 (Feb. 11). Each will be an hour long and will begin with candidates’ opening statements that will include their backgrounds, qualifications and reasons for running for office.
Residents can submit questions at LaGrangeLWV@gmail.com for LWV moderators to ask candidates but the League won’t guarantee using them, citing time restraints. For other information on how to participate is on the League’s web site, lagrangearealwv.org. The forums will be recorded and posted the following day on the League’s website.
In La Grange Park four candidates are running for three trustee seats: incumbents Jamie Zaura, Karen Koncel and Jermaine Stewart, and newcomer Nick Diaferio. Village President James Discipio and Clerk Meghan Kooi are running for reelection unopposed.
Four seats are open for the Lyons Township High School District 204 Board. Incumbent Gioia Giannotti Frye is facing challengers Elias Lopez, Christine Kozelka Campbell, Arlene Farolan Cabana and Shawn Kennedy. Frye was appointed last year to fill the seat of a board member who was moving away. Board President Jill Grech and board members Paula Struwing and Michael Thomas are not running for reelection. A new board president will be chosen among board members after the election.
With none of the incumbents running for the three open seats on the La Grange School District 102 Board, the district will seat three new members. The candidates are Joanna Lago, Brian M. Grogan, Jr., Jordan Beach, Shannon Rischow and Erik K. Toman.
Although no forum is planned for La Grange village elections, there are four candidates running for three open seats, including incumbents Lou Gale, Peggy Peterson, and Glenn Thompson. A fourth candidate, newcomer Carla Carter, an attorney specializing in intellectual property and a La Grange resident since 2018, is also vying for one of the three trustee positions. La Grange Village President Mark Kuchler and Clerk Paul Saladino are running for reelection unopposed.
Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
