Politics & Government
Mokena Election News: County Clerk: Mokena School Board Vote Totals Will Change
Covering all things election for Mokena.
Welcome to the Mokena Patch 2011 Election Log, where we'll be reporting election news leading up to April 5 and beyond. Check back often for news on polling places, voter registration, campaigns and endorsements. Of course, we'll be busy following all the campaigns, so let us know if we missed something, either in the comments or by shooting an email to caroline.evans@patch.com.
Thursday, April 7, 12:35 p.m.
County Clerk: Mokena School Board Vote Totals Will Change
Find out what's happening in Mokenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
According to the current unofficial numbers, only 20 votes separate the bottom three candidates for the Mokena 159 Board of Education (, and). And, according to Will County Clerk Nancy Schultz Voots, "no one should start celebrating until April 19," when provisional, grace period and remaining absentee ballots are counted. As of noon Thursday, Voots said there were still 16 uncounted Mokena 159 ballots, and it is possible the clerk's office will receive more absentee ballots later in the week. That could be enough to tip the scales in favor of Zakula, who, according to the unofficial results, is only eight votes behind Markham. Election results will become official April 26.
Tuesday, April 5, 11 a.m.
Find out what's happening in Mokenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Voter Turnout 'Steady' in Mokena
Election judges at Mokena polling places described voter turnout this morning as steady for the most part, if a bit slow. Election judges said as of 10 a.m., 126 people had voted at Village Hall, the polling place for Frankfort precinct 2, which has around 1200 registered voters. Around 60 people had cast their ballots absentee.
Down the street at , about 70 of 773 registered voters had turned out by 10:10 a.m. One veteran election judge said she thought turnout was a little better than previous consolidated elections because of the referendum. Likewise, a judge at said he thought there was probably greater interest in this election because of the school election. Still, he said turnout this morning in precinct 10 was "light and slow": 97 people had cast their ballots by 10:30.
Noreen Moran and Virginia Strezo, judges at precinct 10, said 113 of roughly 900 registered voters had cast ballots at and said turnout was "about the same" as in previous elections.
Monday, April 4, 9:40 p.m.
See Something Suspicious on Election Day? Report It to the Election Fraud Hotline
The Will County State's Attorney's office is encouraging citizens who see inappropriate activity, such as campaigning too close to polling places, to report them to the Election Fraud Hotline on April 5, according to a release. In addition, the State's Attorney will send out teams of assistant state's attorneys and sheriff's deputies to visit polling places. Assistant state's attorneys will also be on call to investigate any allegations of irregularities.
The Election Fraud Hotline number is (815) 727-8872.
Sunday, April 3, 9:15 p.m.
Find Your Polling Place
Just in case you haven't figured out the Will County Clerk's Precinct Lookup (it took us a while), we've listed the Mokena-area precincts below. These came from a spreadsheet on the Will County Clerk's website.
PRECINCT
POLLING PLACE
ADDRESS
FRANKFORT PCT 002
11004 CARPENTER ST.
FRANKFORT PCT 003
11327 W. 195TH ST.
FRANKFORT PCT 004
MOKENA FIRE STATION 1
19853 S. WOLF RD.
FRANKFORT PCT 006
BRYLES RESEARCH
9405 ENTERPRISE DR.
FRANKFORT PCT 010
MOKENA ELEM SCHOOL SOUTH
11244 WILLOWCREST LN.
FRANKFORT PCT 014
11046 SECOND ST.
FRANKFORT PCT 019
19815 KIRKSTONE WAY
FRANKFORT PCT 022
11331 W. 195TH ST.
FRANKFORT PCT 024
10901 LA PORTE RD.
FRANKFORT PCT 026
20012 S. WOLF RD.
FRANKFORT PCT 027
19815 KIRKSTONE WAY
FRANKFORT PCT 030
19651 S. BEECHNUT DR.
FRANKFORT PCT 034 HICKORY CREEK COMMUNITY CHURCH 10660 W. LINCOLN HWYFRANKFORT PCT 035
10850 W. 187TH ST.
FRANKFORT PCT 038
19860 LA GRANGE RD.
FRANKFORT PCT 040
19651 S. BEECHNUT DR.
HOMER PCT 021
18512 S. PARKER RD.
NEW LENOX PCT 007
12625 187TH ST.
NEW LENOX PCT 012
19819 S SCHOOLHOUSE RD.
NEW LENOX PCT 028
18512 S. PARKER RD.
Wednesday, March 30, 11:05 a.m.
Last Chance for Early Voting
Tomorrow, March 31, is the last day for early voting in Mokena. You can still vote from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at , 11004 Carpenter Street or from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Will County Clerk's Office, 302 N. Chicago Street in Joliet
Tuesday, March 29, 1:15 p.m.
Giant Campaign Sign Stolen
With one week to go until the election, it looked like we were going to get to the end of campaign season without a single signs story. But this is our first time covering a municipal election, and it turns out we were only naive.
Over the weekend, a 32-square-foot, $200 campaign sign advertising the re-election of Village Trustee Don Labriola was believed to have been stolen. Labriola said the sign had been placed at the corner of Wolf Road and Route 30 and has already been replaced.
Labriola also said two normal-sized campaign signs had been pushed over on Willow east of La Grange and on 195th east of Townline. Those were also repaired and replaced.
In a press release, Labriola said he did not believe any of his opponents were involved in the damage.
Sometimes, We Miss Something
Jeff Leonard dropped out of the of Commissioners race in January, according to Marianne Jamrok, spokeswoman for the park district. His name has been removed from the ballot.
Monday, March 28, 9 a.m.
Mokena Sample Ballot
We've been busy trying to figure out how to correctly fill out our addresses in the Will County Clerk's sample ballot request form without getting an error message. It seems the best way to do it is to put your address number in the first field, then your street name WITHOUT "Street," or "Road" or "Lane" or whatever type of thoroughfare you live on in the second field.
Some tips for filling out your ballot:
- If you wish to vote on the School District 159 referendum, be sure to turn the ballot over: the referendum is on the back.
- even though his name still appears on the ballot.
- The instructions for voting on the School District 210 school board read "ON THE BASIS OF EXISTING BOARD MEMBERSHIP, AT LEAST ONE MEMBER SHALL BE ELECTED FROM THE UNINCORPORATED AREA." As current board member , this does not mean you need to vote for one candidate from the unincorporated area. It just means that if four candidates from the incorporated area are elected, the top three will get board positions as well as the top candidate from the unincorporated area. "The voters simply need to know that they should vote for the four candidates they feel would do the best job in managing their district regardless of where they live in that district," Molloy wrote.
Sunday, March 20, 9:22 p.m.
Former Mayor Endorses Labriola for Trustee
Former Mayor Ron Grotovsky, who headed the Mokena Village Board of Trustees from 1989 to 1997, has endorsed Don Labriola for re-election as village trustee, according to a release. Labriola is currently running for a third term as trustee.
Labriola has also received an endorsement from attorney Aaron Janik. "Trustee Labriola has worked tirelessly on many issues that may have gone unnoticed by residents, yet without his efforts Mokena would not be in the position it is in today," Janik wrote in the endorsement. Janik went on on to cite Labriola's efforts to consolidate the Lincoln-Way Public Safety Communications Center and to use the village's website to stream village board meetings as "examples of the type of service the residents of Mokena receive by having Trustee Don Labriola as a member of the Village Board."
Tuesday, March 1, 1:20 p.m.
Attorney endorses Markham for 159 school board
Mokena 159 school board candidate Patrick Markham has been endorsed by attorney Aaron Janik. "As an education attorney, I have seen first hand the devastation an irresponsible school board can cause and the effect that it has on the community," Janik wrote in his endorsement. "I know that Mr. Markham will serve the Mokena community with the care and trust that is necessary to see us through these difficult times."
Register to vote at the Oaks on Saturday, March 5
A registrar from the Will County Clerk's Office will register voters from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday at the , 10847 W la Porte Rd, according to the Mokena Park District website. Two forms of identification are needed to register, and one must show your current address and provide proof of age. You must register under your legal name. The last day to register to vote for the April 5 election is March 8.
Feb. 20
Anaya out of village board race
Pedro "Pete" Anaya dropped out of the race for village board, citing family and work commitments. Read the full story .
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