Numerous elected posts, little competition
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Share on TwitterEvery 4 years, hundreds of people run for township posts in Lee and Whiteside counties. Most candidates have no opponent.
On April 9, every township post is up for election. Each township has a supervisor, clerk, highway commissioner and four trustees. Most share a property tax assessor with a neighboring township.
The townships have until Jan. 31 to give county clerks the information on their candidates.
Lee and Whiteside counties each have 22 townships.
Lee County has 163 township positions. In 2009, 190 people ran for the offices, with two multi-township assessor positions drawing no candidates.
In all, 77 percent of the positions in Lee County, including all supervisors and clerks, drew no competition.
Twelve of the 22 townships had competitive races for highway commissioner. Eight saw contests for trustee, but in half of the cases, five candidates vied for four positions, meaning all but one would be successful.
In Whiteside County, 167 township positions were on the ballot in 2009. The races drew 184 candidates, with no one seeking one clerk position and two assessor positions.
In all, 88 percent of township races in Whiteside County had no competition.
Eight of the 22 townships had competitive races for highway commissioner and two each for supervisor and clerk. Only three races for trustee were competitive.
Townships are known for their stability; officials often stay for decades.
In Lee County, clerks in 13 townships were in their posts 10 years ago, according to an examination of county yearbooks. Nine townships have had the same supervisor or highway commissioner or both for a decade.
In Whiteside County, clerks and supervisors in 12 townships were in their jobs 10 years ago. Ten highway commissioners have served for at least a decade.
"That's one of the nice things about our offices," said Jerry Crabtree, associate director of the Township Officials of Illinois, the main lobbying group for townships. "We have a lot of people who stick around for a long time. They are dedicated community servants."
Statewide, townships see about 20 percent turnover with each election, Crabtree said.
Bob Anderson, a McHenry County barber who wants to do away with townships, said he wasn't surprised that so few township races were competitive.
"Anyone who comes into my barbershop wouldn't be able to tell you when the next township election is," he said. "The township people keep to themselves, so they can control it."
A look at 2009 races
Here's a look at which races were competitive in April 2009, the most recent township election:
WHITESIDE COUNTY
Albany: No competition
Clyde: No competition
Coloma: Two ran for highway commissioner; five ran for four trustee positions; no other competition
Erie: No competition
Fenton: Two ran for clerk; no other competition
Fulton: Two ran for highway commissioner; no other competition
Garden Plain: No competition
Genesee: No competition
Hahnaman: No competition
Hopkins: Three ran for supervisor, two ran for highway commissioner; no one ran for clerk; two ran for four trustee positions
Hume: No competition
Jordan: Three ran for clerk; three ran for highway commissioner; no other competition
Lyndon: No competition
Montmorency: Four ran for highway commissioner; no other competition
Mount Pleasant: No competition
Newton: No competition
Portland: No competition
Prophetstown: No competition
Sterling: Two ran for supervisor; three ran for highway commissioner; seven ran for four trustee positions
Tampico: Two ran for highway commissioner; no other competition
Union Grove: Three ran for highway commissioner; no other competition
Ustick: No competition
LEE COUNTY
Alto: No competition
Amboy: No competition
Ashton: Two ran for highway commissioner; no other competition
Bradford: Two ran for highway commissioner; no other competition
Brooklyn: Three ran for highway commissioner; five ran for four trustee positions; no other competition
Dixon: Two ran for highway commissioner; six ran for four trustee positions; no other competition
East Grove: No competition
Franklin Grove: Two ran for highway commissioner; five ran for four trustee positions; no other competition
Hamilton: No competition
Harmon: Two ran for highway commissioner; seven ran for four trustee positions; no other competition
Lee Center: Five ran for four trustee positions; no other competition
Marion: Three ran for highway commissioner; five ran for four trustee positions; no other competition
May: Two ran for highway commissioner; no other competition
Nachusa: No competition
Nelson: No competition
Palmyra: Two ran for highway commissioner; no other competition
Reynolds: No competition
South Dixon: No competition
Sublette: No competition
Viola: Five ran for four trustee positions: no other competition
Willow Creek: Three ran for highway commissioner; no other competition
Wyoming: Two ran for highway commissioner; six ran for four trustee positions; no other competition
