Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- There are three Village Trustee and five Library Trustee seats open in Park Forest for the April 2, 2021, Consolidated Election, Clerk Shelia McGann announced at the November 16 meeting of the Village Board. Petition packets are now available.
Those seeking office need roughly 150 signatures to get on the ballot. Elections in Park Forest are non-partisan meaning everyone on the ballot will appear as an Independent.
Each trustee position open is for a four year term, Clerk McGann said.
“Five Public Library Trustee seats will be up for election,” Clerk McGann said.
“The first day to file petitions is December 14. The last day to file petitions is December 21,” Clerk McGann said. “Those interested in running for office should pick up packets in the Village Manager’s office at Village Hall.”
For more information, please call 708-283-5605, Clerk McGann said.
Who Must File and Disclose Campaign Finances?
The Illinois Campaign Disclosure Act applies to candidates, individuals, groups of persons or any organizations, political or otherwise, who:
- Have accepted contributions or made expenditures or independent expenditures in excess of $5,000 within a 12-month period in support of or in opposition to a candidate or candidates for public office, or any question of public policy to be submitted to voters;
- Have received or made expenditures in excess of $5,000 within a 12-month period for electioneering communication; or
- Have made independent expenditures in excess of $5,000 within a 12-month period.
A contribution is cash, loans or anything of value received in connection with an election or for political purposes. Goods or services provided to the campaign or purchased on behalf of the campaign must be reported as in-kind contributions. Procedures for disclosing such contributions will be discussed later in this booklet. A candidate’s personal contributions or loans to their campaign must also be disclosed and considered when determining if or when the threshold has been exceeded. Once the $5,000 threshold has been exceeded, the Act requires that the committee file campaign disclosure documents with the State Board of Elections.
Please be aware that a committee may file with the Board prior to exceeding the $5,000 threshold. Once on file with the Board, all committees must continue with required disclosure filings, regardless of whether they have ever reached the $5,000 level. (Emphasis added)
An individual who makes independent expenditures supporting or opposing a particular candidate does not qualify as a committee, but is required to file a special written disclosure with the Board if the independent expenditurestotal more than $3,000 in a 12-month period. This disclosure must be filed within 2 business days of exceeding the $3,000 threshold and must identify: the person making the independent expenditures as well as their employer and occupation, the public official or candidate supported or opposed, and the date(s), amount(s) and nature of each independent expenditure. Once the threshold is reached, the individual is required to report further expenditures in relation to the same election in $1,000 increments until the conclusion of the election.
Records of financial transactions must be maintained from the beginning of the campaign in order to determine when the filing threshold has been reached.
Illinois Campaign Disclosure Guide
This information is not thorough and candidates should consult an attorney if they are not sure when or if they should file with the state of Illinois.
