Aurora council nomination petition period begins

AURORA | The window for potential city council and mayoral candidates to submit nomination petitions for the Nov. 3 general election is now open.

Aurora city officials announced this week that the nomination petitions are now available in the City Clerk’s Office for the city’s municipal election this fall. Aurora voters will vote for the office of mayor, as well as two at-large city council seats and one council seat each from Wards IV, V and VI.

A minimum of 100 signatures from registered electors in Aurora are required for mayoral and at-large council candidates. Potential candidates for the ward council seats must submit at least 50 signatures from within their respective wards.

Completed nomination petitions must be returned to the City Clerk’s Office by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25.

Mayor Stephen Hogan earlier this year announced his bid for a second term and likely will be unopposed after Ward IV Councilwoman Molly Markert scrapped plans to run for mayor.

Francoise Bergan, who is running for the Ward VI seat being vacated by term-limited Bob Broom, is the only person who has submitted a petition as of Friday morning, Aug. 7, said Aurora Deputy City Clerk Karen Goldman.

Goldman said PK Kaiser and Brian Arnold, who are both running for Broom’s seat, have picked up nomination petitions as well.

Other people who have picked up petitions include former Aurora City Attorney Charlie Richardson and Arnie Schultz, who are both seeking term-limited Councilwoman Molly Markert’s Ward IV council seat.

Current at-large council members Debi Hunter Holen and Bob LeGare are seeking re-election and have picked up petitions, along with Angela Lawson, who is also vying for one of the two at-large seats. Both  Lawson and Maya Wheeler have launched campaigns for the two at-large seats up in the November election.

Councilman Bob Roth also picked up a petition to run again for his Ward V seat. Roth could face newcomer Cheri McElhiney in the race, who declared her intent to run in June.