Incumbents and newcomers wafted into their seats in uncontested municipal races in Franklin Park and Northlake.
The three members of the Progress Through Leadership party — incumbents William Ruhl and Cheryl McLean along with newcomer James Caporusso — were elected to serve as village trustees in Franklin Park.
Residents Ken Zurek, Vicki Vanderhei and Chris Litwin had also registered to run for the three open village trustee seats under the Progress Through Lower Taxes party. In February, those three candidates were knocked out of contention by challenges to their signature sheets.
In Northlake, four incumbent aldermen retook their seats on the city council after uncontested races. They are 1st Ward Ald. Penny Feldmann, 2nd Ward Ald. Tom Padilla, 3rd Ward Ald. Mark Werba and 4th Ward Ald. Francine Patti.
Uncontested races were in the majority for the April 7 election, with only 36.9 percent of the 699 races in suburban Cook County being contested, according to the Cook County Clerk’s website. In 2013, 36 percent of races were uncontested and in 2011, 40 percent were uncontested.
