The News-Gazette.com: Vermilion primary will have three contested races

Vermilion primary will have three contested races

By The News-Gazette

Tuesday, November 3, 2009 7:00 AM CDT

DANVILLE – There will be three contested local races in the Feb. 2 primary election.

Three Republicans are vying for two seats in District 3 of the Vermilion County Board, and five Democrats are vying for two seats in District 5.

Also, four attorneys from Vermilion, Edgar and Coles counties will square off for the Republican nomination for judge in the Fifth Judicial Circuit of Illinois.

The District 3 candidates are incumbents Steve Fourez of Fairmount and Bill Grubb of Danville and newcomer W. David Stone of Catlin.

The District 5 candidates are Incumbents Orick "Corky" Nightlinger of Danville and Chuck White of Tilton; former board members Darrell Heath of Danville and Robert "Jim" Watson of Tilton; and newcomer John L. Criswell, D-Tilton.

The top two vote-getters in each race will advance to the Nov. 2, 2010, election.

The judge candidates are former Vermilion County State's Attorney Frank Young of Danville, who is now in private practice; Edgar County State's Attorney Matt Sullivan of Paris; Charleston city attorney and corporate counsel Brian L. Bower of Charleston; and Coles County Assistant State's Attorney Eric James Neumann of Charleston.

They are seeking the circuitwide seat, which was held by Circuit Judge Dale Cini of Charleston, who retired from the bench in 2008. Circuit Judge Richard Scott of Paris, who retired in 2000, was appointed to serve the remainder of Cini's term, which expires in early December 2010.

The top vote-getter in that race will go on to run in November.

White, Heath and Watson filed papers in the Vermilion County clerk's office on Monday, the last day candidates could file.

"It's been kind of brisk today," County Clerk Lynn Foster said, who saw nine more people file by the 5 p.m. deadline.

While Foster said many races are not contested, that could change. She said the parties that don't have a candidate on the ballot in the primary could slate one to run in November, if they do so by the April 2 deadline.

She added she expects the Democratic Party will do that at least in the case of the supervisor of assessments, which was vacated earlier this month when Don Crist, a Danville Democrat, was appointed by Gov. Pat Quinn as chairman of the Illinois Property Tax Appeals Board.

Here's a list of other primary candidates:

– Sheriff: incumbent Pat Hartshorn, R-Danville.

– Treasurer: incumbent Sue Stine, R-Catlin.

– County clerk: Foster, D-Danville, the incumbent, and newcomer Dennis M. Miller, R-Danville.

– Supervisor of assessments: Newcomer Matthew Long, R-Danville.

– Regional superintendent of schools: newcomer Cheryl Reifsteck, R-Danville.

– County board, District 1: incumbent Gary Weinard, R-Hoopeston, and newcomers Danny Lee Danner and Travis Taylor, both D-Hoopeston, and Todd Johnson, R-Hoopeston.

– County board, District 2: newcomers Charles "Chip" Mattis, R-Potomac, and Susan Ponder Miller, D-Oakwood.

– County board, District 6: incumbent Russell Pollitt, R-Danville.

– County board, District 7: incumbents Scott Kair and Michael Dodge, both D-Danville, and newcomers Stephen W. Green and Craig A. Golden, both Danville Republicans.

– County board, District 8: incumbent Robert Boyd, D-Danville.

– County board, District 9: incumbents Jim McMahon and Larry Davis, both D-Danville.

– Board of review, District 1: newcomer Amanda Shepherd, D-Danville.

– Board of review, District 2: incumbent Robert Huffman, R-Danville.

– Board of review, District 3: incumbent Robert McMurray, D-Georgetown, and newcomer Michael Cundiff, D-Oakwood.