Published: October 26, 2009 11:54 pm      

Primary filings draw short line

DANVILLE — Incumbents outnumbered hopefuls in a short line for the first day of election petition filing Monday morning at the Vermilion County clerk’s office.

Only 10 candidates showed up Monday morning for their first chance to get their names on the ballot for the 2010 primary.

County clerk Lynn Foster, one of the incumbents who filed her petitions on Monday, said the small number was a change from previous years where quite a line tends to develop on the first day of filings.

“There aren’t as many contested races as there are in some years,” Foster added. “And we don’t have any information yet on referendums that may be on the ballot. That sort of ratchets up the interest in a primary.”

The deadline for referendums does not come until next month.

Foster and Sheriff Pat Hartshorn were among the incumbents to be there at 8 a.m. as well as Vermilion County Board members Jim McMahon of Danville for District 9, Orick Nightlinger of Danville for District 5 and Steve Fourez of Fairmount for District 3, as well Robert Huffman of Danville for Board of Review District 2.

A few fresh faces still stood among the political veterans on Monday, one of the youngest being 29-year-old Dennis Miller of Danville. The first-time politician set his sights on the Republican nod for county clerk.

“A lot of people have asked if I feel like I’m old enough to step forward and fill the position,” said Miller, who turns 30 in December. “Absolutely.”

On the other hand, Republican Dave Stone of Catlin has lived in Vermilion County since grade school. That local familiarity combined with an interest in being involved in the committee and prompted him to run for a District 3 seat on the county board.

“Now that the kids are grown I want to come back and see what ahead,” he said after filing Monday.

In Springfield, candidates for other offices connected to Vermilion County filed their petitions first thing Monday morning. Republican Chad Hays of Danville became the first to file for representative in the 104th District, held by retiring legislator Bill Black.

Democratic incumbent Michael Frerichs of Champaign filed for another term as state senator in the 52nd District. Republican Shane Cultra of Onarga filed for representative in the 105th District, which covers the northern portion of Vermilion County.

All four announced candidates filed at 8 a.m. Monday for a vacant seat on the bench in the Fifth Judicial Circuit. The newcomers, all Republicans, are former state’s attorney Frank Young of Danville, Eric Neuman and Brian Bower of Charleston and Matt Sullivan of Paris.

Like at the local level, the four candidates will be placed in a lottery for the chance to have his name listed first on the primary ballot.

Other candidates filtered in throughout the day to file their petitions at the county’s courthouse annex including Republican incumbent Sue Stine of Danville for treasurer and incumbent Democrat Robert McMurray of Georgetown for Board of Review District.

For the county board, newcomer Republican Charles “Chip” Mattis of Potomac filed to run for District 2 while incumbents filed in several other districts: Democrat Scott Kair of Danville for District 7; Republican Russ Pollitt of Danville for District 6; Republican Bill Grubb of Danville for District 3 and Democrat Larry Davis of Danville for District 9.

Two newcomers stepped into the line with the apparent suggestion of the current office holders. Democrat Amanda Shepherd of Danville, who works in the supervisor of assessments office, decided to run for the Board of Review District 1 seat at the urging of current District 1 representative Steve Cannon.

Shepherd said the idea was a big move for her.

“It took a little time for me and the family to decide this was OK for me to do,” she said.

Republican Cheryl Reifsteck of Danville, an assistant at the Vermilion County Regional Office of Education, filed to run for the office of superintendent of schools with the support of Mike Metzen, the current superintendent.

Metzen said he has enjoyed the job, but has “gotten my years in.”

Unlike most offices, whoever wins the office of superintendent will not take over next year. Metzen said his term does not end until June 30, 2011, making the decision not to run one he can ease into.

As of 4:30 p.m. Monday, no one had filed petitions for the office of supervisor of assessments, which was vacated by Don Crist when he was appointed to the state’s Property Tax Assessment Board. Fos-ter confirmed that two men — Danville Township Assessor Bill Kizer and Matt Long, both of Danville — passed a recent licensing test qualifying them for the county position.

The 2010 primary is set for Feb. 2. The general election takes place on Nov. 2, 2010.

The county clerk’s office will be taking petition filings for the February primary up to 4:30 p.m. each day through the end of the week. The office will be open until 5 p.m. for last-minute filings next Monday.