Petitions for Dakota School Board

Nominating petition forms for the April 9, 2013 school board election in Dakota CUSD #201 are now available.  Forms may be picked up in the office of the board secretary at 400 Campus Dr. on any business day between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

A school board candidate’s petition must be filed in the same office no earlier than 7:30 a.m. on Monday, December 17 and no later than 5:00 p.m. Monday December 24.

Candidates’ names will appear on the election ballot in the order in which their nominating papers are received in the secretary’s office.

Four seats on the seven-member board of education will be filled at the April 9 election.  Candidates elected will serve four-year terms expiring in April 2017. 

To be eligible to serve, a school board member must be, on the date of election, a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years old, a registered voter, and a resident of the State of Illinois and the school district for at least one year immediately proceeding the election.

Elections are nonpartisan and board candidates do not indicate a political party affiliation.  Candidates should be aware of financial conflict-of-interest limitations set forth in state law. 

1. Nominating petitions signed by at least 50 voters residing within the district.  Petitions must be securely bound together with pages numbered consecutively, and each page must carry the notarized signature of the petition circulator.
2. Statement of candidacy, which includes a request that the candidate’s name be placed on the official ballot, the address of the candidate, the office sought, and a statement that the candidate is qualified for the office and has filed (or will file before the close of the petition filing period) a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act.
3. A receipt from the county clerk showing that the candidate has filed the statement of economic interests as noted above.
4. A loyalty oath, which is optional.  A candidate may choose to file it or not.

Other important dates for candidates are:

• Wednesday, January 2, 2013: last day for filing objections to a candidate’s nominating papers in the office of the board secretary.
• Wednesday, January 2, 2013: last day for a candidate to withdraw from nomination.

Further information on becoming a candidate in the April 9 board election may be obtained by contacting Sue Gallagher, Dakota Schools 400 Campus Dr. Dakota, IL 815-449-2832.