By Richard C. Irvin
Mayor of Aurora –
To Aurora residents:
At this point one year ago, my life was very different. I was campaigning to be the mayor of Aurora, and anxiously awaiting the results of the primary election. This year, as I prepare to close out my first year as your mayor, I am thankful for the opportunity to lead Aurora. And yet, a year later, I am still anxiously awaiting the results of the primary election, albeit for a different reason this time around.
Although the ballot is not asking Aurorans to choose their next mayor, it is asking us to make a choice that would have a significant impact on the city, the question of “Shall the City Election Law be Rejected?”
The wording of the question is disconcerting, but what it is asking is for voters to decide if the Aurora Election Commission should be abolished and allow the County Clerk’s office to take over election services. A “Yes” vote means the commission shall be abolished, a “No” vote means status quo.
I want to respond to a recent letter from some of the Kane County Board Members regarding the Aurora Election Commission question appearing on the ballot. The letter encouraged residents to weigh all of the facts on the idea of abolishing the Aurora Election Commission. As mayor, I agree with encouraging residents to look at all of the facts, which is why we made them available on the city website at www.aurora-il.org/AECInfo.
The website lays out the facts related to the history of the Aurora Election Commission, how we ended up with our own separate electoral body, and why it is up to the voters to decide the future. Outside of the financial aspect, you may be wondering why this matters to me as mayor, and why I am asking Aurorans to take action on this matter.
My first response is typically to save money, but upon reflection, the second reason is far more significant. When I ran to be your mayor, it was because I want to see our city continue to grow and thrive, to move past the old reputation that no longer serves or represents us, rejecting the status quo. As the second largest city in the State of Illinois, our residents deserve the best, and deserve the opportunity to decide for ourselves what we will and will not accept as a city in every way, shape and form, including elections. The current system was created because there was a need, a need that no longer exists. There is a better option available to us. We just have to say “Yes” March 20.
