Former Bloomington alderman Rob Fazzini said Friday he's exploring a run for McLean County Board in the east side district currently represented by the county’s Republican Party chair.
Fazzini said he’s considering running in 2018 as an independent in District 10 on Bloomington’s east side. Chuck Erickson, the chairman of the McLean County Republican Party, currently holds that seat.
Fazzini said he thinks the McLean County Board elections should be nonpartisan, like it is for the Normal Town Council and Bloomington City Council. Fazzini served as an alderman from 2011-2014.
“That’s one of the main reasons I’m considering running,” Fazzini said. “I believe running as independent would be first step toward trying to change the system. We’re exploring whether or not you can actually change the system or if you have to have some sort of referendum. The other option would just be to get more people to run as independents.”
He also thinks the county board should be more transparent, starting with moving its regular meetings outside of work hours so more members of the public can attend.
Fazzini, a retired banker, only recently moved to District 10. He said Erickson’s tenure on the board has not influenced his consideration of a run.
“It wasn’t to run against Chuck Erickson. It was to run to do some things, and Chuck just happens to be the person in the district,” he said.
As an independent, Fazzini can begin circulating petitions on March 27, 2018, after the primary, with a filing deadline of June 25, according to the county clerk's office. An independent running in District 10 would need a minimum of 549 signatures. The general election is in November 2018.
Fazzini said he’s a registered Republican but has been registered in the past as a Democrat.
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