There will be contested races for two Bloomington City Council seats in the consolidated elections next April, but none will be needed for Normal Town Council.
As expected, both communities had three candidates file for mayor ahead of Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline. The filing period began at 8 a.m. Oct. 21.
Bloomington
Mboka Mwilambwe, who was elected Bloomington mayor in 2021, faces a challenge from council member Cody Hendricks and former Republican state Rep. Dan Brady.
Bloomington’s two contested city council races will be in Ward 1 [south-central Bloomington], where Jenna Kearns faces a challenge from Ben Zimmerman. Kearns was elected to the seat in 2023, following the resignation of Jamie Mathy. Grant Walch was appointed to fill Mathy’s term until the 2023 election.
In Ward 9 [northeast Bloomington], Abby Scott and Roger Bedeker have filed for the seat currently occupied by Tom Crumpler, who is not seeking a second term. A lottery will determine which candidate will appear first on the ballot, since they both submitted nominating petitions at the same time.
In the other odd-numbered wards that are up for election, incumbents Sheila Montney and Mollie Ward have filed without opposition in Wards 3 [east-central Bloomington] and Ward 7 [northwest Bloomington], respectively.
Mike Straza, who ran for mayor in 2021, is the only candidate to file in Ward 5 [north Bloomington east of Veterans Parkway]. Nick Becker is not seeking re-election.
Each council seat is for a four-year term.
Normal
Mayor Chris Koos, who has been in office since 2003, has filed for a sixth term. He is being challenged by council members Chemberly Harris and Kathleen Lorenz.
Harris, who has served two terms on the council, is vacating her seat to run for mayor.
A lottery will determine whether Koos or Lorenz will appear first on the ballot, as both candidates submitted petitions at the same time.
Normal will have three at-large seats on the ballot.
Council members Kevin McCarthy and Scott Preston filed for re-election. The third candidate is Rory Roberge, who represents the town on the McLean County Regional Planning Commission.
The consolidated election is April 1, 2025.
School board seats also will be on the ballot. Petitions for those candidates can be filed Nov. 12-18.
