Bloomington Mayoral Election

The three candidates for Bloomington mayor agree on the importance of supporting small businesses and encouraging economic development. But they are starkly divided over how recreational cannabis should figure in the city’s economic future.

A Facebook group called "Bloomington Deserves Better Than Kevin Lower" is attacking the mayoral candidate for a 3-year-old response to an alleged racist post on a page titled the Marcus Garvey Society.

On the page was a comment suggesting that "if African Americans really wanted to escape racism, it might be time for them to move to the land of the ancestors."

Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner took a step toward a second term as he easily outdistanced a crowded field of challengers in the primary election Tuesday. Renner totaled 3,667 votes, while Alderman Kevin Lower finished second with 1,450 votes. The two will face each other in the municipal general election April 4.

During a Bloomington mayoral forum, one candidate said he didn't have to fight against the current mayor, while another candidate said he was ready to fight for Bloomington residents. 

Four of the five candidates spoke at the McLean County Republican Party's breakfast Monday morning. 

Candidate Kevin Lower said even though he disagrees with Mayor Tari Renner's ideals, he doesn't think the candidates need to fight each other. Ian Bayne said candidates need to fight for residents to survive.

Bloomington Mayoral candidates are pushing platform ideas with about a month until the primary election.

The McLean County Democratic Party hosted a forum at which retired Firefighter and life-long Bloomington resident Robert Fike said the city needs to focus on strong infrastructure.

The Bloomington Election Commission continues to conduct hearings on challenges to nominating papers filed by Mayor Tari Renner and mayoral candidate Diana Hauman. Some of the challenges were considered during opening hearings at the Government Center Friday.

Bloomington resident Bruce Meeks challenged the petitions alleging they are invalid because of alleged improper notarization. Meeks says he believes this is a necessary discussion to have.

There are far more candidate petition challenges in Bloomington than usual this year . A total of six were filed before the Monday evening deadline.

They all came from conservative critics of Bloomington government who have spoken or published about their desire to remove existing office holders.

A hearing to review an objection to Mayor Tari Renner's nominating petitions has been delayed to later this week.

The original hearing Monday morning was stopped after multiple citizens called out the Bloomington Election Commission for violations of the Open Meetings Act.

A frequent critic of the Bloomington Mayor and Council has filed a challenge to the nominating petitions of Mayor Tari Renner.

Kevin Gerrard's objection to Renner's candidacy will be heard Monday morning at the County Government Complex in downtown Bloomington in the Commission offices, according to Bloomington Election Commission Director Paul Shannon.

A former radio host said he is running for Mayor of Bloomington as an anti-establishment candidate.

Ian Bayne joins incumbent Tari Renner and Council members Diana Hauman and Kevin Lower as announced Mayoral candidates.

Bloomington Alderman Diana Hauman is running for Mayor.

Hauman said she prefers to say she is not running against Mayor Tari Renner, who appointed her, so much as she is running for the City of Bloomington in April of 2017.