Civic Betterment Party hosts Town Meeting Saturday to decide candidates for Glen Ellyn’s spring election

During the meeting, voters will have the opportunity to meet nominees and hear them speak. Open positions include village president, village clerk, three Village Board of Trustees seats and three Glen Ellyn Public Library Board of Trustees seats. All positions serve four-year terms.

The Town Meeting functions as a primary, but is conducted more like a caucus, said Erik Ford, chair of the Civic Betterment Party’s nominating committee, which runs the election process.

The candidates who receive the highest number of votes for each open position will appear on this spring’s ballot. For example, out of the five candidates for village trustee, the three who receive the most votes will be on the ballot since only three seats are up for election.

Those who do not receive the most votes through this process can still apply to be on the ballot through the DuPage County Election Commission, but Ford said most people follow the results of the Civic Betterment Party process and opt not to go that route.

“Our goal is to get good people to run for city government and make it easy for them to do so,” Ford said.

The Civic Betterment Party, a non-partisan volunteer organization, assists residents who want to serve in public office by helping them to do so without political fundraising, partisanship and campaigning.

In addition to voting during the Town Meeting, residents also were able to vote early from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday and from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at the Glen Ellyn Civic Center, 535 Duane St.

In order to vote, residents must be at least 18 years old and live in incorporated Glen Ellyn for one year prior to the election. Residents must be able to verify these items when they vote, Ford said.

The Town Meeting will take place from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Civic Center. Candidate speeches will begin at 10 a.m., and primary voting will be open throughout the meeting, except for during the Civic Betterment Party’s business meeting.