Vicki Scaman, middle, talks with Susan Buchanan and Jim Prescott on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, during an election night party in Oak Park, Ill. | ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer 
Village trustee candidate Stephen Morales, left, talks with his son, Tycho, on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, during an election party at Il Vicolo Trattoria on Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park, Ill. | ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer 
From left, Oak Park trustee candidates Lucia Robinson, Ravi Parakkat and Stephen Morales stand for a photo together on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, during an election party at Il Vicolo Trattoria on Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park, Ill. | ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer 
Lou Ann Johannesson, right, Oak Park Village clerk candidate, talks with her long-time friend, Jackie Jendras, on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, during an election night party in Forest Park, Ill. | ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer 
Guest mingle while waiting on election results on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, during an election night party for Vicki Scaman in Oak Park, Ill. | ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer 
Outgoing village trustee Deno Andrews checks his phone for polling results on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, during an election party at Il Vicolo Trattoria on Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park, Ill. | ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
In the aftermath of the April 6 election, Cate Readling remains committed to the platform on which she ran for village president, despite her loss to Vicki Scaman, who is wrapping up her term as village clerk. With all 37 precincts reported but not all mail-in ballots counted, the president-elect racked up 56.23 percent of votes, with Readling receiving 43.77 percent.
“The policies and issues we drove remain critical and just as we said throughout the campaign, we will continue to push all electeds for accountability around the issues of government transparency, access to government process, and fair and affordable housing,” Readling said in a statement to Wednesday Journal.
“Because of a competitive election we were able to expose inequity in the electoral process and I welcome all the opportunities ahead to continue challenging those barriers.”
Readling also expressed her pride in the campaign she ran and those mobilized around it.
Scaman claimed victory as Oak Park village president late election night, telling Wednesday Journal she is glad to be able to continue serving the community.
“I’m even more honored that our community has chosen me to serve in the role of village president,” she said.
As for Readling, Scaman said she has the “utmost respect” and expressed her appreciation for Readling’s “heartfelt commitment” to Oak Park.
“There is no doubt that we will continue to work together to make our community better,” said Scaman, who told Wednesday Journal she is excited to serve on the village board with the current trustees, as well as the three incoming trustees.
Poised to fill those three open village trustee seats are Ravi Parakkat, Chibuike Enyia and Lucia Robinson. Parakkat received the most votes at 19.91 percent, followed by Enyia at 18.16 percent and Robinson’s 16.97 percent. Robinson and Parakkat are part of the Unite Oak Park slate. The slate’s third member, Stephen Morales, received 15.6 percent of votes.
Enyia was backed by the Represent Oak Park coalition, which supported a group of Black village board candidates that also included Juanta Griffin and Anthony Clark, who received 15.08 percent and 14.25 percent of votes for village trustee respectively.
For village clerk, Oak Park voters favored Christina Waters, who received 78.4 percent of votes cast. Waters currently serves as deputy village clerk, an unelected position, and also had the support of Represent Oak Park. Her opponent LouAnne Johannesson trailed with 21.53 percent.
These are the unofficial voting results. The numbers will likely change somewhat as mail-in ballots are counted. Once the Illinois Board of Elections certifies the votes, the results will be finalized.
