Voting is one way Oak Park and River Forest residents can make their voices heard and enact change on the local level during the April 2025 local elections.
This year’s election takes place April 1, or voters can get out early to cast a ballot in March. Residents will choose the outcome of positions including the new village president, three seats on the village board of trustees, local school boards, park district and library boards.
Register to vote
First-time eligible voters, those looking to change their registration address or anyone looking to double check they’re set for Election Day can do so at https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/voter-registration.
To vote in Illinois, you must turn 18 years old on or before the date of the consolidated election. You must be a United States citizen and live in your election precinct at least 30 days prior to the Election Day. You cannot be serving a jail or prison sentence and cannot have claimed the right to vote anywhere else.
For the April 1 election, voters can register online, in person or by mail.
With an Illinois driver’s license or state ID, you can register through the Illinois State Board of Elections at https://ova.elections.il.gov/ by March 16. You can also fill out a form on that website by printing and signing it and mailing it in by March 4.
To register in person, suburban Cook County residents can go to one of the Cook County Clerk’s locations, a village clerk, an Illinois Secretary of State’s drivers license facility or deputy registrars.
Individuals wanting to register to vote during early voting can do so by bringing two pieces of identification, one with a current address, to their voting site. You can also register on Election Day at your home precinct or an Election Day Vote Center.
Early voting
Suburban Cook County voters can cast their ballot ahead of April 1 at Oak Park’s Village Hall, located at 123 Madison St.
Early voting hours, according to Oak Park officials, are available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from March 17 to March 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 23, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 24 to March 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 30 and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 31.
Other early voting locations can be found on the Cook County Clerk’s website.
Local voters can also apply for a mail ballot, which must be mailed by April 1 using a USPS mailbox, deposited at a designated drop site or turned in on Election Day in person.
Election Day
Voting is open for the consolidated municipal elections from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 1. Oak Park’s Village Hall is not a polling place on Election Day. Instead, residents can find their designated polling place at https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/your-voter-information.
The Oak Park Public Library is hosting virtual candidate forums ahead of the election to help inform your vote, as well as the League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest.
Wednesday Journal will also host candidate forums. For the Oak Park village trustees and president, a forum will take place Feb. 24 at the Oak Park Public Library in the Veterans Room. The trustee candidates will speak at 6:30 p.m., followed by the presidential candidates at 7:35 p.m.
For the District 200 school board, a forum will be at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25 in the same location. And for the District 97 school board, the forum will be at 6:30 p.m. March 6, also at the OPPL Veterans Room.
Who is running?
Oak Park Village President (one seat open)
- Ravi Parakkat
- Vicki Scaman
Oak Park Village Trustee (three seats open)
- Chibuike Enyia
- Jenna Leving Jacobson
- Lucia Robinson
- James “Jim” Taglia
- Joshua Vanderberg
Oak Park Village Clerk (one seat open)
- Christina Waters
Oak Park Public Library Trustee (four seats open)
- Colin Bird-Martinez
- Bruce Brigell
- Megan Butman
- Matthew Fruth
- Maya Ganguly
- Mika Selena Yamamoto
- Daniel Suber
- Annie Wilkinson
Park District of Oak Park Commissioner (two seats open)
- Sandra Lentz
- Adekunle “Ade” Onayemi
Oak Park School District 97 Board Member (three seats open)
- Twyla Blackmond Larnell
- Nancy Ross Dribin
- Vincent Gay
- Venus Hurd Johnson
- Ashley Lenz
- Becky Perez
Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 Board Member (four seats open)
- Frederick D Arkin
- Joshua Gertz
- Nathan R. Mellman
- Kathleen Odell
- David Schaafsma (Write-in candidate)
- Audrey Williams-Lee
Oak Park Township Supervisor (one seat open)
- Timothy Thomas
Oak Park Township Assessor (one seat open)
- Ali ElSaffar
Oak Park Township Clerk (one seat open)
- Lou Anne Johannesson
Oak Park Township Trustee (four seats open)
- DaToya Burton-Cox
- Eric Davis
- Juan Munoz
- Margaret Trybus
River Forest Village President (one seat open)
- Catherine Adduci
River Forest Village Trustee (three seats open)
- Lisa Gillis
- Megan Keskitalo
- Respicio F. Vazquez
River Forest School District 90 (four seats open)
- Kathleen Avalos
- Katherine Bevan
- Joshua Ehart
- Beth Vlerik
