Perhaps it's fitting that on the very next morning after Tuesday's election, library board candidate-elect Mary T. Small was headed  to the River Forest Public Library.  The political newcomer — and library regular — said she leveraged an e-mail campaign to local condo dwellers and various "movers and shakers" to help win the seat.  Small, Thomas Smedinghoff and Claudette Zobel triumphed in the four-person race for three seats. Jennifer Rice Epstein lost to Zobel by 80 votes. (Totals here.) Said Rice Epstein: "I am not sure if I'll run for any local offices in the future, but if I do, I will …

A political newcomer and two incumbents captured seats on the Oak Park and River Forest District 200 school board. John Phelan earned his first four-year term, while Sharon Patchak-Layman and Ralph Lee were re-elected to their second terms. Incumbent John Allen, Margaret Lattner Skiver and John B. Bokum, Jr. rounded out the field of six candidates running for three seats. Phelan was attending the River Forest Public Schools District 90 board meeting — where new Supt. Edward Condon was being introduced — when he learned he was ahead at the polls. He followed the returns on his iPhone. "I'm so …

The Citizens for Accountable Leadership will account for all three vacant spots on the Oak Park Village Board.Incumbent Ray Johnson and newcomer Robert Tucker were swept to easy wins. Vote totals for Adam Salzman, another political newcomer, were close to independent candidate Lynn Kessen at the outset of the race, but Salzman pulled ahead as Tuesday night wore on.  Independent candidate Lewis Carmichael was a distant fifth.All three winners pledged to work with other taxing districts to find ways to share services and keep taxes low. They also pledged to be fiscally responsible stewards of …

Oak Park voters approved an Oak Park Elementary School District 97 referendum on Tuesday, ensuring the necessary tax revenue to meet an approaching annual budget gap district officials say swelled to $5.7 million. At 11 p.m. Tuesday, 44 of 45 precincts had reported results, with 54.34 percent supporting the referendum and 45.66 percent opposed. “It’s reflective of Oak Parkers wanting to support the school district we have come to know and love here,” said Peter Traczyk, president of the school board.  Approval of the referendum means Oak Park homeowners will pay $37.40 more per $1,000 on …

12:14 a.m.OK, folks. That's going to do it for today. We'll be back tomorrow with more stories from the contested races, and we'll try and get comment from the candidates in the uncontested races, too.  Meanwhile, here's one more look at the latest results in the contested races. They're taken from the Cook County Clerk's Office Election 2011 results website.  Oak Park Village BoardOak Park River Forest High School District 200 District 97 referendumOak Park electricity plan referendumPark District of Oak Park Board of CommissionersRiver Forest Library Board 12:02 a.m.And another one....One …

Oak Park-River Forest Patch has compiled a handy map — posted on the right side of this page — displaying the polling places and precinct information for voters headed to the polls on Tuesday. Just zoom in and click away. Unsure of your precinct? Simply fill out your address on the "Voter Information" page on Cook County Clerk David Orr's website. There, you can find your polling place, a sample ballot and a list of your elected officials, as well as their contact information. Have more questions? The clerk's website has a helpful FAQ section, which addresses all types of voter concerns, from…

John Phelan, 45, has a strong personal connection to OPRF High School. He and wife Amy have two children currently attending there, and four more on the way soon at younger grades. Phelan is aiming for a spot on the Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 school board, comprised of seven members serving four-year terms. This year, six candidates — Phelan, Margaret Lattner Skiver, John Bokum Jr. and incumbents Ralph H. Lee, John C. Allen IV and Sharon Patchak Lyman — are looking to fill three vacant spots. (Editor's note: Bokum, Lee, Allen and Patchak Lyman were all sent candidate …

Margaret Lattner Skiver, a lifelong resident of Oak Park, is a former teacher and graduate of OPRF High School vying for a spot on the Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 school board.   The board is comprised of seven members serving four-year terms. This year, six candidates — Lattner Skiver,  John Phelan, John Bokum Jr. and incumbents Ralph H. Lee, John C. Allen IV and Sharon Patchak Lyman — are looking to fill three vacant spots. (Editor's note: Bokum, Lee, Allen and Patchak Lyman were all sent candidate questionnaires; only Lattner Skiver and Phelan returned them.) She …

Bob Spatz, 47, hasn't moved more than 1.5  miles from his current Oak Park house his entire life. He's worked for the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business's Center for Research in Security Prices (CRSP) for more than 25 years. At CRSP, he's served as a programmer/analyst before moving up to his current role as director of technology — subscriber products. His son attended Longfellow, Julian, OPRF High School, and is now a freshman at Indiana University-Bloomington. Spatz was first elected to the Board of Education in 2007, and has continued to serve on other organizations such as …

Jim O'Connor, 38, brings over ten years of experience working in public education. He's served four years as a high school teacher math and science teacher in Arkansas and Chicago, six as a principal at the Kipp Ascend Charter School, and one year as a district administrator in Elgin District U-46. He now works in education public policy, focusing on excellence and equity in the education system O'Connor and his wife, Hannah, have two children: a daughter who is a kindergartner at Irving Elementary School and a three-year-old son. Four candidates — O'Connor, Denise Sacks and incumbents Bob …

Liz Fischer, a homemaker and writer in River Forest, is one of three candidates running unchallenged on the District 90 School Board ballot. Ralph Martire and incumbent James Weiss will also appear on the ballot. (Editor's note: Weiss was sent a candidate questionnaire, but has not returned it.) Born and raised in Oak Park, she attended OPRF high school and has lived in River Forest since 1997. She has three children with husband Bruce, including two currently in the District 90 school system. Fischer said she decided to run for the board because she sees it as a way to give back to her …

Ralph Martire, a River Forest resident, is one of three candidates running uncontested for a spot on the District 90 School Board. Liz Fischer and incumbent James Weiss will also appear on the ballot. (Editor's note: Weiss was sent a candidate questionnaire, but has not returned it.) Martire currently serves as executive director of a bipartisan economic and fiscal policy think tank called the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. Patch: District 90's Board of Education has recently been considering a full-day kindergarten program.  What are your thoughts on this? Ralph Martire: Full day …

Election officials in Cook County say participation in early voting is on the upswing, with thousands of suburban residents turning out to cast early ballots and avoid long waits on April 5. On Monday, 1,970 voters turned out to early voting, making it the highest single-day turnout this election season, officials said.  Since early voting began March 14, nearly 20,000 have turned out to take advantage.  The busiest sites? An ice rink in Wilmette, village hall in Chicago Heights and the Lemont library.  Oak Park Village Hall is clocking in with about 75o early voters, according to Cook County…