Staff Report

As of Dec. 3, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D) signed into law a bill that changed the filing period for filing petitions for candidates for the Rock Valley College (RVC) Board of Trustees.

The first day of filing — Monday, Dec. 17 at 8:30 a.m. — remains the same. However, the last day to file is now Wednesday, Dec. 26.

All petitions must be filed by 5 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 26. RVC will be closed Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 24-25.

Nominating petition forms for the April 9, 2013, election in Community College District No. 511 for RVC are available. Forms may be picked up in the office of the Vice President of Administrative Services, 3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, Support Services Building, on any business day between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Three seats on the seven-member community college board will be filled in the April 9 election. All three seats will serve full six-year terms.

To be eligible to serve, a candidate must be, on the date of election, a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years old, a resident of the State of Illinois and the community college district for at least one year immediately preceding the election, and a registered voter.

Elections are nonpartisan and board candidates are not required to indicate a political party affiliation. Candidates should be aware of financial conflict-of-interest limitations set forth in the Community College Act and any other applicable statutes.

Nominating papers may be filed by the candidate in person, by mail or by an agent. They consist of the following:

• Nominating petitions signed by at least 50 voters residing within the district. Petitions must be securely bound together with pages numbered consecutively, and each page must carry the notarized signature of the petition circulator.

• Statement of candidacy, which includes a request that the candidate’s name be placed on the official ballot, the address of the candidate, the office sought, and a statement that the candidate is qualified for the office and has filed (or will file before the close of the petition filing period) a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act.

• A receipt from the county clerk showing that the candidate has filed the statement of economic interests as noted above. The receipt does not need to accompany the nominating petitions when filed, but must be filed before 5 p.m., Dec. 26.

Further information about becoming a candidate in the April 9 board election may be obtained by contacting RVC at (815) 921-4441, or the Illinois State Board of elections at www.elections.il.gov ^[1].

From the Dec. 12-18, 2012, issue