Activist Toolkit has collaborated with Village Free Press and other community partners to build a comprehensive voter guide for the April 6, 2021 elections in Bellwood. The sections linked below allow voters to explore links to relevant articles, video from candidate forums, and individual candidates' websites and Facebook pages. In addition, each candidate was given the opportunity to complete a questionnaire developed by members of the Bellwood community.
This guide will be updated with additional content as it appears. Please contact us here with questions or concerns.
[Updated 2/28/21]
ABOUT BELLWOOD
Bellwood is a home rule community; it elects a mayor and six at-large trustees.
Facts and figures about Bellwood:
Population: 18,672 (2019)
Annual budget, general fund: (not available online)
Median household income: $56,557
Per capita income: $26,849
Median value of owner-occupied housing: $151,200
Poverty rate: 10.1%
Berkeley Elementary School District 87:
Grades PK–8: 2,607 students
Instructional spending per pupil: $5,896
Total operational spending per pupil: $11,734
Low-income students: 84%
Grades PK–8: 2512 students
Instructional spending per pupil: $5,879
Total operational spending per pupil: $12,739
Low-income students: 99%
Proviso Math and Science Academy District 209:
Grades 9-12: 822 students
Magnet school - competitive admissions policy
Total operational spending per pupil: $16,329
Low-income students: 31%
Proviso West High School District 209:
Grades 9-12: 1,852 students
Total operational spending per pupil: $17,743
Low-income students: 25%
BELLWOOD VILLAGE MAYOR (1 open seat)
Andre’ Harvey | John E. Wicks Sr.
BELLWOOD VILLAGE TRUSTEE (3 open seats)
Michael Ciavattone | Annie Delgado | Mark Johnson
Ronald Nightengale | George Soto | Eric Wheat
BELLWOOD VILLAGE CLERK (1 open seat)
MEMORIAL PARK DISTRICT BOARD (2 open seatS)
Gwendolyn Evans | Karen “Selena” Martinez
BELLWOOD LIBRARY BOARD (2 open seatS)
Mary Clements | Maria D. Perez
District 87 school board (4 open seats)
Dennis Jackson | Rose Mason | Alejandro Sosa
District 88 school board (4 open seats)
Tony Morton | Maria D Perez | Constance 'Connie' Riales
Dorothy C. Smith
District 209 school board (4 open seats)
Rodney Alexander | Amanda J. Grant | Arbdella 'Della' Patterson | Samuel Valtierrez
TRITON COLLEGE TRUSTEE
6-YEAR FULL TERM (2 OPEN SEATS)
Luke Casson | Tracy Jennings | Andrew Charles Kopinski
Mark R. Stephens
TRITON COLLEGE TRUSTEE
2-YEAR UNEXPIRED TERM (1 OPEN SEAT)
Candidate questionnaires for Bellwood were developed by Activist Toolkit and Village Free Press. Banner photo by Shanel Romain.