Activist Toolkit has collaborated with community partners to build a comprehensive voter guide for the April 6, 2021 consoldiated elections in Berwyn. Each candidate was given the opportunity to complete a questionnaire developed in consultation and collaboration with members of the Berwyn community.
The sections linked below allow voters to explore individual candidates' websites and social media accounts, as well as links to relevant articles, video from candidate forums, and any relevant campaign financial disclosures.
This guide will be updated with additional content as it appears. Please contact us here with questions or concerns.
[Updated 3/11/21]
ABOUT BERWYN
Berwyn is a home rule community with a “strong mayor” form of government similar to that of Chicago; it has a mayor and eight alderpersons elected to represent specific wards.
Berwyn facts and figures:
Population: 54,391 (2019)
2020 annual budget, general fund: $56 million
Median household income: $62, 758
Per capita income: $25,548
Median value of owner-occupied housing: $211,700
Poverty rate: 12.8%
2021 BERWYN ALDERPERSON
SECOND WARD Jose Ramirez | James Woywod
SEVENTH WARD Marybeth Arenella
BERWYN CITY TREASURER (1 open seat)
BERWYN PARK DISTRICT BOARD
Gretchen Hause Kostelny | Mario Manfredini | Zachary Taylor
NORTH BERWYN PARK DISTRICT BOARD
John C. Kearns | Janet A. Mackin
DISTRICT 98 SCHOOL BOARD (4 open seats)
Jake Brown | Clara I. Bruno | Elizabeth E. Cuevas
Adam Mounce
DISTRICT 100 SCHOOL BOARD (3 open seats)
Berwyn North School District 98:
Grades PK–8: 2,888 students
Instructional spending per pupil: $9,080 (2018)
Total operational spending per pupil: $14,599
Low-income students: 88%
Berwyn South School District 100:
Grades PK–8: 3,663
Instructional spending per student: $7,188 (2018)
Total operational spending per student: $12,248
Low-income students: 81%
J.Sterling Morton High School District 201:
Grades 9-12: 3,569 students
Total operational spending per student: $12,871 (2020)
Low-income students: 81%
Claudine Andrews | Joel Gonzalez | Coryn Steinfeld
J. STERLING MORTON HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 201
(4 open seats)
Melissa Cundari | Jessica Jaramillo-Flores | Margaret Kelly
Sandra Tomschin
BERWYN TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR (1 open seat)
David. J. Avila | Thomas J. Pavlik
BERWYN TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE (4 open seats)
Tomasa Ambriz | Edward "Eddie" Espinoza
Jesse Miranda | Maribel Zapata
BERWYN TOWNSHIP ASSESSOR (1 open seat)
Candidate questionnaires were developed by Activist Toolkit in consultation and collaboration with Beth Gunzel and Jenna Musselman Palles.