Candidate applications are closed at Lake County – Chicago Tribune

Hammond City Councilman Barry Tyler (D-3rd) has declared his intention to run for state delegate just in time as board of elections staff scrambles to stamp paperwork before 12:01 p.m.

He was the last person to file before the noon deadline Friday, ticking away just before the official timestamp clock kicked in. While there was a flurry of activity as the deadline approached, no potential candidate missed their opportunity by arriving too late.

Tyler said he decided to run for delegate after learning more about the process. He successfully ran for a second term on the council in November.

“I want to get even busier,” Tyler said of his bid to become a state delegate.

Former Lake County Councilman Albert “Al” Menchaca was the last big name to run for a major county office during this period. Menchaca joins two other challengers, Matthew Celestin and Richard A. De Leon, in a bid to unseat incumbent Commissioner Michael Repay, D-Hammond. Repay is running for his fourth term representing the district’s third district. Menchaca was appointed to the county council by the convention in May 2022. He lost the seat to Clorius Lay, who was a Gary City Councilman at the time.

“I was waiting to see if some big names would get in there,” Menchaca said of the last-minute application. He said Repay does not work with the city council or other elected officials, something he experienced firsthand during his time on the county council.

“I can’t sit back. We need a change there,” Menchaca said.

Repay said that he has never been an unopposed candidate and that he does not expect to remain unopposed this election season either.

“This is a free country. People are allowed to challenge. I will present this to people as strongly as possible and let them decide whether they appreciate the work I have done so far or whether it is time for a change,” Repay said.

He said the Third District race will feature four people competing for the Democratic nomination this year and two, Humberto Prado and Kimberly Poland, for the Republican nomination.

Incumbent Republican Commissioner Jerry Tippy, Schererville, is running unopposed in his party’s nomination for the Second District seat. No Democratic candidates are running for the party’s nomination, but it is planned to be put to a vote after the primary.

Politicos lined the hallway outside the Lake County Board of Elections office inside the Lake County Government Center, marking the time until noon. Some, like Recorder Gina Pimentel, who is in line for re-election on Jan. 10, wanted to see if other candidates tried to challenge her for the seat.

Pimentel is being challenged by Joy Holliday, who served as chief of staff to former Gary Mayor Jerome Prince. Incumbent Investigator Bill Emerson Jr. also faces a challenge in the Democratic primary. Emerson is challenged by Reginald Tisdale. There are no Republicans running for their party’s nomination for either seat.

In other county races this cycle, two candidates are trying to challenge incumbent David Pastrick for the coroner’s office: Democrats Michael Myers and Elizabeth “Beth” Ann-Marie DeLeon. Republican Andrew Delano will run unopposed for his party’s nomination to get on the ballot.

cnapoleon@chicagotribune.com

The full list of candidates who filed to run in May’s primary election:

Recorder: Regina (Gina) Pimentel, Democrat; Joy Holliday, Democrat

Coroner: David J. Pastrick, Democrat; Danielle E. Carter, Democrat; Elizabeth (Beth) Ann-Marie Hmurovic, Democrat; Michael Myers, Democrat; and Andrew Delano, Republican

Cartographer: Bill Emerson Jr., Democrat; Reginald Tisdale, Democrat

Commissioners

Zone 2: Jerry Tippy, Republican;

Zone 3: Michael Repay, Democrat; Matthew J. Celestin, Democrat; Richard A. DeLeon, Democrat; Albert “Al” Menchaca, Democrat; Humberto Prado, Republican; and Kimberly Poland, Republican

Federal and state offices

U.S. Representative, First District: Frank J. Mrvan, Democrat; Mark Leyva, Republican; Randy Niemeyer, Republican; and Republican Ben Ruiz.

State Senate

Zone 2: Lonnie M. Randolph, Democrat

Zone 3: Ronald (Ron) G. Brewer Sr., Democrat; Mark Spencer, Democrat; David Vinzant, Democrat; Maya Angelou Brown, Republican; and Republican Will Miller.

Zone 5: Ed Charbonneau, Republican

State Representative

Zone 1: Carolyn B. Jackson, Democrat

Zone 2: Earl Harris Jr., Democrat

Zone 3: Ragen Hatcher, Democrat; and Heather McCarthy, Democrat

Region 4: Ed Soliday, Republican

Region 10: Charles (Chuck) Moseley, Democrat; Jeff Larson, Republican; and Republican Manuel Maldonado

Region 11: Michael J. Aylesworth, Republican

Region 12: Mike Andrade, Democrat

Region 14: Vernon G, Smith, Democrat; and Ivan Ursery II, Republican

Region 15: Hal Slager, Republican

Region 19: Julie Olthoff, Republican