Good afternoon, Resident,

Please be advised that the qualifying period will commence on Friday, July 31, at 12:00 p.m. and conclude on Friday, August 7, at 12:00 p.m.

During the qualifying period, any interested potential candidate must first schedule an appointment with the Village Clerk to complete the ministerial qualifying process and proper guidance.

Please note that the DS-DE 9, Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository form must be filed with the Village Clerk before collecting any petition signatures.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact the Village Clerk’s Office by email at yjacobi@villageofelportal.org. 

Have a great rest of your day!

• Section 2.04. – Qualifications.

A candidate for Councilperson (including Mayor) shall qualify for election by the filing of a written petition for candidacy with the Clerk of the Village at such time and in such manner as may be prescribed by ordinance and the payment to the Village Clerk of a sum to be prescribed by resolution or ordinance. The petition shall be signed by at least fifteen (15) duly registered electors of the Village, in a form to be prescribed by ordinance. Only electors of the Village who have resided continuously in the Village for at least six (6) months preceding the date of the election shall be eligible to hold the office of Councilperson (including Mayor).

We have recently been made aware of a scam targeting municipalities, particularly smaller communities, and applicants with items scheduled for upcoming Planning, Zoning, or Board (PZB) agendas.

Applicants have reported receiving fraudulent letters and invoices sent on what appears to be official municipal letterhead, demanding payment of additional fees before their applications can be heard. These letters have looked highly convincing and, in some cases, directed recipients to wire funds to an unauthorized account. Unfortunately, some applicants have made substantial payments in response.

We strongly advise all municipalities to remain vigilant and remind applicants that any request for payment or documentation should always be verified directly with the municipality through official contact channels.

If you believe you have been targeted with similar correspondence or suspect fraudulent activity, please notify our office or law enforcement immediately.