Get Ready, Set and Race to Register

Update: The event location is being changed. Organizers hope to have a new location announced by Friday afternoon.

The April 5 election is right around the corner and if you haven’t registered to vote, you can “Race to Register” Sunday at Sammy’s Restaurant and Bar.

“It only takes a minute it's not a long, drawn out process,” Huntley village board candidate JR Westberg said. “We want to make sure people know they have a chance to register.”

The deadline to register is Tuesday, March 8.

Westberg joined with Sammy’s co-owner Mike Lyp and others to organize the voter registration drive from 3 to 6 pm at the restaurant, 11012 N Route 47. Race to Register ties in with NASCAR races the same day, Westberg said.

Village Trustee Pam Fender, a registrar, will be on hand to register people. Anyone who plans to register must provide an Illinois identification card or license and must be 18 years old.

Westberg decided to organize the event after learning from many friends that their children who just turned 18 had not registered to vote. He ran into a lot of people who had not registered to vote during his petition drive to run for office.

There are six candidates running for three seats on the village board.  The candidates include incumbents Harry Leopold, Jay Kadakia and Niko Kanakaris and challengers Westberg, Rosa DeMaertelaere and Nick Hanson.

 The registration drive is open to the community and is not a campaign event.

Candidates will meet at 7pm, Monday, March 7 at Sun City Huntley for a forum. The Civics Committee Volunteers club is hosting the event at Drendel Ballroom in the Prairie Lodge, 12880 Del Webb Boulevard.