Three candidates are vying to be Galesburg’s next mayor, including two who have served in the role and one who is new to politics.
Incumbent Peter Schwartzman, former mayor John Pritchard, and political newcomer Anthony Law have filed to run for mayor in next year’s consolidated election.
Schwartzman, a professor of environmental studies at Knox College and the Ward 5 representative for a decade, announced in May he would seek reelection as mayor.
He was elected to his first mayoral term in a three-way race in 2021, defeating two-term incumbent Pritchard and fellow challenger Kristine Crow with 47% of the vote. Pritchard came in second, losing by 255 votes.
In a release announcing he would seek a second term, Schwartzman pointed to achievements during his first term including water plant savings, diversifying police and fire department staff, tackling pensions, and launching startup and urban ag grants.
“Over the past few months I have spoken to many Galesburg residents,” he said in his announcement. “Based on those conversations and the many accomplishments of my first three years, I am very much looking forward to the prospects of a second term as mayor.”
There’s also been turbulence in Schwartzman’s first term, including turnover in the city manager role and other key positions, disagreements over a proposed community center, and contentious meetings.
Pritchard, a former publisher of The Register-Mail and current president of Galesburg Broadcasting Company, announced his candidacy in a news outlet he owns.
He told WGIL he would provide “strong, positive leadership” for the city with his background in business and management. He took aim at the current mayor, accusing Schwartzman of leading by bullying and creating division. He also said some city council meetings in recent years have been “horrifically run.”
Pritchard was elected to a first term as mayor in 2013, ousting Sal Garza with 53% of the vote. He then beat challenger Walter McAllister in 2017 with 57% of the vote before losing to Schwartzman in 2021.
Among his accomplishments in office was establishing Galesburg Promise, a grant program funded by hotel-motel tax that focuses on education as the key to economic development.
Pritchard studied economics at Knox College.
The third candidate is new to politics, but Anthony Law said he’s not new to civic engagement. He told TSPR he has been working to make Galesburg a better place for nearly 30 years.
“My hope is that I will bring an increase in voters for the April election and that I will bring awareness to the concerns, needs, and contributions of those who have felt overlooked in the past,” said Law, who is coordinator of diversity and inclusion at Carl Sandburg College.
Law said a good mayor works to bring people together.
“In a community the size of Galesburg we simply can't afford to have an ‘us and them’ mentality from our collective leadership,” he said.
Law served as vice-chair of the city’s Community Center Task Force last year.
He said several community members asked him over the last year if he was considering a run for mayor, but it was his students at Sandburg that gave him the final push.
After questioning students on why they don’t vote, he accepted a challenge to run.
Other races
City Clerk Kelli Bennewitz and Township Assessor Laura Williams are running unopposed in the election.
Council members in wards two, four, and six are also up for four-year terms.
Ward 2
Incumbent Wayne Dennis filed for reelection. He was first elected to the seat in 2009 when he unseated Bill Kendall. He fended off Bob Bondi by less than 40 votes in 2013, and ran unopposed in 2017 and 2021.
He’ll face challenger Wendel Hunigan.
Ward 4
Incumbent Dwight White is seeking a second term in Ward 4, after beating Corine Anderson by five votes in 2021.
Anderson is running in an attempt to reclaim the seat.
In 2021, just 177 votes were cast in the Ward 4 race.
Ward 6
Sarah Davis was the youngest person elected to the Galesburg city council, after beating Wayne Allen in Ward Six in 2021. She is not seeking reelection.
Three people filed to run for the seat. They are Greg Saul, Tianna Cervantez, and Demarkius Medley.
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