Linh Nguyen's campaign for DeKalb mayor is moving forward as a write-in candidate in the Democratic primary. According to DeKalb County Clerk Tasha Sims, this will be the first consolidated primary election administered in the county.
On Dec. 19, 2024, the City of DeKalb’s Local Election Official, along with the DeKalb County Clerk & Recorder’s Office, received a Declaration of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate.
This filing, intended for a Democratic write-in candidate for Mayor of the City of DeKalb, has triggered a Consolidated Primary Election, scheduled for Feb. 25, 2025.
Details of the Consolidated Primary Election
• Date: Feb. 25, 2025
• Scope: The election is limited to registered voters within the City of DeKalb (22,163 active registered voters).
• Ballot: A single Democratic Primary Ballot, featuring an oval and a line for write-in candidate, will be available.
To be nominated and appear on the April 1, 2025 Consolidated Election ballot, a candidate must receive votes equaling or exceeding the number of petition signatures required for nomination.
Sims says the cost of the election is estimated at $100,000 plus labor and will be covered by the county’s budget.
According to a release from Sims:
"Our office is committed to conducting a smooth, transparent, and legally compliant elections while being as fiscally conservative as possible.
However, we also want taxpayers across the county to be aware of the financial impact of facilitating this unique election, which, while focused on one city, must be funded from the broader county budget."
Nguyen issued a statement to WNIJ in response to the press release issued by the County Clerk's office:
“I’m shocked at the way they’re framing this. I am not asking for special treatment. I’m asking for the law to be upheld. How can you put a price on a functioning democracy? We have laws to protect people’s choices at the ballot box and defend our Democracy.
I am continuing my candidacy in the way that was provided by law. I would not have had to do this if they had not eliminated the voters’ right to choose me in the April 1st election.”
A DeKalb electoral board previously ruled in favor of the objection that Linh Nguyen filed her nomination paperwork too early.
Nguyen’s lawyer argued that the city runs nonpartisan elections because it has a city manager form of government. In that case, he argued Nguyen filed on time.
City Attorney Matthew Rose acknowledged though there may be confusion on the type of election the city runs, he says DeKalb has a long history of running partisan elections.
There are currently three candidates running for mayor. Incumbent Cohen Barnes, Alderman John Walker and NIU IT employee Kouame Sanan.
Sims defeated Linh Nguyen in 2022 for the position DeKalb County Clerk.
Meanwhile, DeKalb County Democratic Party Chair Anna Wilhelmi in response to the filing of the Candidate's Declaration of Intent to be a write-in Candidate:
"The DeKalb County Democratic Party has discovered that the Candidate’s filing on December 19, 2024, in the City of DeKalb, has triggered a costly primary. The Democratic Party was not involved in nor privy to the decision making process of the Candidates' filing which triggered a Democratic Party Primary on February 25, 2025. As Chair of the DeKalb County Democratic Party, we had no input into the Candidates decision to trigger a primary. The DeKalb County Democratic Party has worked tirelessly to keep taxes down in DeKalb County, and are dismayed that this primary will be costly to the taxpayers across the County.
Further, the DeKalb County Democratic Party has had a clear and concise position as to the Candidates in the Mayoral race, as there are multiple democratic candidates running and we wish to not tip scales in anyone’s favor. The Democratic Party will continue to remain neutral toward each democratic candidate, whether they appear on the ballot as Democrat or Independent."
- Maria Gardner Lara contributed to this report.