Mark Mulliner has picked up a petition packet to run for his old Ward 7 seat on the Elmhurst City Council. Mulliner served 24 years before losing the seat in 2023.

Several residents across Elmhurst's seven wards have put their names on the City Hall petition pickup list, according to Patch, which checked the list on Monday, Oct. 26. Candidates can file petitions from Nov. 16 to Nov. 23. Picking up a packet does not guarantee a candidacy, and some candidates may have downloaded packets online.

Three sitting aldermen had not picked up packets as of that date: Alderwoman Jennifer Veremis in Ward 1, Alderman James Nudera in Ward 5 and Alderman Rex Irby in Ward 7. Irby told Patch he is not running again. Patch left messages with Veremis and Nudera.

Each ward has two aldermen.

One seat per ward is on the April ballot.

Ward 7 draws the biggest field

Ward 7 has the most crowded pickup list. Along with Mulliner, Eric Pulia and Michael Kerley have also picked up packets.

Pulia, commander of Elmhurst's American Legion post, is a retired Chicago police officer and Army veteran. He told Patch in September he planned to run, citing public safety, infrastructure and economic development as his priorities, Patch reported.

Mulliner's return bid comes after two unsuccessful mayoral campaigns. Mayor Scott Levin defeated him in both 2021 and 2025. Levin won with about 71 percent of the vote in April 2025, according to Patch's election coverage.

In 2023, Irby, then a political newcomer, narrowly defeated Mulliner with 52 percent of the vote. Irby said at the time that residents asked him to run because of frustrations with Mulliner's involvement with Elmhurst Parents for Integrity in Curriculum, or EPIC. That conservative group's members contended that critical race theory and Marxism were influencing Elmhurst School District 205's curriculum. Mulliner managed EPIC's Facebook page.

Lawrence Moretti, a Republican committeeman who collected petition signatures for Mulliner's 2025 mayoral campaign, pleaded guilty to 14 felony forgery counts and was placed in a diversion program, Patch reported in February. Mulliner has not publicly addressed the matter, according to Patch.

Referendum and other races

Irby told Patch he is working on a referendum to cut the council from 14 aldermen to seven. A website promoting the idea argues for one alderman per ward and "clearer accountability."

Elsewhere, Alderman Michael Bram is seeking re-election in Ward 3. He has served all but two years since 2001. Resident Andrea Boeke, who spoke against the city's Flock surveillance cameras at an August council meeting, has also picked up a Ward 3 packet.

In Ward 4, Alderwoman Noel Talluto may face a rematch with Mark Anglewicz, her 2019 opponent. Talluto won that race with 63 percent. In Ward 5, Rachel Eckhorn and Dan Liutikas have picked up packets while Nudera has not.

Ward 7's three-way pickup list makes it the race to watch heading into the filing period.