Editor's Note: This is one in a series of stories looking at contested races in the April 1 general election.
Aurora voters are set to choose between two candidates on the ballot, and another looking for write-in votes, for the 7th Ward seat on the Aurora City Council.
This and other local races -- including for Aurora's mayor, alderman at-large and several other ward aldermen -- are set to be decided in the April 1 consolidated election. Early voting is now open in all four of Aurora's counties.
Incumbent Brandon Tolliver, who was appointed to the position after former longtime alderwoman Scheketa Hart-Burns died in June 2023, will be on the ballot to retain his position alongside challenger Javier Banuelos.
Saul Fultz is also running for the 7th Ward seat, but as a declared write-in because he was taken off the ballot by the Aurora Electoral Board last November. Tolliver objected to Fultz's nominating papers because of too few signatures, and the Electoral Board upheld the objection.
All three candidates sat down for interviews with The Beacon-News earlier this month.
Tolliver, a construction underwriter who has been in the insurance industry for the past 11 years, said it was this experience and his degree in political science from Northern Illinois University that made him want to be alderman in the city he grew up in.
He was already used to answering questions from friends and family about politics, and he was also used to solving problems in his job, and since he sees an alderman's role as being "a liaison between the constituents and the mayor's office," it seemed like a good way to help his community and make a lasting impact, Tolliver said.
After applying for the position, Tolliver went through an interview process with 13 other applicants before he was selected. Now with around a year and a half under his belt, Tolliver said he is most proud of how he hit the ground running as soon as he was appointed 7th Ward alderman.
Road safety was a concern, especially near schools, so within the first few months of becoming an alderman, Tolliver had speed radar signs installed on Eola Road near Waubonsie Valley High School and helped get a crosswalk installed on Liberty Street near the Wheatland Athletic Association Sports Center, he said.
If reelected, Tolliver said he would be focused over the next four years on community, education and economic development.
Many on the DuPage County side of the ward feel disconnected, according to Tolliver, so he has helped to develop block parties like the one in his neighborhood and neighborhood groups to get those communities involved.
Aurora does not have direct control over the city's school districts, but to promote education, Tolliver said he helps to support scholarships from various organizations.
But, Tolliver said he also knows that college is not for everyone, so he is set to launch educational grants for non-college post-high-school education such as trade school and similar programs.
Economic development would be another focus of Tolliver's if elected. He said there are a number of vacant lots in the 7th Ward, and he wants to get nearby resident input on what they would like to see in those spots.
While he cannot directly control what develops where, Tolliver said he can be the voice of ward residents, advocating for certain things and trying to influence those who do have direct say over it, especially by bringing in his knowledge of construction and connections to the industry through his job.
What sets Tolliver apart from his opponents, he said, is his experience. Unlike his opponents, he knows the job and the people involved, so it will be "business as usual" if he is elected, and programs will continue uninterrupted, he said.
Banuelos, who was raised in Aurora after his parents immigrated from Mexico when he was very young, said he is running for alderman to give back to the community after it was there for him during a very difficult time.
His daughter passed away a few years ago from cancer, and he said he is never going to be able to repay everyone who helped his family out during that time. So now, he wants to pay it forward, helping those who need it and being a voice for residents, he said.
Plus, he said the role is perfect for him since he has lived in the ward, although in different parts, basically his whole life. That has given him the perspective to know that there are "two different worlds" in the ward: the DuPage County side and the Kane County side, both of which have different needs, he said.
Currently Banuelos works as an administrator at a clinic offering non-invasive treatment for non-melanoma skin cancer. Although he has a background in computer information systems, he switched to working in the medical field, which he said has made him more compassionate.
If elected, Banuelos said one of his top priorities would be public safety, particularly around traffic. As a graduate of Waubonsie Valley High School, and as the father of a child who goes there, he said the traffic in the area is bad, and people speed down the streets.
Infrastructure would be another priority of Banuelos if elected, he said. People don't pay attention to things like sidewalks unless they have to navigate them like he did when his daughter was in a wheelchair.
Plus, Banuelos said he would be focused on accountability if elected. Public servants need to put residents' needs above their own, and they should be transparent about their decisions, he said.
As a whole, the city should continue to grow with new businesses coming in and people visiting from outside the city, Banuelos said. At the same time, the city needs to focus on its own residents, he said, in part by trying to keep work inside the city rather than outsourcing it.
While Banuelos said he does not have a "fancy resume," that's because he dedicated around 10 years of his life to his family when they needed it the most. But, that means he wouldn't owe anyone anything if elected, so he wouldn't be afraid to stand up or to say no.
Now that he has worked hard for his family, he wants to make all of his community his family and work that hard for the ward, he said.
Fultz, who grew up in Aurora and graduated from East Aurora School District 131 in 1981, came back to Aurora in 2019 and two years later ran against Hart-Burns for the 7th Ward seat on the Aurora City Council.
The reason he ran against her, he said, is because she wasn't doing anything to improve her ward. Now, Fultz said he is running again because the issue has not been corrected.
He applied to be the next 7th Ward alderman after Hart-Burns died, but he said the city scheduled him for one interview time slot and then, when he showed up during that time, told him he had missed his interview by over an hour. Even after showing his email confirmation, he still was not given the interview, he said.
But the main reason Fultz believes he was passed over for the seat is because he is "about the people's business," which was not "part of the persona that the current administration was about," he said.
When Fultz was not in Aurora, he lived in various parts of the country including Mississippi and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. But everywhere he went, Fultz got deeply involved in the community, he said.
Here in Aurora, Fultz said he wants to "hear the cries of the community" like he has in other places he's lived. For example, he said there are many city ordinances that are decades old that need to be revised because they address issues that no longer exist in the community.
The voice of the people is not being heard, he said, and people need to be more involved in government decision- making. So, if elected, Fultz said he would have an open door policy, hold monthly community meetings and create a monthly newsletter.
One of the other things Fultz said he would focus on if elected is to create community programs that promote unity. Those programs would include both youth and senior programs as well as inclusive community-based events, he said.
Plus, Fultz said he would support the growth of current businesses and create opportunities for new ones, which would bring down unemployment.
Another thing Fultz said he would focus on if elected is building relationships between the police and the community in order to communicate and keep the community safe.
Fultz said he would even create an advisory board with police, politicians, faith-based leaders, business owners, youth and seniors to talk about concerns and work toward solutions, he said.
More so than his opponents, Fultz said he is people-oriented and has a stronger spiritual base. Plus, he said he is able to communicate, answer calls and be more dedicated to the position and the people it represents.