After squeaking out a win last election for his current role as Park Ridge city clerk, Sal Raspanti was on pace Tuesday night to be decisively defeated in his bid for mayor, with incumbent Martin “Marty” Maloney appearing to breeze into another term.
Michael Lupo, however, captured 56% of the vote to replace Raspanti as city clerk, according to unofficial vote totals from the Cook County clerk’s office.
Vote totals are unofficial until the county clerk certifies the election results — usually with a few weeks of the election.
The 44-year-old Lupo edged his challenger, long-serving Park Ridge civic leader Marion Joan Mattingly. She got 44% of the vote, according to the unofficial tally.
It was one of a few contested municipal races in the north suburban area that includes Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles and Norridge.
Shortly after polls closed Tuesday night and ballots were quickly counted in the low voter turnout Consolidated Election, Lupo thanked his competitor and “everybody for everything.”
“I’m honored and proud to be in the position I am right now. Honored to have been elected by the residents of Park ridge, and proud for the opportunity to be their next City Clerk and represent them and the very town I grew up in,” he stated in a text to Pioneer Press after claiming victory.
Mattingly, 73, is a former architect who served on the library board for 21 years, as well as on the Youth, Historic Preservation and, most recently, the Appearance commissions – as well as many other local clubs and organizations.
“I want to thank my family and the many friends and neighbors who encouraged my run for office and who voted for me. My first run was a positive experience,” she told Pioneer Press. ”I want to congratulate Michael on his win and wish him success as he embarks on this new role serving the community of Park Ridge.”
City clerk is a part-time position that pays an annual stipend of $9,000. The role is a four-year elected term and is primarily administrative.
Lupo said he has the customer service skills combined with the knowledge of state government that will enable him to expand the role of the clerk. He ran unsuccessfully for state representative in 2022 but believes his Springfield connections could lead to more grant money for the city of Park Ridge.
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His candidacy, he said, was a result of his desire to give back to the community that supported him and his family when Lupo’s 13-year-old son died last August after a long illness.
“It’s still very fresh. In reality, this is the reason I’m doing this,” Lupo said. “So many people stepped up to take care of us, it’s truly my responsibility to take care of the community who took care of us during the most difficult time of our lives.”
As city clerk, Lupo said he wants to create a sister city program, reach out to local high school students to get more involved in city services through community service hours and implement a two-way text messaging software system throughout the city to get resident input on city affairs, in addition to seeking more grant money.
“By leveraging my relationships with State Representative Marty Moylan and others, I’ll be able to bring project-ready and shovel-ready agreements to Park Ridge,” Lupo said, adding Moylan endorsed him. “I can and I will get it done if I’m elected.”
The administrative nature of the city clerk job was the big draw for Mattingly, who called public service work “a noble undertaking.”
“I picked this role because it’s neutral, it’s administrative,” Mattingly said. “My strength is being an administrator.”
She had planned to explore city records and how they are made available to the public and perhaps consider digitalizing them, she said. He plan was to introduce a community match project, particularly for older adults who may need assistance shoveling snow, by connecting them with high school students looking for service hours.
The city clerk is also responsible for taking attendance and roll calls during City Council and Committee of the Whole meetings, reviewing meeting minutes, administering oaths of office, managing city records, reporting on local election results and managing voter registration outreach to the community.
Raspanti, who won’t be mayor or, now, city clerk, served only one term after being first elected in 2021.
Pioneer Press staff contributed.