FREEPORT — On April 6, 2021, Highland Community College District residents will elect two people to serve six-year terms on the seven-member HCC Board of Trustees. Potential candidates must circulate and file nominating petitions with the secretary to the board of trustees during the filing period.

These petitions are available in the office of the secretary to the board of trustees at Highland Community College, room H-231, second floor, Student/Conference Center, 2998 West Pearl City Road, Freeport, Il. The petitions are available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m.

In order to be eligible to serve, a candidate must be a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years old, a registered voter and a resident of the State of Illinois and the Highland Community College District for at least one year immediately preceding the election. A Statement of Candidacy must accompany nominating petitions. Certification that a Statement of Economic Interest has been filed with the Stephenson County Clerk’s Office and must be submitted by the end of the filing period. The filing period is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 14-21. 

All petitions filed by people waiting in line at 8 a.m. on the first day of filing, Dec. 14 petitions received in the first mail delivery on the 14, and two or more petitions filed within the last hour of the filing deadline from 4 to 5 p.m. on Dec. 21, are considered filed simultaneously.

In order to determine placement on the ballot for petitions filed simultaneously, a lottery will be held at 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 22 in the Robert J. Rimington Board Room H-228, Highland Community College, Student/Conference Center. Due to the campus being closed Dec. 23 to Jan. 1, 2021, the objection period for petitions will be Dec. 22 and Jan. 4-7, 2021.