Tuesday was a day of last minute decisions in the race for the student alderman seat in the 7th Ward.

Just hours before the 5 p.m. deadline, incumbent 7th Ward independent Jeff Monroe filed his petition at DeKalb City Hall to be on the April 2 ballot. The election will fill aldermanic posts in wards 1, 3, 5, and 7.

And 15 minutes before 5 p.m., his competition walked in.

“As of morning (Tuesday), no one was running,” said Jordan Kagan, a sophomore business major who is running as an independent. “I just wanted to make sure someone would be there to represent the 7th Ward.”

Monroe, a senior political science major who was appointed to the council by Mayor Greg Sparrow in October 1989, said he weighed running for re-election with his future plans and decided to run again.

Although he will earn his degree next year, Monroe said if he is elected, he will attend grad school and complete his term, or serve at least half, allowing a special election to be held to fill his seat if necessary.

“I didn’t want to do this and do it partially,” he said. Resigning midterm and having an appointment “makes students look irresponsible and we have enough problems getting respect from the council.”

Kagan, who has served on the Student Association senate and held several committee positions, plans to be in DeKalb for all four years, if elected.

In the mostly student 1st Ward, independent incumbent Amy Polzin also filed today, but running to retain her seat was a decision she made much earlier.

Polzin came to DeKalb in 1976 as an NIU student and is a secretary in the geology department.

“I know the town, I know the students and I know the council,” she said, addding she would serve her entire term if elected.

Polzin will run against junior political science major Mark Fussinger, who has been a DeKalb County campaign worker and will run as a Republican.

“This ward, which is mostly students, needs representation. There are a lot of people who want to be involved, but don’t know how,” he said.

Candidates for Ward 3 include independent candidates Susannah “Sukey” Blake, Dan E. Seymour and Gary L. Wiggins.

In the 5th Ward race, Democratic incumbent Bessie Chronopoulos will take on independent William Hanna, who served as 3rd Ward alderman before moving to the 5th Ward.