In an effort to meet the NIU community, several Republican candidates passed out campaign literature at the Martin Luther King Memorial Commons Wednesday afternoon.

DeKalb County coroner candidate Faye Allen said, “We (candidates) are here trying to meet people registered in DeKalb County.” She said she is handing out campaign literature to boost her chances in the election.

Allen is running against Democratic incumbent Dennis Miller.

State’s Attorney Phil DiMarzio said he believes more students can be reached with face-to-face contact. DiMarzio is running for DeKalb County circuit judge against Ed Diedrich.

Students’ concerns can be related to candidates when the candidates go out and meet people, DiMarzio said. He said that, in turn, hearing students’ concerns will make candidates better officials if elected.

“I feel very confident about it (his campaign),” DiMarzio said. “I’m not taking anything for granted … but I’m getting a favorable feedback from the community.”

Walking past Maureen Josh, incumbent DeKalb County circuit clerk, one would have been handed a nail file with her name printed on a red, white and blue background. She is running for a second term against Democrat Linda Finn.

Josh said, “I’m trying to meet as many people as possible. We want to let them (the NIU community) know how important their vote is to our campaign.”

She said she is having fun with her campaign and that she likes to meet members of the community, but that sometimes it is difficult to get out with a full-time job and a family.

College Republicans Chairman Mark Brierton said Josh has shown a lot of “integrity” throughout the campaign. He said, “We (the voters) need people with integrity like Maureen Josh has shown.”

Brierton was helping pass out campaign literature and expressed a concern that Republicans need to be elected in this county.

He said he had known some of the Republican candidates for more than a year and that they are “honest, hard-working people who will represent the county well.

“I have faith in DeKalb County voters—those who know both Republican and Democratic candidates—will vote overwhelmingly Republican,” Brierton said.

“A lot of people are taking the literature,” said Tim Bugby, running for a two-year term on the 7th District DeKalb County Board. “Students respond very well to having people come out.”

Bugby said tension between area residents and students exists. He said students have just as much interest as the residents in waste, run-down roads and retaining the area mental home.