01-15-2009, 08:55 AM
Sabonjian gearing up for Waukegan mayoral run
January 15, 2009
By JIM NEWTON <!-- e --><a href="mailto:jnewton@scn1.com">jnewton@scn1.com</a><!-- e -->
WAUKEGAN -- Lake County Board member Robert Sabonjian is circulating petitions to run as an independent candidate for mayor in Waukegan.
Sabanjian, who recently announced that he was leaving the Democratic Party to become an independent, said a team of volunteers is helping his effort to collect 500 signatures by the Jan. 26 deadline.
"We think that is how many we would need to survive any (petition) challenges,"
hock: Sabonian said Wednesday. "The weather isn't making it easy."Sabonjian said he believes he has a shot at the city's top office even without running as a Democrat in the heavily Democratic area.
"When I tell people I'm back in the race, they're really happy I decided to get in," he said. "Not withstanding the presidential election in November, so many people I've talked to think the time has come to change into a non-partisan community like most of the rest of Illinois."
Sabonjian said one of his goals as mayor would be to remove the partisan nature of Waukegan's leadership, including hired administrators.
"I learned a lot at the county. I think non-partisan government works better," he said.
Sabonjian ran for mayor as a Democrat four years ago, losing in the Democratic Primary to incumbent Mayor Richard Hyde.
Sabonjian and his campaign team will be at the Sunset House Restaurant, 1451 Golf Road, Saturday between 9 and 11 a.m. if voters want to sign his campaign petitions.