Would be candidates can now turn in election petitions

The ballot for April’s election should start taking shape.

Monday is the first day candidates for jobs like mayor and city council can turn in their signed election petitions. Would be candidates have a week to turn in their paperwork.

The April election will include races for mayor, city council, school board, township trustees and community college boards. In the Illinois Valley, there will be mayoral and city council races in towns like Peru, La Salle, Utica, Mendota and Spring Valley.

Incumbent mayors in Peru, La Salle, Mendota and Spring Valley have all taken out petitions to run for re-election.