am humble and proud to thank all of you who supported me in the primary!
Hello and welcome to the
website in support of Gary S. Mueller for Will County Circuit
Judge-Countywide. There are so many dates and timelines that govern how we
proceed from here until Election Day, Nov 2. September 23 is the first day
for casting absentee ballots. As many of you already know, this election
implements the non-excuse absentee ballot---meaning, one does not need an
excuse why he/she will not be able to vote on Election Day, Nov 2, in order
to cast an absentee ballot. Thereafter, the next date to remember is October
12. Due to the holiday on the Eleventh, October 12 is the first day to vote
early. Once again, this procedure means that an interested voter no longer
has to wait until Election Day to cast his/her ballot. The last day to take
part in early voting is Oct 28. If you are interested in absentee voting or
in early voting, please contact the County Clerk, Nancy Schultz-Vootz. Her
website is
www.thewillcountyclerk.com.
Since February 2 (the
Primary Election Date), our campaign has been very busy. First, we started
contacting community leaders to earn endorsements in the race. We are very
fortunate in include a wide array of individuals who have committed to our
campaign. Second, we completed the arduous task of going through voting
records and lists to determine the citizens we would contact during the
election cycle. Third, we organized volunteers for walks in parades,
door-to-door canvasses, and phone banks. As of this update, we have
appeared in over a dozen parades and still have approximately 8 more to
attend. As for door-to-door canvasses, we have been walking for the last
eleven weeks (both during the week and on weekends). Our goal of walking all
precincts in Will County should be met by the first week of October. The
reception has been VERY favorable. In many instances, a voter has indicated
that he/she is surprised to have a judicial candidate knocking on the door.
Another goal is to continue to surprise voters through Election Day!
Fourth, we created our walk pieces, the literature to be presented directly
to voters, and the friend to friend cards that will be sent out! We have
handed out, through our campaign as well as the coordinated campaigns
throughout the County, over 35,000 pieces. We intend to go through about
another 35,000 pieces and to do some direct mail as well. We also plan to
have ads in local papers as well as some radio spots. As you can see, we
have been very busy over the past several months making sure our message is
understandable and capable of being delivered. We are pushing toward
accomplishing the goal to hit strong democrat voters, swing voters of both
parties, and independents. This is a winnable race, and we are putting
forth the effort to make sure we have done all that is needed to be
victorious on November 2nd.
We would be remiss if we
neglected to thank all of our Friends in Labor, our fellow small business
owners, our fellow candidates in the upcoming election, and all the
volunteers who have worked for us and with us. Obviously, running a
county-wide campaign is not possible without the help of others. To all who
have already made phone calls; walked in parades; canvassed precincts
throughout the County; calendared events; assisted in getting our campaign
in to various meetings, events, and churches; or simply prayed for us, we
really appreciate how our campaign has progressed.
There is so much more to
do in the few weeks that remain! We will continue to canvass voters and to
walk door-to-door. I personally have found the reception very
positive---especially when I am at one’s door and the heat index is over 100
degrees. Clearly, voters welcome a candidate who is willing to work and to
earn support and votes. We will continue to do that. This election is VERY
important, not just in our race, but for the local, state, and federal
races. As we continue to push, our mantra remains----let’s get to the
bottom of things (let’s get the voters to complete the entire ballot).
Please help us in any way you deem appropriate. We welcome your assistance
and support. Thank you for being there!!!
_________________________________________
It is now time to gear up for November. As we have made a successful
Primary run in February, I have to thank each of my supporters. Now, the
Cement Masons Union Local No 161 per Chuck Frantini have endorsed me! I am very
humbled and excited!
Also, a special thanks to
my primary opponent Keith Van Dyne, who called yesterday to congratulate me
and to pledge his support for our campaign. He is sending a letter to the
Labor Record in support of me.
I would
also like to thank Joseph M. Pijanowski of the International Association of
Machinists Local 126 for their support.
"The result of not participating in politics is that you end up being
governed by those who are only interested in
conducting public affairs for
private advantage" JMP
November will be here before we know it. I look forward to working
with and meeting as many voters and citizens as possible from now until
November 2. If you would like to learn how you can help support the
campaign, please click here. Thank you
again, and I look forward to November!
_________________________________________
G
ary S. Mueller for Judge
Welcome to the campaign website for Gary S. Mueller for Resident
Circuit Judge-Countywide. Though the legislature had created 5 subcircuits
throughout Will County, the State Board of Elections determined that, when the
Honorable Stephen D. White announced his retirement effective in October 2010,
his vacancy should be filled by a candidate running throughout all of Will
County. Thus, the campaign began!
By way of introduction, my name is Gary S. Mueller, and I am running for
Circuit Judge throughout all of Will County. With years of dedicated
volunteer service and extensive legal experience, I believe I stand alone in
this race in my commitment to our community.
My wife, our four children, and I have lived in Will County for almost 20
years. While in Will County, I have served as a director, officer, and
president of the Will County Bar Association. During my tenure as
president, the Association membership ballooned to over 1000 members. I have
also served as a Trustee in the Village of New Lenox. During my
service as a Trustee, the Village welcomed Lake Michigan water and began the
development of the town center known as the Commons.
Jean & Gary S. Mueller
I have also served as a Steward as well as the President of the Board of
Stewards for the Gertrude P. Zalar Alzheimer's Foundation. The Foundation
partnered with Leeza Gibbons and Leeza's Place to provide assistance to care
givers as well as individuals afflicted with Alzheimer's disease.
When the Catholic Community of St. Jude in New Lenox needed a chairman of its
Building Committee, I agreed to step forward and volunteer. The new worship
space, completed on schedule and within budget, is a jewel in the New Lenox
area.
Included within my work for the St. Jude community, I was one of a number of
dads who helped form the Mark Andrews Columbian Squires Group. The Group, made
up of boys 10-17 years of age, is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus and is
a service organization that, among other things, encourages young boys to better
themselves and their community through charity, service, leadership, and
religion. The Group boasts one of the largest memberships in the State.
I also had the pleasure of teaching Criminal Law and Business Law at Joliet
Junior College for over 10 years. I have always enjoyed teaching and
educating. In college, I worked as a teaching assistant in Argumentation and
Persuasion, two different speech communication courses at the University of
Illinois. While in law school, I served as a legal writing tutor to first year
law students. My service as a teacher at Joliet Junior College allowed me to
build on my prior experiences and to reach out to young adults as they
considered classes and issues in the legal field.
From time to time, I have been asked to serve as a judge for mock trial and moot
court competitions at Lewis University and the University of St.
Francis. These opportunities have allowed me to further assist aspiring
lawyers in some of the finer points of argumentation and persuasion.
Finally, I have served as a panel member within the Will County Arbitration
Center since shortly after its inception. Service on an arbitration panel has
allowed me to review cases and arguments from the view of a decision-maker
rather than as a presenter or advocate for a client.
All of these life experiences have helped to shape me into the person and
professional I have become. Citizens and voters in Will County want a judge who
will listen to their argument, analyze the law that applies to a
particular situation, and make a decision that is fair and just. Integrity,
compassion, and impartiality are traits expected by all who participate in
the legal system. I believe I possess all of these traits, and I hope to
show them to the Citizens and voters of Will County during my service as a
Circuit Judge."
As for why I want to be a Judge---I began my legal
career as a clerk to theIllinois Supreme Court. In that position, I was asked
to review the case law presented, the arguments made by the parties, and to
write a draft opinion that, if accepted by Justice Daniel P. Ward and the
majority of the Court, would become the standard in the entire State of
Illinois I have practiced for almost 20 years representing individuals,
corporations, and townships in all manner of legal disputes. I have been
blessed and
fortunate to work on behalf of wonderful people who either utilized my
services to address a disagreement with another through litigation or to
assist them in some of the most difficult and important decisions in their
lives including purchases and/or sales of real estate and planning for the
distribution of their estates and properties upon death. Additionally, I
have served the Will County Arbitration Center as a panel member---an
arbiter of disputes. After working for almost 20 years as an advocate, a
position as a Will County Circuit Judge will allow me to utilize my life and
legal experiences to assist others in resolving their disputes. I believe
that, based on these life experiences and legal work, I will be able to
provide fair, reasoned, and appropriate decisions taking into account the
facts and circumstances that bring the participants before me. I look
forward to the opportunity to serve the citizens of Will County as a
Resident Circuit Judge throughout the entire county.
