GENEVA – With the late alderman Ralph Dantino still on the April 9 ballot for Geneva's 5th Ward, officials will have to fill that spot by appointing someone to a two-year term, officials said.

Dantino still was serving his first term as alderman when he died this week after a four-year battle with cancer. He is the only candidate listed on the consolidated election ballot, and it is too late to take his name off, Kane County Clerk Jack Cunningham said.

"It's too late for someone to file as a write-in," Cunningham said, as the deadline was Feb. 7. "That period of time has lapsed, also. He is on the ballot, no opposition, which means he will win."

The city council will appoint someone after Dantino is certified as the winner, Cunningham said.

"It's happened before," he said. "There is a vacancy in the office, you appoint someone and in two years, they run for election."

Geneva is already in a similar situation with its 2nd Ward, as Alderman Richard Marks is running for a second four-year term and Alderman Don Cummings is running for a two-year term. Cummings was appointed to fill the vacancy of former alderman Bob Piper, who resigned after he moved out of the 2nd Ward.

Mayor Kevin Burns said the whole process has not been finalized, but invitations for citizens to serve will not be available until after the election. And, once citizens put in applications to serve, the senior alderman of that ward, Craig Maladra, will lead the review of candidates for appointment.