Farmers Weekly Review

By Nick Reiher

As people across the world watched Donald Trump gather enough electoral votes to be elected again after a twisting and contentious campaign, those in Will County kept one eye on local races, many of which had no surprises.

Still, most countywide races were close, especially after a significant number of votes came in shortly before midnight.

Will County Clerk Charles B. Pelkie said the counting system had been running slowly. So just after 11 p.m., they decided to process them using a different system, which sped up counting just before midnight.

As countywide races got closer, Michelle Stiff, Democratic candidate for Will County Clerk, saw her lead over Republican Annette Parker evaporate into a lead for the latter.

Parker, who has served on the Will County Board for the past 10 years, apparently won the County Clerk’s post with 155,541 votes to 151,880 for Stiff, president of the Joliet Township District 204 School Board.

Each was chosen by their caucuses several months ago after former County Clerk Lauren Staley Ferry resigned to take the job as Clerk for the City of Joliet.

Also apparent winners on Election Night were incumbent Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino Tarrant over Republican challenger Chuck Maher, incumbent Circuit Clerk Andrea Lynn Chasteen over Republican Diane Harris, incumbent Recorder of Deeds Karen Stukel over Republican Will County Board Member Raquel Mitchell, incumbent Auditor Kevin “Duffy” Blackburn over Republican James Robert Buiter, and for Coroner, incumbent Laurie Summers over Republican Robert Enright.

If totals hold up, the split on the Will County Board apparently will remain 11 Republicans and 11 Democrats after Election Night results were in. Voters selected two candidates in each district for four-year terms.

In District 6, incumbent Democrat Denise E. Winfrey was re-elected, and former Democratic board member Herbert Brooks Jr. also was elected. Republican Enrique Ruiz finished out of the running.

Brooks was removed from the Democratic primary election ballot two years ago after a challenge left him short of signatures on his nominating petitions. He and Winfrey were nominated in this year’s primary.

In District 7, incumbent County Board Republican Vince Logan hung on early to gain the second spot comfortably when the late votes were tallied. Democrat Dawn L. Bullock will join him on the board. Democrat David L. Lozano and Republican Elizabeth “Betsy” Naglich finished out of the running.

In District 10, Democratic incumbent Meta Mueller was ousted, as Republican incumbent Julie Berkowicz was re-elected, and will be joined on the board by newcomer and top vote-getter Kelly Hickey.

In state races, incumbent Democratic senators Rachel Ventura, Meg Laughran Cappel, Michael Hastings and Patrick Joyce were re-elected. In the Illinois House, Republican Jackie Haas won re-election, as did Democrats Anthony DeLuca, Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, Lawrence “Larry” Walsh Jr., and Harry Benton.

In Congress, incumbent Democrats Robin Kelly, Bill Foster, Lauren Underwood won re-election.

In judicial races, Justice Linda Davenport was elected to the Third District Appellate Court. She had been appointed in 2022 to replace former Appellate Justice Mary K. O’Brien, after O’Brien was elected to the Illinois Supreme Court.

John Anderson holds a narrow lead in the other race for Third District Appellate Court, but believes he should be able to hang on after provisional and mail-in ballots are counted on November 19 and certified on November 26.

In the Third Judicial District, Lance Peterson holds a narrow lead over John F. Costello Jr. In the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, to fill the vacancy of the Hon. Susan T. O’Leary, Colette Safford also holds a narrow lead over Art Smigielski.

In the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, Second Subcircuit, to fill the vacancy of the Hon. James Jeffrey Allen, Jennifer M. Lynch defeated Katie Rabenda.

 

Selected Local Referenda

DUPAGE TOWNSHIP

The Advisory Proposition Regarding Construction Of Food Pantry And Resource Center passed overwhelmingly with 79.81 percent of the 34,899 voters approving.

 

PEOTONE PARK DISTRICT

The Proposition to Increase the Limiting Rate failed 1,113 to 963.

SUMMIT HILL SCHOOL DISTRICT 161

An advisory question asking district residents if they approved of the process by which the Board of Education for Summit Hill School District 161 closed Arbury Hills and Frankfort Square schools without a corresponding reduction in the property tax levy rate received 10,127 negative votes to 1,550 approvals.

For complete Will County vote totals from the November 5 General Election, visit

https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/IL/Will/122597/web.345435/#/summary.

Nick Reiher is editor of Farmers Weekly Review.