By Madhu Mayer
Results of Tuesday’s primary in Will County has narrowed the list of candidates for the November midterm election.
Voter turnout was only 18.69 percent, according to the Will County Clerk’s Office. Despite primaries in area counties, the election watched closely by many on Tuesday night has Republican downstate senator Darrien Bailey facing incumbent Gov. J.B. Pritzker for the governor’s seat in November.
Incumbent Democrat Lauren Staley Ferry will face Republican Gretchen Fritz in November as both races were not contested. Running for Will County Sheriff in November will be incumbent Democrat Mike Kelley against Republican Jim Reilly, as both also ran unopposed. Incumbent Democrat Tim Brophy will be challenged for Will County treasurer by Republican Raj “PI” Pillai, as both did not face challengers Tuesday. Not facing any opposition, incumbent Democrat Shawn Walsh will face off against Republican Elizabeth Caparelli-Ruff for Will County Regional Superintendent of Schools in November. All are four-year terms.
Rachel Ventura beat out challenger Eric Mattson to represent the State Senate 43rd District as a Democrat. She will face Diane Harris who won on the GOP side in November. Incumbent Bill Foster, who ran unopposed for the State Senate 11th Congressional District, will take on Republican Catalina Lauf, who beat out five other challengers.
Voters on Tuesday denied the Troy Fire Protection District’s referendum request to secure pension funding for $763,000 as 2,239 people voted against it compared to 1,462 who were in favor of it. The fire district covers all of Shorewood,
Herbert Brooks Jr. of Joliet, who sought a fifth term on the Will County Board District 6 as a write-in candidate loss his seat. Brooks’ name was removed from the ballot after Will County electoral board ruled that he did not have the required number of valid signatures in his petitions. He stayed in the race and ran as a write-in candidate receiving (487) votes. The district 6 winners are Democrats Denise Winfrey (1667) and Janet Diaz (895). No GOP candidate filed a petition to have representation on Will County Board District 6.
Winners for contested primary races on the Will County Board who will face each other in November are Democrat Joe Van Duyne and Republican Katie Deane-Schlottman for District 1; Democrat Bob Howard and Republican Frankie Pretzel for District 2; Democrat Sherry Newquist and Republican Daniel J. Butler for District 3; Democrat Sheri Boniecki-Cooling and Republican Stephen J. Balich for District 4; Democrat Shery Williams and Republican Annette Parker for District 5; Democrat Natalie Coleman and Republican Vince Logan for District 7; Democrat Mica Freeman, who ran unopposed, will be challenged for the District 8 seat by Republican winner Mark V. Revis; Democrat Destinee Ortiz and Republican Raquel M. Mitchell for District 9; Democrat Meta Mueller and Republican Julie Berkowicz for District 10; and Democrat Jacqueline Traynere will be challenged for the District 11 seat by Republican Larry Alexander Shaver.
All the district seats on the Will County Board are for four years. Will County Board consists of 26 members, two each from 13 districts?
