McHenry County Board District 3: Wheeler, Provenzano

Two candidates in this three-way race have direct experience on the county board, Republicans Barbara Wheeler, who is on the finance committee and has been on the board since 2002, and Nick Provenzano, who was knocked out of office during the last election and is seeking to return.

The newcomer, Democrat Lori McConville, is a teacher in Crystal Lake Elementary District 47. Wheeler, mother of five and a writer, and Provenzano, a political consultant, are endorsed. Wheeler knows the county's finances inside and out and has strong arbitration skills to serve the needs of constituents while navigating the rocky road of politics.

While Provenzano is politics personified, he knows county operations and will stretch the reach of the board without stepping beyond its limitations.