Poll to help determine Kane County Board size

Kane County residents haven’t flooded county board meetings with thoughts on how many board seats there should be, but now a new poll will allow a sample of residents to weigh-in on a potential cut.

County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay commissioned a telephone poll that’s under way. Springfield-based We Ask America is conducting the poll. Voters may be familiar with the company. It conducted local polls during last year’s 14th Congressional District race between Bill Foster and Randy Hultgren.

McConnaughay said she decided to fund the poll out of her own bank account as a private citizen after seeing many county board members make a case for not trimming any of the 26 seats on the board during the redistricting process. McConnaughay suggested a cut down to 24 seats but has repeatedly stated she’d back a cut all the way down to 18 seats.

“I feel really strongly about this issue,” McConnaughay said. “And I feel what’s been missing so far is that county resident input.”

McConnaughay said the poll simply asks if taxpayers think the size of the board should be reduced. However, County Board Member Cristina Castro said she’s had calls from constituents that have told her the poll specifically asks about a cut down to 18 seats. As of now, that option isn’t on the table, nor does Castro think it should be.

“I think 18 is too extreme,” said Castro, who’s district is in Elgin. “Twenty-two is probably the maximum I would support. I think 24 right now would probably be ideal because then you take the politics out of it. It doesn’t matter to me if my district is small or large. My philosophy is when I’m on the board, I’m representing every single resident of Kane County.”

McConnaughay said she’ll share the results of the poll with all the board members as soon as she receives the results. Castro said she’ll pay particular attention to the same size and sample selection to determine validity of the poll.

“What’s most important to me is that the redistricting process is as transparent as possible and as fair as possible,” Castro said.