advertisement

Kramer 'confident' in GOP nod, 2nd chance at Kane sheriff

After losing the general election to be Kane County sheriff in 2010, Don Kramer has earned another chance at the top spot.

According to unofficial results Tuesday night, Kramer finished 331 votes ahead of Kevin Williams to secure the Republican nomination for the four-year seat.

With all precincts reporting, Kramer had 15,817 votes compared to Williams' 15,480.

Kramer, a former lieutenant with the Kane County sheriff's department, said he wanted to wait for the county clerk to certify the election results before declaring victory.

"I'm very confident in the results. I think it's a big enough margin to hold up after all the absentee ballots are counted," said Kramer, of Geneva.

"A lot of people took a careful look at the qualifications of the candidates," he added. "I feel very fortunate, to be honest with you, to have come out ahead. They want somebody who has the administrative and leadership experience to run the sheriff's office."

Kramer advances to the Nov. 4 general election where he will face Democrat Willie Mayes Sr., a sergeant with Kane County sheriff's department.

Sheriff Pat Perez, who beat Kramer four years ago and Williams in 2006, is not seeking a third term.

During the campaign, Williams, a sheriff's department lieutenant, stressed he had the most support from rank and file and the experience to do the job.

He could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Kramer, who retired as a lieutenant at the sheriff's department in 2009 after nearly 30 years, said his time away from law enforcement helped him gain a better perspective of challenges facing the county.

Kramer said he wants to work with Williams going forward. "I want to make sure I get the most value out of officers as we can," Kramer said.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.