Wilke wins upset in Lake Co. District 16

It took two tries, but it looked Tuesday night like Democrat Terry Wilke was on his way to toppling Republican Lake County Board member Bob Powers, who has represented the district since 2002.

With ballots in all 23 precincts counted and a portion of the early vote counted, unofficial results showed Wilke with 5,816 votes to Powers' 3,657.

The totals also do not include absentee or provisional ballots. Wilke, 43, of Round Lake Beach, has said he wants to eliminate redundant services provided by county government, and favors expanding forest preserves near the Des Plaines River, in part because he contends the high water table makes it an ecologically sensitive area.