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Primary in Lake County: Political races and pocketbook issues to watch

Lake County voters will pick which candidates they want to represent their political party in races at the county and state level during Tuesday's primary election.

Here are some hot races to watch:

Senate District 31

Two Democrats with experience as lawmakers in Springfield are facing off to succeed retiring state Sen. Melinda Bush of Grayslake. State Rep. Sam Yingling, 41, of Grayslake, has represented the 62nd Illinois House District since 2013. Former state Rep. Mary Edly-Allen, 61, of Libertyville, served one term representing the 51st House District from 2019 to 2021.

The winner of the primary will face Adam Solano, a Third Lake Republican, in the Nov. 8 general election.

The 31st district includes all or part of Antioch, Grayslake, Gurnee, Hainesville, Lake Villa, Libertyville, Lindenhurst, Old Mill Creek, the Round Lake communities, Third Lake, Volo, Wauconda and Waukegan.

Lake County sheriff

Both Republican and Democratic voters will choose a sheriff's candidate Tuesday.

Incumbent Sheriff John D. Idleburg, 66, a Zion Democrat, is seeking a second term. He has pointed to his experience and background in federal law enforcement as a reason he is suited to continue leading the department.

Fellow Democrat William C. King, 46, a sheriff's deputy also from Zion, has 17 years experience in law enforcement. He said his community involvement includes his time as a Zion Benton Township High School board member and a football coach with Waukegan and North Chicago high schools.

Republican voters will choose between sheriff's deputies John K. Van Dien, 55, of Lindenhurst, and Mark A. Vice II, 38, of Round Lake.

Van Dien II, a 36-year veteran of the sheriff's office, said he has experience in highway patrol, court security, and the warrants division. Vice, who has been with the department 16 years, is president of the Fraternal Order of Police Deputy Union and Fraternal Lodge 66.

  Hawthorn Woods is seeking a dedicated tax to fund a road repair and maintenance program. Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com

Referendums

Voters in three jurisdictions will be asked to approve tax increases.

In the Antioch area, the First Fire Protection district of Antioch Township is seeking voter approval for funds to improve ambulance and fire services. It's the district's third attempt to pass a referendum in recent years.

The district wants to generate $1.87 million over current taxes for what officials say are badly needed building repairs and salary increases for paramedics and emergency medical technicians. If approved, the owner of a home valued at $200,000 would pay about $176 more annually.

In Hawthorn Woods, the village is seeking a dedicated tax to fund a road repair and maintenance program. The question this time differs from the previous "Hawthorn Woods Paves the Way" request that was defeated by a nearly 3-to-2 ratio.

"Still Working to Pave the Way" would replace the current special service area taxes with a single, villagewide tax, which officials say would be more equitable. If approved, the plan would generate about $877,000 yearly. Owners of a home valued at $300,000 would pay about $180 more in taxes.

In the Gurnee area, Warren Township High School District 121 is seeking a tax hike to generate about $13.4 million yearly to preserve athletics and activities, about 20 employee positions and elective courses, such as music and art.

If voters approve, the owner of a home valued at $250,000 would pay about $500 a year more. A similar attempt last year asking district voters for a property tax hike was rejected by a vote of 4,700 to 3,753.

Lake County Board

Voters will be navigating a different landscape as all Lake County Board districts have been redrawn following the decennial census and the number of districts reduced from 21 to 19. County board members double as Lake County Forest Preserve commissioners.

Seven of the 19 districts are being contested in the primary. However, District 2, which includes all or parts of Hawthorn Woods, Mundelein, Round Lake, Round Lake Park and Wauconda, is the only district with candidates - none incumbents - from both parties on the ballot.

Seeking the Democratic nomination are Shawn Killackey, a Mundelein-area resident serving his second term on the Fremont Elementary School District 79 board, and Linda Troester, a retired research biologist and environmental health and safety manager from Round Lake.

Three Wauconda residents are running as Republicans in District 2: Adam Schlick, a Wauconda Fire District battalion chief and a village trustee; attorney David Spada; and Cynthia Avino.

The 16th District, covering the Round Lake area, is another without an incumbent Democrat on the ballot.

Round Lake Beach residents Yesenia Jaycee Ochoa and Esiah Campos are political newcomers seeking to become the first Hispanic board member. Terry Wilke, who has represented the district since 2008, is running for the state House 62nd District.

District 18, which includes all or parts of Buffalo Grove, Hawthorn Woods, Kildeer, Lake Zurich, Lincolnshire and Long Grove, is one of two redrawn districts that does not have an incumbent living there.

There are two candidates on the Democratic ballot. Akrom Hossain of Long Grove is a Vernon Area Public Library trustee, and Sara Frederick Knizhnik of Vernon Hills is a Vernon Township trustee.

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