Objection filed in McHenry County Board race over letter left off the word ‘Republican’

An objection has been filed in the only contested McHenry County Board primary race featuring an incumbent.

County board member Eric Hendricks, a Lake in the Hills Republican running for reelection in the board’s 3rd District, filed an objection to the candidacy of his primary opponent, Algonquin Republican Bob Nowak.

Nowak previously served on the county board but lost to Hendricks in 2022, when Hendricks and Carolyn Campbell, a Crystal Lake Democrat, won the district’s two seats.

In the objection, Hendricks said Nowak had filed to run as a member of the “Republian Party,” which, Hendricks wrote, does not exist.

Documents attached to Hendricks’ challenge claim Nowak missed the “c” in “Republican” in his petition. Hendricks also said Nowak put a ZIP code in an incorrect field on the signature sheet.

Nowak said Wednesday that he’d heard an objection had been filed but was waiting to receive a copy.

Attempts to reach Hendricks for comment Wednesday were unsuccessful.

The hearing for the objection will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the county building. The primary election takes place on March 19.