DuPage County Board primaries are mostly on the Democratic side

The stable of DuPage Democrats running for county board seats or countywide office far outnumber those on the Republican side.

A dozen county board seats — or two in each of the six voting districts — are up for election next year, as is the top leadership post.

At the close of candidate filing Monday, there were multiple Democratic primaries for county board, forest preserve board and countywide positions. For the GOP, by contrast, there’s only one contested county board primary, plus an intraparty fight for the sheriff’s job.

Here’s a look at the county board races:

District 1

Democratic incumbent Michael Childress, who won his first board term in 2022, is seeking reelection.

Republicans Eric Poplonski of Bloomingdale and Onkar Singh Sangha of Elmhurst will square off in the March primary to decide who will challenge Childress.

Democrats Maria Sinkule, a former president of the Addison library board, Melissa Villanueva, a member of the Elmhurst economic development commission, and Nicholas Panicola, Jr., a Bensenville village trustee, are vying for their party’s nomination for a 2-year term representing the northeastern corner of the county. Whoever wins is set to face Republican Paula Pezza, a former Elmhurst alderwoman, next November.

A Republican fixture on the county board, Sam Tornatore isn't running for reelection. Tornatore has been on the board since 2012.

District 2

Voters in the district, stretching from Woodridge to Elmhurst, are assured new faces. Democrat Yeena Yoo, who won her first board term in 2022, has instead launched a campaign against longtime Republican county Treasurer Gwen Henry. Fellow Democratic incumbent Paula Deacon Garcia is challenging DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek in the March primary.

Christopher Espinoza, an Illinois DNC delegate and school board member in Downers Grove High School District 99, and Guido Nardini, an Elmhurst alderman, are hoping to carry the party’s mantle into November. Robert “Rusty” Stevens, a former Illinois House candidate, is the only Republican to file for a 4-year term.

There’s also a contested primary between Mahnoor Ahmad, a Villa Park Democrat who previously ran against U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, and Mary Rada Walters, an attorney from Lombard, for a 2-year term. The winner will meet Hinsdale Republican Theresa McClear in the general election.

District 3

Republican incumbents Brian Krajewski and Kari Galassi have a clear path to the general election.

Democrats Marcus King of Willowbrook and Ericka Polanco-Webb of Burr Ridge are running for a 4-term and 2-year term, respectively. The district covers the southeastern chunk of the county.

District 4

Incumbent Mary FitzGerald Ozog, a Glen Ellyn Democrat, is running for two more years. Wheaton Republican Isobel Michaud is slated to challenge her next fall.

Paula McGowen and Syed Hussain are seeking to become the Democratic nominee for the 4-year spot. This past April, Hussain was a Wheaton City Council candidate. McGowen sits on the regional board of school trustees.

The winner will advance to the general election to challenge Grant Eckhoff, the second-longest serving Republican on the county board.

District 5

Incumbent Sadia Covert faces the stiffest primary competition with two opponents: Ian Holzhauer, a Naperville city councilman who won reelection this past April, and Marylee Leu, an Aurora Democrat who also sits on the regional board of school trustees. Covert has been on the board since 2018.

The winner will face Republican Chris Jacks, a Naperville park district commissioner, in November 2026.

Another Democratic incumbent, Dawn DeSart, is running for two more years. Aurora Republican Daniel Alejandro Lomeli is set to run against her in the general election.

District 6

West Chicago Democrat Melissa Martinez, who was recently appointed to fill a vacancy on the county board, and Lauren “Laurie” Nowak, a former county board member, are running to become their party’s nominee for the 2-year seat.

Martinez, the founder and CEO of Cool Party Balloons, replaced Sheila Rutledge on the board.

The primary winner is set to face Carol Stream Republican Kathleen Zander.

Republican Jim Zay, the board’s longest-serving member, is running for four more years. West Chicago Democrat Jesse Gutierrez is set to challenge him in 2026.