Daily Herald endorsement: Meister, Campos and McDonnell for Lake County Board

Of the 12 Lake County Board seats that will be up for election in November, only three have contested primaries.

Democratic voters in Lake County must pick their nominees for districts 3 and 16, while Republican voters select their nominee for District 17 during the March 17 primary.

In joint interviews, we asked the candidates about issues facing their own districts and the county as a whole, their views on forest preserve needs, and their top priorities if elected.

Here are our choices for those contests.

District 3

Democrats running in District 3 are Wendy Meister, a consultant for Primarily RTI International and longtime Riverwoods resident, and Jacyln Rodriguez, a registered nurse with Endeavor Health from Libertyville.

Meister, 66, won the primary four years ago but lost to Republican incumbent Ann Maine, who has represented the district since 2002 but is not running for reelection.

Meister says she is running as an advocate for good government and to ensure the county is ready to deal with federal funding issues. In April 2021, Lake County settled a suit brought by Meister and another former employee of the county clerk’s office for $575,000. The duo claimed they were fired for questioning government spending.

Meister previously was appointed to the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District board and has volunteered with substance abuse and mental health programs.

Rodriguez, 45 says she is running to build a “stronger, healthier future” for families, in part by investing in infrastructure that supports neighborhoods and ensuring equitable access to health care, including public health programs and mental health services.

She has 20 years experience in emergency medicine, forensic nursing, corporate health care and led a statewide program with the Illinois attorney general’s office to help improve medical and legal services for victims of violence. If elected, Rodriguez said she would be the only health care professional on the board.

Both candidates have much to offer and seem earnest in their desire to help the county weather future financial and other challenges. But Meister’s prior government experience gives her an edge. She is endorsed.

District 16

Democrats running in District 16 are incumbent Esiah Campos, 30, a pension analyst for Teamsters Local 705 Pension Fund, and Juan Beto Ruiz, 39, an IT/data manager for Grayslake District 46.

Both men are Latinos and residents of Round Lake Beach vying to represent a district with a predominantly Hispanic population.

Ruiz says people in the district currently lack representation on the board and criticizes Campos for missing meetings. He says there are many unaddressed needs including affordable housing, infrastructure, jobs, and training for underserved communities.

Campos has defended his record citing progress made in attracting new businesses, coordinating development across municipalities and appointing underrepresented Latinos to local boards. He wants a chance to build on that momentum and says he will prioritize completing critical infrastructure improvements.

County board members also serve as forest preserve commissioners. A Daily Herald review of figures provided by both agencies show Campos has attended a combined total of about 63% of regular board and committee of the whole meetings.

Both men are passionate about being a voice for the Latino community on the board. Campos deserves a chance to fulfill the promises he made to his constituents and finish what he started. He is endorsed.

District 17

Barrington attorney Joe Salvi and North Barrington Village President Eleanor Sweet McDonnell are Republicans running in District 17.

Incumbent Michael Danforth, a county board member since 2017, initially filed petitions but later withdrew his candidacy.

Salvi, 31, says he wants to make Lake County more affordable for families and future generations and reduce the property tax burden.

McDonnell, who is president/CEO and owner of The Remington Group, wants to use her considerable government experience to help the county better manage taxpayer funds to provide core services. She has served as North Barrington village president since 2019 and on the Lake County Stormwater Commission since 2025. She also previously served as a Lake Zurich Fire Protection District trustee, a North Barrington fire commissioner and plan commission member.

McDonnell filed as a write-in candidate after she learned the incumbent Danforth did not file for re-election. As a candidate, her government experience makes her the better choice for representing the district. She is endorsed.