Campos likely victor, Meister has slim lead in Lake County Board primary races; Salvi-McDonnell contest result unclear

Tuesday’s primary races for Lake County Board were marked by unusual circumstances. In one, a vote for a candidate listed on the ballot won’t count. In another, a candidate hoping for an upset isn’t listed and won’t know the result until Friday.

The first is District 16 in the Round Lake area that involved a back-and-forth battle of appeals that ended a day before the polls opened. The Illinois Appellate Court Second District upheld an objection removing Juan Beto Ruiz’ name from the ballot.

Since any ballots cast for Ruiz won’t count, incumbent Esiah Campos can claim victory in the Democratic primary. Unofficial totals Tuesday night show Campos with 671 votes. Ruiz’ name wasn’t listed on the website.

Both candidates live in Round Lake Beach. Campos, a Navy veteran and pension analyst for Teamsters union Local 705, was criticized by Ruiz for missing about two-thirds of county and forest preserve district meetings during his four-year term and that the largely minority district has been underrepresented.

Terms of office are staggered in Lake County and in this election cycle the term for District 16 is two years.

Campos said the law is clear and that Ruiz’ name shouldn’t have been on the ballot. That said, Campos said he recognized primary elections can create “division and friction” in the community and vowed to work toward gaining trust.

“My focus now is on moving forward, listening, and delivering for everyone in this district,” he said.

Ruiz said he hasn’t determined a next step, adding this was not the end.

“What’s clear now more than ever is that people have awakened and showed up to vote,” he said. “Prior to this election, many residents of Round Lake were not familiar with my opponent, and now we intend to hold him accountable.”

District 16 includes Round Lake Beach, Round Lake Heights and portions of Round Lake and Round Lake Park.

In District 17, stretching along the southwest border of Lake County, Joe Salvi is alone on the Republican ballot. However, the attorney making his first run for public office is facing a write-in challenge from Eleanor Sweet McDonnell, North Barrington’s village president since 2019.

The situation arose after incumbent Michael Danforth filed for reelection but withdrew after the deadline. He endorsed Salvi, a Barrington attorney and partner in Salvi & Maher LLP, who had filed on the last day.

McDonnell, president and CEO of the Remington Group LLC, said the timing prompted her to run as a write-in, knowing it will be an uphill climb and would be a rare victory.

In any case, the votes weren’t known Tuesday night. Write-in results are counted at voting sites on election night but need to be totaled before they are added to the Election Results page starting Friday, according to the Lake County Clerk’s office.

In District 3, consultant and Riverwoods resident Wendy Meister had a slim lead Libertyville resident and registered nurse Jacklyn Rodriguez in the Democratic primary with 1,353 to 1,222 votes, respectively, unofficial totals showed.

After 24 years representing the district Republican incumbent Ann Maine is not seeking reelection and there is no Republican candidate on the ballot. Meister won the primary four years ago but lost to Maine.

District 3 includes Green Oaks, Lincolnshire, Mettawa, Riverwoods and portions of Buffalo Grove, Gurnee, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Mundelein, Vernon Hills and Waukegan.