Ian Holzhauer: 2026 candidate for DuPage County Board District 5

Bio

Office sought: DuPage County Board District 5 (4 year term)

City: Naperville

Age: 43

Occupation: Attorney and City Councilmember

Previous offices held: Naperville City Council (2021-present), Board Chair, Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce

Q&A

Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

I’m running as a proud Democrat, because I will uphold our values, apply the law and stand up for residents, even when that means taking on powerful interests.

Since 2021, I’ve been proud to serve on the Naperville City Council. I’ve enforced our zoning laws to block a poorly situated proposed data center next to homes. I’ve funded a mental-health crisis response team within the police department, protected Naper Pridefest from politically motivated cuts, and enacted Naperville’s ban on the retail sale of assault weapons, which survived challenges all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. I’ve also worked to expand housing for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and opposed long-term coal power contracts that undermine our climate.

What motivates me most is bringing these strategies to the county level. The county oversees public health, the justice system, and the sheriff’s office, making it the right place to expand mental-health reforms in policing, address housing insecurity, and pursue sustainable growth.

I’m a hard worker, a policy wonk, and someone who takes public service seriously. I’d be honored to continue serving our community on the County Board.

If you are an incumbent, describe a few important initiatives you’ve led. If you’re not an incumbent, describe a few ways you would contribute to the board.

I would like to further DuPage’s mental health progress, specifically within the justice system. The Board has admirably opened the Crisis Recovery Center, which is already a national pioneer. As a former prosecutor and defense counsel, I am aware that there is also significant overlap between mental health and the justice system. My proudest effort on City Council has been funding social workers within the Naperville police department, as well as the 2026 stand-up of our mental health crisis response team (with six dedicated officers). I'd like to pursue similar programs in DuPage.

As a community that largely grew around the automobile, DuPage has admirably reprioritized biking, walking, and other forms of non-car mobility. Still, distances are long and transit gaps persist. The state’s creation of the Northern Illinois Transit Agency is an opportunity for DuPage to lobby for better-integrated transit, particularly for residents who don’t drive.

Finally, I'm a subscriber to Ezra Klein’s “Abundance” philosophy, and believe that cutting red tape is essential to getting a handle on housing prices. I’d like to provide fast-track incentives to developers to build affordable housing.

Is there a specific service or amenity that is lacking in the county? If so, how do you propose to provide and fund it?

As mentioned above, I look forward to improved transit coordination in our county with the stand-up of the Northern Illinois Transit Agency. Imagine a world where Pace bus schedules were better coordinated with Metra, where transit had “clock face scheduling” similar to what is seen in Europe (where transit left, perhaps on the :05 and :35 from a given station, all day, on weekends). This type of predictable scheduling better meets the needs of an increasingly work-from-home population, that uses transit for more than commuting.

Having been a Naperville representative on several multi-governmental entities (such as DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference — Legislative Committee), and having lobbied our state and federal representatives for local funding of our Riverwalk, I am aware of the importance of coordinating with outside agencies to make sure local voices are heard.

I have done this work before, and look forward to using that experience to further the county’s transit goals.

With the county's budget being squeezed by federal funding cuts and other factors, what initiatives would you support to increase revenue and/or save money?

DuPage’s most significant challenges are sustaining essential services amid both legal and illegal federal cuts. I experienced this firsthand on Naperville City Council when an unexpected and politically motivated federal energy grant cut caused an immediate budget shock. At the county level, these cuts often fall hardest on human services, which is reprehensible.

We must refuse to acquiesce, and be prepared to challenge illegal cuts in court. I say this knowing that in government, there can be a temptation not to “rock the boat.” But the more local governments accept arbitrary federal punishments, the more common they will become. Essentially, you don’t win by not hitting back a bully.

At the same time, we can’t simply rely on litigation. In a time of squeezed budgets, we must set clear priorities. In a region with harsh winters and extreme heat, we cannot allow people with mental illness, housing insecurity, disabilities or other vulnerabilities to go unserved. Even if that means sacrifice. It is important to firmly stand by our values, and remind our constituents that many of these new burdens were directly created by politically motivated federal cuts.

What is the single most important issue facing your district, and how should the county address it?

The single most important issue facing DuPage is the growing mental-health crisis and the strain it places on public safety, families and our health care system.

As mentioned above, in Naperville, we created a dedicated mental-health Crisis Response Team within the police department — six full-time officers focused solely on mental-health calls. That investment wasn’t just compassionate; it was practical. It reduced strain on patrol officers (who had 900+ mental health responses last year, each taking two officers and over 2 hours).

At the county level, the stakes are even higher. DuPage oversees the health department, jail, courts and sheriff’s office.

The Crisis Recovery Center was a historic first step, and I'm excited about going further. We should also be prepared to defend funding for these services when federal or state cuts threaten them, because mental health care is not optional. It is core public infrastructure.

Addressing mental health effectively improves public safety, reduces long-term costs, and reflects our values as a community. It’s where the county can make the biggest, most immediate difference in people’s lives.

Why are you the best person to serve in this role?

I will push back a little on the framing of this question, because I believe we are blessed as a Democratic Party to have so many different perspectives, and to respect them rather than declaring one better than the other.

One perspective that I believe has helped shape my worldview was serving as a defense counsel in the Air Force JAG Corps. Defending 18- and 19-year-olds, many of them with mental health issues, in a system that too often shuns them for mistakes or an inability to fit in to a strict culture. I learned a lot about people who were different from me, people who wanted a second shot in life, and people who just needed a friend.

I have been proud to carry that empathy, and that regard for all voices — no matter who, into my role on the City Council. I would be proud to continue that service to DuPage County.