Candidate uses invalid logic

Today I was appalled to receive a nasty campaign mailer from the “Friends of Erin Chan Ding.” It had photos of Trump and Maria Peterson on both sides, intimating a link between Trump’s win and Maria’s candidacy. It says falsely that “Trump and MAGA Republicans are cheering for Maria Peterson.” Erin’s big talking point is that she has won elections and Maria has lost elections. Let’s look into this.

Erin continues to compare school board elections to elections for state offices, which is absurd. There are many differences. Many fewer people vote in single school district board elections than in single state legislative district elections. School board elections are non-partisan, whereas state legislative elections are partisan. In school board elections, several candidates are elected. In the state legislative districts, only one candidate is elected.

Barrington Area Unit District 220 had 9,847 votes cast in 2025, whereas the Illinois 52nd Legislative District had 58,993 votes cast in 2024. Erin Chan Ding got 1,778 votes and another candidate got 1,773 votes in 2025 and four of six candidates were elected to the school board. In comparison, Maria Peterson lost by only 47 votes in the 52nd legislative district in 2024 (won 29,473 votes). Her momentum has turned the district purple.

Erin, as a recent Daily Herald article reported, faces ethics issues. She used the school district resources for personal gain and political leverage and even used her school board Facebook page for campaign activities, leaving school board communications intact. An investigation of this act cost the school district over $4,000.

The Chicago Tribune said, ‘Good, savvy Democrats should conclude that Peterson has the best chance of prevailing in the fall.” I urge you to vote for Maria Peterson on March 17.

Carol S. Huntsinger

Libertyville