Will County Dist. 11 voters choose incumbents Hart, Maher

Incumbents Suzanne Hart and Charles "Chuck" Maher took a step Tuesday toward continuing to represent south Naperville on the Will County Board, as they placed first and second in the Republican primary for the party's nomination for two available seats in District 11.

Hart, 48, of Naperville, received 2,258 votes out of 5,551 ballots cast in Tuesday's election, while Maher, 56, also of Naperville, tallied 2,063 votes, according to unofficial election results. Incumbents Hart and Maher ran as a team for the position that also governs the Will County Forest Preserve, defeating Michael "Big Mike" Strick, 51, of Naperville, who got 1,230 votes.

The results mean Hart and Maher will advance to the Nov. 4 general election.

If the Democratic Party nominates a candidate by June 2, that person could appear on the ballot if he or she gathers enough signatures. Maher said he is not writing off the possibility of Democratic opposition in the general election, but he and Hart said they are humbled and excited to have received voter support in the primary.