Former Elk Grove police chief to join two incumbents on board

The first open seat on the Elk Grove Village board in 22 years will go to retired police chief Stephen Schmidt, joining longtime incumbents Nancy Czarnik and Sam Lissner, who won re-election bids Tuesday night, according to unofficial results.

With 20 of 24 precincts reporting, Schmidt, who retired in 2016 after 41 years with the department, tallied 1,734 votes, with Czarnik getting 1,976 and Lissner getting 1,706, the early returns show.

The top three vote-getters will get seats on the board, known for its streak of continuity in the suburbs, with some trustees having served for decades.

Trustee James Petri - the longest-serving elected official in village history - decided not to seek another term after four decades on the board. Czarnik has spent three decades on the panel. Lissner is a 24-year incumbent.

Scott Saxe, a businessman and member of the village's youth committee, tallied 1,329 votes; Jeff Ziemann, president and business manager of Laborers Union Local 6, had 985; and Julee Mortensen, a local business owner, had 757, unofficial results show.