Voters across Lake County will be choosing between candidates in 26 contested primaries on June 28, with eight incumbents facing opposition, including two members of Congress who hope to represent parts of the county.
Barring successful challenges to petitions, voter choices are set for the June 28 primary election in Lake County as voters choose major party nominees for Congress, Illinois General Assembly, countywide offices and members of the Lake County Board for the Nov. 8 general election.
When the deadline passed Monday to file primary petitions, there were candidates for all offices on the Democratic side. No one filed for some Republican slots. Mark Shaw, the Lake County Republican chairman, said candidates will be appointed to fill those spots by July 25.
Lauren Beth Gash, the Lake County Democratic chair, said she is thrilled with the growth her party has experienced in the past few years, now holding all countywide elected positions — except the appointed regional superintendent of education — and a majority of the Lake County Board.
“We have contested primaries in areas a few years ago it was a challenge to find anyone to run,” Gash said. “Now, so many people share our values.”
After the state legislature redrew the map of the districts for the U.S. House of Representatives last fall, four people will represent parts of Lake County rather than three. The only one remaining is U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Deerfield, who has no primary opponent in the 10th District. He will face Joseph Severino of Lake Forest in November.
Hoping to represent parts of the county are U.S. Reps. Mike Quigley, D-Chicago, in the 5th District; Jan Schakowsky, D-Evanston, in the 9th; and Bill Foster, D-Naperville, in the 11th. Schakowsky and Quigley have will have to defeat a primary opponent and then a Republican foe to stay in their jobs.
Quigley is running against Rami Blan of Chicago in the primary. The winner will face the Republican candidate in November. Seeking the GOP nod are Maldorzata McGonigal of North Barrington, Tommy Hanson of Chicago and Chicagoan Kimball Ladien.
Schakowsky is running against Andrew Heldut in the primary for the right to compete against Republicans John Elleson of Chicago or Maxwell “Max” Rice of Northbrook in November.
Foster does not have a primary opponent in a contest which both national parties are becoming heavily invested. There are seven Republicans — Cassandra Tanner Miller of Elgin, Joseph Mark Carroll of North Aurora, Andrea Heeg of Geneva, Susan Altman Hathaway of Geneva, Juan “Johnny” Ramos of Naperville, Jerry Evans of Warrenville and Catalina Lauf of Woodstock.
Gash, the current Illinois state central committeewoman from the 10th District, faces a challenge for her position from retiring state Sen. Melinda Bush, D-Grayslake. Thomas Maillard, the 10th District committeeman of Waukegan, faces Hal Sloan of Grayslake. The winner gets the job.
Lake County Sheriff Idleburg of Zion, first elected in 2018, faces William C. King, a deputy sheriff and also a Zion resident, for the Democratic nomination. The winner will run against the Republican primary victor — Mark A. Vice II of Round Lake, John K. Van Dien II of Lindenhurst or Jonathon “John” Harlow of Lake Buff.
There will be contested primaries for both parties for the Second District Illinois Supreme Court nominations, and one on the Democratic side for the Second District Appellate Court.
Shaw said the Supreme Court contest is one of the most critical on the ballot. Along with a similar contest in the Third District, it could help determine whether the court has a 5-2 Democratic majority or has a 4-3 Republican edge.
“There are four officeholders or former officeholders on the Republican side, three of them are judges, and three on the Democratic side,” Shaw said. “There could be a Republican majority for the first time in years.”
Second District Appellate Court Justice Susan Hutchinson of Crystal Lake, Lake County Judge Daniel B. Shanes of Mundelein, former Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran of Libertyville and Kane County Judge John A. Noverini of Carpentersville are the Republican candidates for the Illinois Supreme Court.
Seeking the Democratic Supreme Court nomination are Lake County Judge Elizabeth Rochford of Lake Forest, Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rodkin Rotering and Kane County Judge Rene Cruz of Aurora.
Democrats Erin Cartwright Weinstein, the clerk of the Lake County Circuit Court, Michael Cortina of Crystal Lake and Lake County Judge Chris Kennedy of Libertyville are looking for the Democratic nod.
Bush’s retirement from the state Senate has spawned two contested primaries. State Rep Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake and former state Rep. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, are running for the Democratic nomination for the 31st State Senate District.
Seeking to replace Yingling in the 62nd Illinois House District are Laura Faver Dias of Grayslake, Maillard of Waukegan and Terry Wilke of Round Lake Beach.
In contests for the Lake County Board, four incumbents are already looking at a contested primary to gain a spot on the November ballot. All County Board seats will be filled this year after it was remapped from 21 to 19 members in December.
Incumbent Linda Pederson, will defend her District 1 seat in the Republican primary against James Creighton Mitchell, Jr., of Lindenhurst. The winner will face the winner of the Democratic primary between Brian Haydon of Wadsworth and Michael Leone of Lindenhurst.
Diane Hewitt of Zion, who currently represents District 2 but now lives in the redrawn District 8, is running against Steve Snarski of Waukegan for the Democratic nomination.
Mary Ross Cunningham of Waukegan will defend her District 9 position against Waukegan Ald. Keith Turner, 6th Ward, for the Democratic nomination.
In District 7, Democratic incumbent Carissa Casbon of unincorporated Warren Township will defend her job against Gerald Imperial of Gurnee.
Both the Republicans and Democrats have contested primaries for the District 2 seat. Seeking the GOP nod are David M. Spada of Wauconda, Adam Schlick and Cynthia Avino of Wauconda. The two Democrats are Linda Troester of Round Lake and Shawn Killacky of Mundelein.
Charles Nozicka of Green Oaks and Wendy S. Meister of Riverwoods are running for the Democratic nomination in District 3. Esiah Campos and Yesenia Jaycee Ochoa, both of Round Lake Beach, are competing for the District 16 Democratic nod.