DuPage Voters Reject Dual Officeholders

DuPage County voters rejected a proposition Tuesday that asked whether elected officials should be able to hold more than one office at a time.

With all 748 precincts reporting, unofficial results show that a resounding 90 percent (332,657) of DuPage County voters rejected the proposal. Only 36,571 voted "yes."

The question was placed on the general election ballot after Elmhurst Mayor Peter DiCianni and Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso announced their plans to run for DuPage County Board seats in Districts 2 and 3, respectively.

Both DiCianni and Grasso were declared winners Tuesday. DiCianni plans to resign his current position to serve the county board. Grasso has said he wants to hold both offices.

DuPage County Clerk

Winner: Chris Kachiroubas (R)

Republican DuPage Circuit Court Clerk Chris Kachiroubas won re-election Tuesday over Democratic challenger Ralph Scalise.

“I’m happy that the voting public affirmed what we’re doing in the 18th circuit and now we can go forward for four more years,” Kachiroubas said.

Kachiroubas captured 205,008 of 362,562 votes. He attributed Tuesday's win to his office's efficiency and fiscal responsibility, and said he looks forward to moving towards a "paperless" clerk's office over the next four years while increasing time-and resource-saving e-ticketing by county law enforcement agencies.

DuPage County Board

Voters elected eight newcomers to the DuPage County Board on Tuesday, including 25-year-old Laurie Nowak (D) in District 6 and Downers Grove resident Elizabeth Chaplin in District 2. Nowak and Chaplin joined incumbent Tony Michaelassi of District 5 as the only three Democrats on the board.

Because of redistricting, winners will not immediately know the length of their terms. A lottery will be held after the election to determine which seats are four-year terms and which are two-year terms.

District 1

Winners: Paul Fichtner (R), Donald Puchalski (R) and Sam Tornatore (R)

District 1 seats were won Tuesday by incumbents Fichtner (25,544) and Puchalski (26,334), as well as newcomer Tornatore (25,940). They beat out a trio of Democratic challengers—Rita Gonzalez (20,466), Thomas Michael Castillo (20,826) and Maria DeAngelis-Vesey (18,897).

District 2

Winners: Elizabeth Chaplin (D), Peter DiCianni (R) and Sean Noonan (R)

With all 159 precincts reporting, District 2 seats went to newcomers Chaplin (34,625), DiCianni (34,044) and Noonan (33,348), who edged out Oak Brook Trustee Elaine Zannis (R) by just 90 votes.

DiCianni, the current mayor of Elmhurst, has said he would step down from his municipal position to serve the county board.

District 3

Winners: John Curran (R), Brian Krajewski (R) and Gary Grasso (R)

With all 128 precincts reporting, District 3 went to newcomer Gary Grasso (33,286), and incumbents Curran (36,069) and Krajewski (35,700). They beat out Democratic challenger Sharon Bryant (33,275).

District 4

Winners: Grant Eckhoff (R), Amy Grant (R) and Jerry "JR" McBride (R)

Two incumbents—Eckhoff (31,947) and McBride (31,710)—prevailed Tuesday night, along with newcomer Grant (37,530). They beat Democratic challengers Charles Ditchman (22,293) and Dan Bailey (27,295).

District 5

Winners: James Healy (R), Tonia Jane Khouri (R) and Tony Michelassi (D)

With all precincts reporting in District 5, seats were retained by incumbents Healy (32,167) and Michelassi (30,853). They were joined by newcomer Khouri (32,900), who beat out Republican challenger John Zediker (29,436).

District 6

Winners: Jim Zay (R), Robert Larsen (R) and Laurie Nowak (D)

Incumbents Zay (27,421) and Larsen (27,527) retained their positions in District 6, while Nowak (25,767), a 25-year-old newcomer from Bartlett, won the third seat. They beat Democrats Dave Barry (20,059) and Dirk Enger (23,007), and Republican Kevin Wiley (24,290).

DuPage County Forest Preserve

Three newcomers—including one Democrat—will join three Republican incumbents on the DuPage County Forest Preserve Commission, according to unofficial election results.

Like the county board, the forest preserve commission will hold a lottery to determine the length of each commissioner's term—two or four years.

District 1

Winner: Marsha Murphy (R)

With all precincts reporting, Murphy, the incumbent in District 1, beat Democratic challenger Michael Braun 28,639 to 24,034.

District 2

Winner: Joe Cantore (R)

District 2 incumbent Cantore beat Democratic challenger Don Kirchenberg 37,520 to 30,124.

District 3

Winner: Linda Painter (R)

Painter, the incumbent in District 3, beat out Democratic challenger Steve Leopoldo of Downers Grove 38,809 to 28,037.

District 4

Winner: Tim Whelan (R)

With all precincts reporting in District 4, Whelan, a newcomer, beat Democrat Robert Flesvig 36,108 to 25,603. No incumbent was seeking re-election.

District 5

Winner: Mary Lou Wherli (R)

Wherli, a newcomer, beat out Democrat Dennis Clark 34,218 to 27,669 in District 5, where no incumbent was seeking re-election.

District 6

Winner: Shannon Burns (D)

With all precincts reporting, the District 6 seat went to Burns, who edged Republican Al Murphy by just 596 votes (28,714 to 28,118). She is the first Democrat to be elected to the DuPage County Forest Preserve Commission since the board became independent a decade ago. She was also the only Democrat to be elected Tuesday night. 

Burns will replace current Commissioner Roger Kotecki, who will step down from the position after 20 years in office.

Editor's Note: This story previously stated that Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso would resign his post as mayor if he won the county board seat, however Grasso says he wants to retain both offices. All results are based on unofficial vote totals reported by the DuPage County Election Commission.

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