Regardless of Republicans taking again the White Home and the U.S. Senate, Democrats on the native degree had a robust displaying throughout DuPage County in Tuesday’s election.
In maybe the most important native shock of the evening, three-term DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen seems to have been unseated by Democratic challenger Judith Lukas. As for different county-wide races, Democratic incumbents in search of reelection as circuit clerk and auditor and the Democratic candidate vying for recorder all prevailed, in keeping with uncertified poll counts.
On the DuPage County Board, one Democratic challenger has apparently unseated her Republican predecessor whereas different Democratic incumbents held onto their seats, leaving the physique with 12 Democrats, six Republicans and a Democratic chair.
Within the race for coroner, unofficial outcomes present Lukas clinched the win by capturing almost 5,400 extra votes than Jorgensen. The vote rely as of the final tally of ballots Tuesday evening was 216,901 votes for Lukas to 211,513 for Jorgensen.
“The county needs a change,” Lukas stated in a name Wednesday. “And I’m able to enact that change.”
A lifelong resident of DuPage County, Lukas is a registered nurse and has served as a Winfield Township Board trustee since 2021. She ran on a marketing campaign targeted on modernizing the coroner’s workplace, making the workplace’s function within the county extra well-known and championing psychological well being.
Talking to preliminary outcomes, Lukas stated, “I consider all the emotions that I’m feeling at present, gratitude might be the most important one.”
She additionally thanked her opponent.
“I wish to thank my predecessor as a result of he was within the place for 12 years, and he did a very good job,” she stated. “I’m going to proceed that good work, and I’m going to attempt to make enhancements as they arrive.”
Richard Jorgensen / HANDOUT
DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen seems to have misplaced his fourth reelection bid Tuesday evening, in keeping with unofficial outcomes. (Equipped picture)
Jorgensen was first elected coroner in 2012. Previous to his election, he practiced common and trauma surgical procedure in Chicago’s western suburbs for greater than 20 years. By way of his tenure as coroner, Jorgensen held onto his seat by means of three elections, working unopposed in 2012 and 2016 and profitable in opposition to a Democratic challenger in 2020.
Jorgensen didn’t return a request for remark Wednesday.
Alongside Lukas, unofficial outcomes present that Democratic incumbents Candice Adams and William White are headed to victory of their races for circuit clerk and auditor, respectively. Liz Chaplin, a DuPage County Board member since 2012, additionally seems to have bested her Republican opponent for recorder.
In vying for recorder, Chaplin left her District 2 county board seat up for grabs. Democrat Andrew Honig is positioned, in keeping with unofficial outcomes, to imagine the place. All 5 different county board races pitted incumbents in opposition to challengers. 4 incumbents seem to have snagged sufficient votes to maintain their seats, together with District 3 consultant Lucy Chang Evans.
As issues at the moment stand, Evans is slated to win over Republican challenger Baron Leacock by greater than 2,700 votes. Evans, of Naperville, was first elected in 2022. District 3 covers a lot of southeastern DuPage, together with the Naperville neighborhoods of College Heights, Cinnamon Creek and Inexperienced Ridge Estates.
In a name Wednesday, the previous U.S. Secret Service agent stated, “I’m very proud of the outcomes.” With one other time period, Evans needs to prioritize public security and utilizing infrastructure to deal with local weather resilience within the county, she stated.
District 5, which contains most of Naperville and sections of Aurora in DuPage, was the lone county board race that noticed a challenger outperform its sitting consultant. Democrat Saba Haider seems to have defeated Republican incumbent Patty Gustin, with the previous receiving 39,265 votes to the latter’s 30,844.
Haider, an Aurora resident and small enterprise proprietor, at the moment serves on the DuPage County Well being Division’s Public Well being Board. She ran her marketing campaign on making “DuPage a secure, profitable and sustainable county,” she stated. Haider guarantees to be a psychological well being advocate on the board, whereas additionally making certain the county “makes use of its tax cash judiciously” and champions sustainability efforts.
With Haider positioned to win, Gustin is confronted with shedding her seat. Previous to the county board, Gustin served two phrases on the Naperville Metropolis Council. She stated Wednesday that it’s “actually been my honor to signify our residents and companies.”
Nonetheless, regardless of being down greater than 8,400 votes within the unofficial vote rely, Gustin stated her marketing campaign wouldn’t be conceding till the outcomes are finalized later this month.
Ballots solid earlier than and on Election Day have been counted, Chief Deputy DuPage County Clerk Adam Johnson stated Wednesday. What’s nonetheless excellent are mail-in ballots the county has but to obtain or rely. Mail-in ballots acquired as much as two weeks after Election Day can nonetheless be added to the tally so long as they’re postmarked Nov. 5, Johnson stated.
As of the tip of tabulation Tuesday, the clerk’s workplace had counted 87,005 of 105,090 requested mail-in ballots, leaving some 18,000 nonetheless excellent. At most, that’s what number of mail-in ballots might conceivably be postmarked and returned to the clerk’s workplace over the following two weeks, Johnson stated.
Requested if he had an estimate for what number of excellent ballots the clerk’s workplace expects to see returned, Johnson stated it’s arduous to take a position.
Between mail-in, early and Election Day voters, 72.54% of all registered voters solid ballots on this yr’s common election.
In comparison with 4 years in the past, turnout this yr was apparently decrease. In 2020, the county reported 76.55% turnout. Nonetheless, versus 2016, which noticed 70.61% turnout, this yr proved to entice extra folks to the poll field.
Along with the robust displaying of Democratic candidates in native elections, the vast majority of DuPage voters threw their assist behind Kamala Harris for president. The vice chairman captured 55.55% of ballots solid in DuPage to Trump’s 42.48%.
Nonetheless, Trump, who nationally scored a decisive victory over Harris, did acquire factors in DuPage over his earlier presidential bid. In 2020, he captured 39.91% of the county’s vote. Extra consequential, although, are the grounds that Harris misplaced. Whereas Biden snagged 281,222 votes throughout DuPage in 2020, Harris in Tuesday’s election collected 245,192, some 36,000 lower than the president 4 years in the past.
tkenny@chicagotribune.com
