County Wide and McHenry County Board Races
Voting at the McHenry Township building open for early voting and on Election Day.
County Wide Races
To save time and effort, we are adapting this from the Democratic Party of McHenry County web site with occasional personal observations.
McHenry County Clerk
Bill McNeese is a father of three, a U.S. Navy veteran, and a small business owner, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on Economics and an MBA In small business. He brings a record of service, accountability, and hands-on leadership along with a commitment to running an efficient, transparent Clerk’s Office that makes county services more accessible to every resident. In an important race for clean and legal elections he is running against a proven incompetent Republican incumbent Joe Tirio who refuses to commit to following Illinois state law over Donald Trump's U.S. Postal Service not to deliver mail-in ballots post marked after Election Day or use voter identification demanded by the Justice Department that would widely disenfranchise many voters including those with Latinx last names and people who have changed names since original registration including married women and others who have legally changed their names.
County Regional Superintendent of Schools
For 32 years, Dr. Bridget Belcastro has dedicated her career to ensuring every student has access to quality education. As a 24-year McHenry County resident and the 2024 Illinois Elementary Principal of the Year, she has the experience, expertise, and commitment to lead the Regional Office of Education into the future and will support our schools, empower our educators, and advocate for the resources our children deserve. She has already launched an effective campaign with social media posts and early signage and has strong support for legislators. The office oversees credentials for educators, paraprofessionals, and substitutes, license renewal, and certifying life-safety of schools. She would also be and important bulwark against Maga influenced curricula elimination or dumbing down scientific information, history, and diversity protections.
McHenry County Treasurer
Amin Karim of Crystal Lake for the past 22 years, and a proud father of four and grandfather of three is is an engineer by profession with an MBA in Finance and a 30-year career in corporate management, including a proven track record of leading and executing Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Projects. Few candidates for Treasurer have ever had his breadth of experience and ability to audit county finances. He ran for Treasurer four years ago and made a strong showing, leading the ticket for McHenry County Dems. He is a strong and dedicated campaigner who is a non-partisan technocrat running against long-time incumbent Donna Kurtz. He is a personal friend of the proprietor of the Blog and although a devout Muslim is a regular attendee at Tree of Life UU Congregation Men's Group breakfasts and dinners. The editor admires him for his open curiosity and his unshakable personal integrity. Highly Recommended.
There is no Democratic candidate for Sheriff this time.
McHenry County Board Races
Deanna "Dee" Darling is currently
serving as a Cary District 26 School Board Member. She is focused
on advocating for social services, championing public education,
affordable housing availability, protecting natural resources, and
transparency and accessibility. She has been active in the progressive community and is the Founder and driving force behind the annual Planet Palooza festivals that connect organization, services, and agencies to each other and the public. The proprietor has worked with her on various projects, and he admires her boundless energy.
County Board District 2
Gloria Van Hof is an incumbent District 2 County Board
Member and a 50-year resident of McHenry County. A
mom, teacher, writer, previous business owner, licensed Nursing
Home Administrator, an Underground Railroad researcher and
lecturer, and a volunteer and board member of numerous groups.
Dedicated to improving communication, transparency, economic
vitality, community identity and effective management of our
resources. She is a human dynamo and has perhaps the widest circle of friends and contacts in the county. After her first election when she led all Democrats for Conty Board, she not only balanced a heavy board load and continuing commitments, Van Hof started and completed her PhD on line. She often worked into the small hours of the mornings. Gloria and your humble scribe have cooperated and worked together on social justice issue and at public events for well over 30 years from co-hosting the Diversity Day Festival on Woodstock Square to founding the McHenry County Juneteenth Celebration. Proud to endorse her continued service on the Board.
County Board District 3
Carolyn "Lyn" Campbell is current County
Board Member for District 3 and long-time advocate for the
protection of our natural and agricultural resources, Carolyn has
proven her support for our mental health community, for common
sense transportation solutions, public safety, and effective senior
services. A former local government finance and administration
professional, she is an advocate for a strong local economy as a
means of reducing the overall tax burden on property owners. Campbell enjoys close connections with local officials in Crystal Lake and Lakewood help make her an effective voice on the Board. She is on the Senior Services Grant Commission and as a member of the McHenry County Mental Health Board she is engaged in the McHenry County Sheriff's Office Police Social Worker Program (PSW) which helps law officers integrate social worker in response to calls involving a possible mental health crisis. A vital, hands-on leader.
County Board District 4
Edward "Bud" Bowie is a retired Army
Lieutenant Colonel and former sanitation industry CEO. "Bud will
use the analytical and planning skills honed by a long career in both
government and private industry to ensure transparent fiscal
responsibility, protect our Conservation Districts, preserve
agriculture, promote responsible economic growth, and support
fair-minded, unbiased County leadership that represents the
interests of all residents." No photo was found easily accessible was available--a possible signal of a weak or symbolic candidacy. Or he might we just lurking in the weeds to make a last minute splash.
County Board District 5
Austin May was born and raised in McHenry
County and is a dedicated public servant, his background includes
service in AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and currently as a US Army
Reserve officer. He is focused on lowering property taxes
through improving infrastructure, supporting community health,
and fiscal responsibility. May is an attractive and charismatic candidate who jumped in early with extensive signage effective use of social media, and being present at events large and small in the district. He was out front in calling for the rejection of a proposed McHenry County Home Rule referendum that would lead to higher taxes and a loss of local control to a powerful County Executive.
McHenry County Board District 6
(no photo)
Sheryl Lindenbaum has worked
in the health insurance industry for over 40 years. Her focus is on
resources and affordability of elder-care, assistance for family
caregivers, women’s health, support for local farmers, sustainable
growth, and creating an environment where all individuals,
regardless of background, can participate fully and equitably in
McHenry County.
County Board District 7
Patrick J. Shea brings a wealth of
management experience from a career in the construction
industry, including project managing and acting as crew foreman.
His vision is to build McHenry County’s future with that practical
experience, advocating for responsible growth, and respect for our
land and water. "My career in the construction industry includes plan reviewing, estimating construction costs, project scheduling, project managing and acting as crew foreman. This experience will be valuable to keep the County fiscally sound. McHenry County has a complex system of highways, rural roads and commuter rail. Transportation maintenance and construction costs have been rising faster than inflation. Population growth is expected and expansion of transportation systems is anticipated." A focused vision for the future.
County Board District 8
Christy "Chris" Stevens is a resident
of McHenry County since 1981, and has had a prior career in
Information Technology, implementing e-Commerce websites for
top 1000 retailers. Her experience also includes a home-building
business, giving her insight into the lack of workforce housing in
our county, water quality, open land and conservation, maintaining
agriculture, property taxes, economic opportunity/development,
global warming impacts, and sustainable growth.
County Board District 9
Christine B. Hamm is a
nonprofit executive, community organizer, and advocate for
inclusion and community empowerment who has called Huntley
and McHenry County home for much of the past seventeen years. "I believe representation begins with listening....Connection before persuasion. Curiosity before assumption. Relationship before outcome. I want to listen first and let what I learned shape how I lead." Hamm has relied heavily on endorsement from heavy weights like Julia Straton and Bill Foster dozens of associates, friends, and neighbors. And she's out in the communities of her very large district that includes much of the west of the county.
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