Politics & Government

Voters Move for Change in School Board, Park Board Races

Challengers garnered enough votes to win in nearly every Kane and Kendall county election on Tuesday.

It was a night of change across the area, as voters swept challengers into office in nearly every election in Kane and Kendall counties.

Based on unofficial totals, Montgomery’s five school districts were no exceptions. In the East Aurora School District, community activist Mary Fultz pulled off her bid to join the board, with 980 votes. She and her fellow challenger, Robert Hill (837 votes), will join incumbents Raymond Hull (1,046 votes) and Mary Anne Turza (916 votes).

In the West Aurora School District, incumbents Allyson Herget (3,418 votes) and Angela Smith (3,154 votes) will return to the board. But fellow incumbent Maricela Perez was left behind in favor of a pair of challengers, Bob Gonzalez (2,541 votes) and Amie Thompson (2,710 votes).

Find out what's happening in Montgomerywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Oswego’s school district race was a heated one, and voters sent a strong message Tuesday: no third high school. All three victors in the election were challengers, and all ran on a platform of putting the brakes on a new high school. Winners were Bill Walsh (2,727 votes), Brent Lightfoot (2,565 votes) and Alison Swanson (2,223 votes). Incumbents John Graff and Andrea Schweda will not return to the board.

Interestingly, Kerri McCastland, who withdrew her name from consideration in late March, pulled in 936 votes, more than the margin of difference between the winners and losers in this race.

Find out what's happening in Montgomerywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Yorkville School District race was less combative. Voters sent incumbent Lynn Burks back to work with 2,191 votes, and challenger Peter Athens will join her with 1,602 votes.

Finally, the Kaneland School Board will welcome three new members: Joe Oberweis, the big winner with 1,256 votes; Gale Pavlak, 1,184 votes; and Tony Valente, 1,032 votes. They’ll join incumbent Teresa Witt, who garnered 1,197 votes. Her fellow incumbent, Deborah Grant, did not make the cut.

One of the most heated races in this election was the Oswegoland Park District contest, in which three challengers ran on a platform of reducing spending and wasteful excess. Two of those challengers were given the nod by voters Tuesday: Len Wass, who, with 2,200 votes, will serve a six-year term; and Roy White, who won an unexpired two-year term with 2,416 votes.

They will join incumbent Bob Mattingly, who pulled in 2,657 votes and will also serve a six-year term.

Look for more on these races, and the low voter turnout in Tuesday’s election, later today and throughout the week on Montgomery Patch.

 

Unoffical vote totals:

East Aurora School District 131 Ignacio "Nacho" Cervantes 697 Lorena Cundari 507 Mary Fultz 980 Robert Hill 837 Raymond Hull 1,046 Juan Sifuentes Jr. 545 Mary Anne Turza

916

 

Kaneland School District 302 Patrick Delinger 829 Deborah Grant 909 Joe Oberweis 1,256 Gale Pavlak 1,184 Pedro Rivas 570 Tony Valente 1,032 Teresa Witt 1,197

 

Oswego Community Unit School District 308 Rob Fitzgerald 866 John Graff 1,539 Paul Lark 1,739 Brent Lightfoot 2,565 Luis Perez 1,920 Andrea Schweda 1,644 Alison Swanson 2,223 Bill Walsh 2,727 (Kerri McCastland) (936)

 

West Aurora School District 129 Bob Gonzalez 2,541 Allyson Herget 3,418 Maricela Perez 2,537 Angela Smith 3,154 Amie Thompson 2,710

 

Yorkville Community Unit School District 115 Peter Athens 1,602 Lynn Burks 2,191 Lucas Kavlic 1,030

 

Oswegoland Park District, 6-Year Term Salvador Barocio 1,745 Bob Mattingly 2,657 Michael Satlak 2,128 Len Wass 2,200 Oswegoland Park District, 2-Year Term Mark Slover 1,972 Roy White 2,416


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