Elections results official: Jensen to return as La Salle County Board chairman

Republicans officially maintained control of the La Salle County Board after final election results were released Tuesday.

Election results are considered unofficial until they are certified by county clerks on Nov. 19, as some mail-in ballots that meet the postmark deadline are not counted until after Election Night.

The GOP gained two seats on the La Salle County Board, giving the party a 20-9 majority. There will be four new faces to the County Board – former Sheriff Tom Templeton, Thomas Miller, James Bailey and Alexandria “Ali” Braboy.

Board Chairman Don Jensen, R-Deer Park, will return to office after defeating challenger Brian Dose, D-Ottawa, with 54.2% of the vote. Jensen amassed a final tally of 27,681 votes to Brian Dose’s 23,388.

Republicans flipped two seats.

District 4

WINNER: Republican incumbent Beth Findley Smith.

Findley Smith beat political newcomer Christine Valenta 1,363 to 768.

District 11

Winner: Republican challenger Tom Templeton

Templeton, a retired La Salle County sheriff, defeated incumbent board member Gelinda Heller by a final vote of 1,100 to 701. This was Heller’s first electoral run; she had been appointed to the seat following the death of Joe Witczak (D-Peru).

District 13

Winner: Democrat Ali Braboy

Alexandria “Ali” Braboy held off Republican Melody Burgess 605 to 503 for the vacant seat left by Mike Kasap (D-La Salle).

District 17

Winner: Democratic incumbent Doug Trager

Trager (D-Ottawa) held off political newcomer Kristy Donnelly 1,047 to 980.

District 18

Winner: Democrat Tom Miller

Lloyd Chapman, 78, a Republican, is a realtor and appraiser who has previously served as a precinct committeeman.

Miller defeated Republican challenger Lloyd Chapman 1,007 to 833 for the seat vacated by Pamela Beckett (D-Ottawa).

District 19

Winner: Republican James Bailey.

James Bailey edged Democrat Olivia Romine 866 to 812 for the seat being vacated by LouAnne Carretto (D-Ottawa).

District 25

Winner: Republican incumbent Ronald

Ronald G. Blue defeated Democratic challenger Fred Nimke 848 to 641.