2022 Primary: Roth leads in Kane County Board race for Dist. 12 Republican nomination

In unofficial primary election results, County Board District 12 incumbent Kenneth Shepro, R-Wayne, trails challenger Bill Roth for the Republican nomination.

With 15 of 15 precincts reporting, Shepro had 720 votes to Roth’s 930 votes. Shepro was seeking a second term to serve on the County Board. Mail-in and provisional ballots can be counted through July 12, and the last day to canvass the primary election results is July 19.

Shepro is vice-chairman of the Kane County Board. He is chairman of the Kane County Republican Party, had previously served eight years as an attorney for the Kane County Board under Karen McConnaughay and was a 20-year member of the Kane County Regional Planning Commission.

Roth, a St. Charles resident, said he is seeking election to provide more fiscal discipline and efficiencies in government.

Roth said he is active in his church, St. John Neumann, is a leader with the Knights of Columbus, and a board member of Fox Valley Court Watch.

“I believe in fiscal discipline. We need to be more efficient in how we run government. And part of my experience in … consulting in IT in business has been efficiencies … I don’t think government does that very well at times and we need to do that,” Roth said.

Shepro recounted his leadership as vice-chairman, involved in the redistricting of the county, following the 2020 census results.

“Our map was fair to all sides, to all parties, to all municipalities,” Shepro said.

On the issues, Roth and Shepro disagreed over what it would mean to have an appointed auditor instead of an elected one. If Kane County were to consider an appointed auditor, voters would have to approve the change by referendum.

Roth said he didn’t see any difference, as the board would vote to appoint someone who was fully qualified. While many other counties already eliminated the elected auditor position – Shepro said appointing an auditor means there is less incentive to investigate public spending.

Roth will run against Democrat Steve Bruesewitz from St. Charles in the Nov. 8 general election.