Election 2024: Mike Buehler bests Kelli Wegener for McHenry County Board chair

McHenry County Board Chair Mike Buehler appears to be on his way to securing a second term, leading Democratic challenger Kelli Wegener, according to McHenry County unofficial election results.

Buehler had a 55.5% to 45.5% lead over Wegener as of Tuesday night, with all precincts reporting.

Buehler, who was first elected to the office in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, touted achievements such as collaborating with other agencies and municipalities.

Wegener was first elected to the county board in 2018 and said she gave up a chance to run for reelection to her District 5 seat to seek the countywide office. That seat appears like to flip to Republicans, with the GOP’s Deena Krieger leading Democrat Steve Firak.

Wegener issued a statement late Tuesday: “I want to congratulate Mike Buehler on his victory and wish him all the best. I sincerely thank my many supporters and volunteers—this journey wouldn’t have been possible without you. I take pride in the close race we ran, making history as the first woman to seek election as County Board Chairperson by the people of McHenry County, and receiving support from numerous elected officials and labor unions. We will remain focused on the pressing issues affecting our community, such as high property taxes, access to essential healthcare, and transparency in our county government. I look forward to staying active in the community and advocating for our shared values.”

During this 2024 campaign, both Buehler and Wegener touted themselves as being taxpayer-friendly. Wegener touted herself as a fiscal watchdog, but Buehler disagreed with that, saying Wegener had voted for every tax increase in front of her.

Buehler touted such successes as the Mental Health Board sales tax passing in April as proof officials are serious about keeping taxes low, since that came with a promised reduction in property taxes.

Towards the end of the campaign, it was revealed that the county Mental Health Board’s sales tax revenues were significantly lower in July than what officials were expecting. Wegener sought to pin the shortfall on Buehler, though county leaders said the reason for the shortfall was because officials were erroneously factoring in car sales into their projections. The sales tax does not apply to vehicles, according to state law.