Michael Vijuk

The McHenry County Board approved raising its portion of residents' property taxes, which will add about $14 onto a $7,000 bill.

Unofficial results for the newly downsized McHenry County Board show 13 Republicans to five Democrats. Of those potential winners, eight new faces could be on the board, making up nearly half of the body.

With the polls now closed in Illinois, the count can begin to see which candidates will take the 18 open seats on the McHenry County Board.

The race for Illinois governor won’t be the only one on Tuesday’s ballot. With the redrawing of the state’s political maps, the make-up of the entire McHenry County Board and both the U.S. and Illinois houses of representatives will be determined, along several other races.

Safety for McHenry County Board District 1 candidates is not just about the SAFE-T Act and its potential effects here, the candidates said. Safety also needs to include police body cameras, reducing drug-related crimes, and ensuring access to mental health care.

Monday marked the last day for candidates and parties to file for vacant ballot spots that did not see anybody nominated during the primary.

McHenry County Board determined Tuesday how it will stagger the terms of its members for the next decade.

The rally, at the intersection of Route 14 and Exchange Drive, drew between 70 and 100 people between 1 and 3 p.m.

McHenry County political candidates lined up Monday morning outside the county clerk’s office for their chance to have their name first on the ballot, as part of the tradition tied to the first day of election filing.

“It was surprising to me the change and openness and free flowing conversation that has taken place since he’s taken office,” said the board's vice chair Carolyn Schofield, R-Crystal Lake

“At this point in our trajectory, I think it’s not going to send a proper statement to the residents at this time in the middle of a pandemic to raise taxes,” board member Jeff Thorsen, R-Crystal Lake, said

Removing Regional Superintendent Leslie Schermerhorn "is in the best interest of the county and the people we serve, the students and the faculty of all these school districts,” said board member Paula Yensen, D-Lake in the Hills

McHenry County Board members said it is an unfortunate, but necessary course of action they must take to remove the regional superintendent after years of failed audits and little being done to correct significant mishandling of funds

Crystal Lake Mayor Haig Haleblian said the mask mandate is “a very small price for us to be able to continue to live our lives as normally as possible through through this pandemic.”

Officials will hold May 27 special meeting to weigh in on redrawing of County Board map