Incumbent mayors facing challenges in Lake County

Voters still may be recovering from election exhaustion but the next round is on the horizon with local races in the spotlight.

The last day for candidates to file for municipal and other offices has passed and a clearer picture of what to expect on the April 1 general election ballot has emerged.

Many Lake County communities will feature contests for village president, commonly known as mayor, and trustees on village boards but the selection and circumstances vary.

Incumbents in Libertyville, Fox Lake, Round Lake Beach and Gurnee are facing challengers. So are mayors in Round Lake, Round Lake Park, Wauconda and Island Lake, but in those communities slates of candidates are pairing off.

The top elected spot is not being challenged in Lake Zurich, Lake Villa or Hawthorn Woods while races in Mundelein, Vernon Hills and Grayslake come with an asterisk.

Mundelein

Steve Lentz won't be seeking a fourth term but the race will be contested by a pair of village trustees — Tim Wilson, who is finishing his first term, and Robin Meier, who is in the middle of her term.

Wilson will be off the board if he loses while Meier would remain to finish her term if she loses. Meier was a trustee from 2008 to 2015 and from 2017 to 2021 and also ran for mayor in 2013 and 2021.

Vernon Hills

The village will have a new mayor for the first time in more than 30 years but he won't be a stranger. Veteran Trustee Thom Koch Jr., was the only candidate filing for the top spot and will replace Roger Byrne. Both were elected and have served continuously since 1993.

Koch until recently served more than two years as mayor pro tem after Byrne was stricken with illness. However, Byrne who had been attending meetings remotely and lately in person while stepping away as mayor wants to continue public service and has filed for village trustee.

He is joined by incumbents Craig Takaoka and Michael Schenk and former village employee Monica Lundeen in the race for three spots.

Grayslake

Rhett Taylor served six years on the village board before being elected mayor in 2009. He’s retiring from local government and isn’t seeking a fifth term. Village trustee Elizabeth Davies, who is in the middle of her term on the village board, and Jeff Loffredo filed for Taylor’s spot. Incumbent trustees William Kornit, Lalena Zoe Magnetta and Pradip “Pete” Sahu have filed for three trustee spots.

Libertyville

Incumbent Mayor Donna Johnson, who has been on the village board since 2007, is seeking a second term. She’s challenged by outgoing village Trustee Matthew Hickey. Incumbents Matt Krummick and Katherine “Casey” Rooney and Andrew Herrmann, Kara Macdonald and Patrick Scheibler are running for three trustee positions.

Wauconda

Wauconda Strong 2025 led by incumbent Mayor Jeff A. Sode with Matthew J. Brown and incumbents Tim Howe and Sam Stein for trustee is challenged by the Wauconda Screams 4 Ice Cream Party.

The slate is led by mayoral candidate J.R. (Robert) Meyers with Wende Walker, Lisa Noga and Sandra Mosek for trustee.

Meyers spoke on behalf of residents who supported a code change to allow ice cream trucks to operate in residential areas, which was voted down by the village board, and has been critical of other board actions.

Sode says he will continue representing businesses and residents and keep moving forward.

Gurnee

Tom Hood, seeking a second term as mayor, is challenged by Trustee Quin O’Brien, who is in the middle of a four-year term. Keith Owens and incumbents Jeanne Balmes, Karen Thorstenson and Kevin Woodside are seeking three trustee seats.

Hood, a trustee for eight years, cited revitalizing Gurnee’s east side was a goal going forward. O’Brien says he will build on village accomplishments to create a dynamic vision.

Fox Lake

Incumbent Donny Schmit was a village trustee for two years before being elected mayor in 2013 and is seeking a fourth term. He’s being challenged by Sean Stochl, a local business owner and lifelong resident whose father, Ron, is a village trustee.

Stochl said the village has missed development opportunities and it’s time for a fresh approach.

Schmit, says the lakefront park expansion was done without raising taxes, permits or fees and has given residents a place to meet and be proud of. He said he wants to continue improving the quality of life in town.

Incumbents Bernie Konwent, Jeff Jensen and Ron Stochl are running for trustee spots with David Gauger and Glenn Close.

Round Lake Beach

Mayor Scott Nickles, running for reelection is opposed by Alejandro Martin Muniz. Nickles' United Vision slate includes incumbent trustees Sylvia Valadez, Chuck Husk and Christy Davis for four-year terms and Dana Hillesheim for a two-year unexpired term.

Round Lake

Incumbent Mayor Russell Kraly, who is running for a second term, is opposed by Trustee Brian Brubaker. Kraly is running with Elisabeth Efird and incumbent Sanjay Patel for trustee. Brubaker’s trustee term is ending. He’s joined by Juan Antonio De Luna Iniguez, Howard Schultz and incumbents John Boyk and Kevin Strine for trustee spots.

Round Lake Park

Mayor Linda Lucassen, who is seeking a fourth term, is challenged by former village trustee Robert H. Seminary, who served on the board from 2004 to 2013.

She is joined by Joan A. Rosenkranz, David Fahrner and incumbent Karen M. Eggert running for trustee.

Seminary is running with Debra A. Bennington, Ruben J. Mendoza, and Christine Lucheck for trustee.

Island Lake

Incumbent Mayor Richard McLaughlin is seeking reelection and is running with Wendy Mills and incumbents Charles Cermak and Steve Deasy for trustee as the Island Lake People's Party.

He's challenged by Brian Bartnick for mayor running with Duane Swiggum, James Mervin Munson and Sam Duggan for trustee as the Common Sense for Island Lake Party.