‘Beyond grateful’: Chlebek’s lead grows in Des Plaines’ 1st Ward race

Margaret Chlebek’s narrow lead in the race for Des Plaines’ 1st Ward aldermanic seat tripled to 12 votes Thursday.

With late-arriving mailed ballots and provisional ballots still being counted, Chlebek lead over Jessica M. Mastalski grew to 353 votes versus 341, unofficial results show. It was the first time the tally posted at the Cook County clerk’s website changed since late Tuesday night.

At that point, Chlebek was up by just four votes.

The Cook County clerk’s office has until April 15 to finalize counting all votes cast in the election, and it has until April 22 to send the final tally to the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Earlier Thursday, Chlebek said she was “beyond grateful and thankful” for the support she’s received.

“I am amazed to see how the residents and businesses in the 1st Ward have shown me a magnitude of support and encouragement,” Chlebek said in an email.

Mastalski, who has served as Des Plaines’ city clerk since 2021, hasn’t responded to emails, phone calls, text messages or social media posts requesting comment.

Chlebek and Mastalski campaigned for an open seat in the 1st Ward. A city ordinance prevented current Alderman Mark Lysakowski, Chlebek’s partner, from running for a third consecutive term.

Five additional municipal seats were on ballots in Des Plaines.

Mayor Andrew Goczkowski ran unopposed for a second term.

In the race for the city clerk’s office to be vacated by Mastalski, first-time candidate Dominik Bronakowski bested veteran 5th Ward Alderman Carla Brookman by a wide margin, unofficial results show. Brookman couldn’t run for alderman again because of term limits.

Brookman served on the council from 1997 to 2009 and was reelected in 2017 and 2021. Her husband, Jim, represented the 5th Ward from 2009 to 2017.

Reached by phone Thursday, Bronakowski — a 24-year-old who was appointed to the city’s planning and zoning board last year — said he believes people are ready for “generational change” in Des Plaines and elsewhere.

“New leaders are stepping up,” said Bronakowski, who works on Democratic state Rep. Bob Morgan’s staff.

Bronakowski said he overcame Brookman’s experience and name recognition by campaigning door to door since Thanksgiving and building grass-roots support.

In the 3rd Ward, Alderman Sean Oskerka won a second term by defeating challenger Debra Lester.

In the 5th Ward aldermanic race to succeed Brookman, Thomas A. Merlin defeated Michael Hardiman. Both were newcomers.

And in the 7th Ward, Alderman Patsy Smith knocked off challenger Bob Porada to secure a second term.