Why a ‘blue wave’ swept through suburban township races

Democrats made significant gains in township races across the suburbs during this month's election.

Nowhere was that more striking than in DuPage County, where Democrats won every contested township race.

There also were notable losses for the GOP in other collar counties.

Democratic wins flipped the Dundee Township board in Kane County. In Cook County, voters in Wheeling Township elected a Democrat as township supervisor for the first time in recent history and put four Democrats on the township board.

In Lake County, where Democrats have been making strides since 2018, a Republican-backed incumbent was defeated in the Ela Township supervisor race. Gloria Palmblad, who was seeking a third term, lost to township Trustee Laurie Wilhoit.

Reid McCollum, chairman of the Democratic Party of DuPage County, highlighted his party’s victories in Addison, Milton and York townships.

“These were the last remaining seats of the majority of Republicans in the entire county,” McCollum said.

Suburban Democratic leaders say anger over the policies of President Donald Trump’s administration helped spur voters to action.

“The best way to go against Trump and Musk is to put Democrats in office,” said Mark Guethle, chairman of the Democratic Party of Kane County.

He said the township wins will help Democrats build a bench of candidates for future races for higher office.

“Eventually, those people move up,” Guethle said.

For suburban Republicans, the losses they faced across the suburbs have prompted reflection and calls for action — particularly when it comes to permanent vote by mail.

DuPage GOP leader Kevin Coyne said Republican candidates “ran good campaigns” but faced a “perfect storm of issues,” including an infusion of cash from the Democratic Party of Illinois to help bolster their candidates, the Trump factor, a demographic shift in the state as Republicans leave Illinois and being outpaced by Democrats in vote-by-mail ballots.

In social media posts, he stressed Republicans have to do better on vote by mail. In DuPage County, for example, 47,548 Democrats are registered for permanent vote-by-mail ballots, meaning they get a ballot mailed to their home during every election. By comparison, only 19,741 Republicans are registered for the same, according to statistics provided by the DuPage County clerk’s office.

“Vote by mail is having a massive impact on these races,” Coyne said. “Until we close that vote-by-mail gap, I don’t think we see things changing.”

McCollum, however, pointed to Election Day tallies and noted the majority of Democrats in contested races fared better when just looking at in-person Election Day vote tallies. He argued the bigger issue in the local races was Trump.

“We crushed them with the mail-in votes,” McCollum acknowledged. “But of the people who actually cast ballots on Election Day … we still got more votes.”

Newly elected township officials plan to use these wins to focus on issues such as mental health care or other social assistance programs — services Democratic leaders fear may suffer under Trump’s administration.

“Making sure that we’re supporting our communities is more important now more than ever before,” McCollum said.

In Wheeling Township, funding voters approved for the 708 board was a key campaign focus for Democrats. Voters there elected a slate that includes Supervisor-elect Maria Zeller Brauer and four Democratic township trustees.

Zeller Brauer noted the Republican-led board had not levied a tax voters approved in 2022 to help fund the 708 mental health board, citing legal questions over the validity of the initial referendum. But even after legislative action allowing the levy for 708 boards, the township still declined.

“The mental health board was the main driver for many of us who ran,” she said.

Brauer said the new board will prioritize mental health services and promote transparency. She hopes to partner with other social service agencies to bolster mental health and substance use services in the township. She also hopes to improve transparency and begin streaming the township meetings.

“We want to be out in the community hearing from the voters and hearing what members of the community need,” Brauer said.

In Addison Township, Democrat Bobby Hernandez ousted Republican Dennis Reboletti, who served two terms as supervisor. Voters also elected Democrats to fill the four seats on the township board and the township clerk’s seat — all formerly held by Republicans.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to showcase how the township government can work for our constituents and communities,” Hernandez said.

While Democrats look forward to using their wins to bring change to their communities, Republicans are looking toward the next election.

“We’re not giving up,” Coyne added. “We’re going to continue to fight and we hope people don’t give up on us.”