April 19, 2024
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Lack of opposition leaves Tadelman unopposed for McHenry sheriff

McHenry County saw two additional people file for county board positions ahead of deadline

By James T. Norman
Election 2024
McHenry County Clerk Joe Tirio works in his office the morning of Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, in Woodstock, the day after the Illinois Supreme Court heard oral arguments in McHenry Township's court case against the Clerk's Office over the township's 2020 abolition attempt.

McHenry County Clerk Joe Tirio works in his office the morning of Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, in Woodstock. (Photo by Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver for Shaw Media )

When two Republicans competed in McHenry County sheriff’s primary race in June, Robb Tadelman defeated Tony Colatorti, with just under 60% of the vote.

But the Democratic Party could find no one to run in its primary; thereby leaving Tadelman as the unannounced winner.

Tadelman is the current undersheriff and has been with the agency for almost 20 years, while Colatorti was a long-time police officer and chief, as well as an entrepreneur.

Following the primary, the McHenry County Democratic Party expressed interest in having somebody run on the Democratic side of the race, as there hadn’t been one up to that point. Party chairman Kristina Zahorik said in June it would depend whether they found somebody qualified to run.

As of Monday, nobody for the party had filed to fill the vacancy, meaning Tadelman will essentially run unopposed in November pending further legal action. Zahorik did not respond to requests for comment Monday afternoon.

Tadelman also did not respond to requests for comment about the race.

In other contests, just two people filed for vacant ballot spots for the upcoming election in November ahead of Monday’s deadline, with both filing for McHenry County Board positions, officials said.

As of Monday afternoon, which was the last day for candidates to either file or be appointed for a position that didn’t have somebody nominated before the June primary, Matthew Kunkle filed to run on the Republican ticket for County Board District 1. Louisett Ness filed for the Democratic ticket for District 7, County Clerk Joe Tirio said.

Barring any objections to either person’s candidacy, Kunkle will join current Board member Tom Wilbeck, R-Barrington Hills, as the other Republican candidate for District 1. Kunkle is also the fourth candidate in the race, as current board members Michael Vijuk, D-Cary, and Theresa Meshes, D-Fox River Grove, are both on the Democratic side of the ticket, according to candidacy listings.

Ness is now the lone Democrat running for District 7. She is slated to compete against Republicans Jeffrey Schwartz, R-McHenry, and Brian Sager. Schwartz is currently on the board.

The top two vote-getters in November for each district will receive a seat on the county board. The lower vote-getter of the two winners will have a two-year term, while the highest vote-getter will have four years.

The entirety of the board is up for reelection this year as part of the once-in-a-decade redistricting process. As part of that, the board’s current 24-member roster will be reduced to 18. The board’s six districts is also be increased to nine, with two members slated to represent each.

Two additional people filing for vacancies is a pretty typical number, Tirio said.

Objections to these filings must be made by Aug. 1, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections calendar.

From now until November, there will be other opportunities for vacancies to be filled for special circumstances, but a vacancy left open because of a failure to file prior to the primary does not count as a valid reason, according to the state board’s website.