No candidates who filed to run in the 2026 election in McHenry County have had their petitions challenged.

McHenry County Clerk Joe Tirio said it might be the first time since he became clerk in 2018 that there are no challenges.

He said his office had implemented a new “apparent conformity” process, which outlines the expectations for what a candidate’s petition should look like, and that might have helped prevent paperwork mistakes that can lead to challenges.

The clerk’s office checks petitions to make sure they meet the criteria, including securely fastened and sequentially numbered pages, a signed and notarized statement of candidacy, and an adequate number of signatures.

Candidates whose petitions fail that check are verbally notified and given a chance to go fix the issues and file later in the filing period.

“That may have helped,” Tirio said.

He added that his office had seminars with the parties on how to put together candidate packets, and he was pleased that the efforts culminated in no challenges.

In the past, Tirio said, there have been “nonproductive” challenges.

“We want qualified people on the ballot,” Tirio said, adding that if someone engages with the public and gets people’s signatures, the people who signed should have a chance to see that person on the ballot.

Candidates who have filed paperwork incorrectly and are challenged can potentially be kicked off the ballot if a county election commission rules against them.

Now that the deadline to challenge someone’s petitions has passed, the election is taking shape at the county level, where several countywide and County Board seats are on the ballot. Here’s a look at the candidates for those seats. More than one Republican filing for a seat means there will be a contested primary March 17. There are no contested primaries on the Democratic side, and the party can seat someone to run next November if there is no Democrat on the ballot in March.

McHenry County clerk

• Joe Tirio, Republican (incumbent)
• Bill McNeese, Democrat

McHenry County treasurer

• Donna Kurtz, Republican (incumbent)
• Amin Karim, Democrat

McHenry County Regional Superintendent of Schools

• Diana Hartmann, Republican (incumbent)

McHenry County sheriff

• Robb Tadelman, Republican (incumbent)

McHenry County Board, District 1

• Matt Kunkle, Republican (incumbent)
• Dee Darling, Democrat

McHenry County Board, District 2

• Gloria Van Hof, Democrat (incumbent)

McHenry County Board, District 3

• Carolyn Campbell, Democrat (incumbent)
• Robert Reining, Republican

McHenry County Board, District 4

• Joe Gottemoller, Republican (incumbent)
• Edward “Bud” Bowie Jr., Democrat

McHenry County Board, District 5

• Terri Greeno, Republican (incumbent)
• Austin May, Democrat

McHenry County Board, District 6

• Pamela Althoff, Republican (incumbent)
• Sheryl Lindenbaum, Democrat

McHenry County Board, District 7

• Brian Sager, Republican (incumbent)
• Jeff Schwartz, Republican
• Patrick Shea, Democrat

McHenry County Board, District 8

• Larry Smith, Republican (incumbent)
• Marty Mohr, Republican
• Christy “Chris” Stevens, Democrat

McHenry County Board, District 9

• Niko Kanakaris, Republican
• Christine Hamm, Democrat

In County Board District 7, which covers the central part of the county, Sager is facing a primary challenge from Schwartz. In District 8, which covers much of the northern and western portions of the county, Smith faces a primary challenge from Mohr.

In District 9, which covers much of the southwestern portion of the county, incumbent Michael Skala, a Huntley Republican, didn’t file to run for reelection. Had Skala filed, he would have had a primary challenge from Kanakaris, a former Huntley trustee. Skala is the only County Board incumbent whose seat is up next year who is not seeking reelection.

All four of McHenry County’s countywide elected officials who are up for reelection are seeking another term. Kurtz and Tirio have Democratic challengers, but no one has filed to run against Hartmann or Tadelman. They may, however, have a general election opponent if someone is slated against them.

Voters in March also might see some referendum questions on the ballot, although Tirio said none have been formally filed with his office. The deadline for local governing bodies to place a referendum on the March ballot is Dec. 29, according to the election calendar.