Harding, McClatchey pulling ahead in McHenry City Council race, early vote totals show

McHenry Alderman Ryan Harding was on track to keep his seat on McHenry City Council to represent the Fourth Ward as early vote totals trickled in Tuesday evening, while Frank McClatchey was poised to win in the Third Ward.

The race for the First Ward also was contested with Bobbi Baehne facing a challenge from incumbent Victor Santi, who ran as a write-in candidate after getting kicked off the ballot for failing to file a statement of economic interest as required by election law. Election night results did not include totals for write-in candidates as of 9:20 p.m.

Just 12 votes separated Harding – who had 232 votes, or 51.3% of the vote – from challenger Christine Bassi, according to the early election totals, which did not include all mail-in or provisionally cast ballots.

Harding was appointed to the board in 2019 and officially took his seat on Jan. 6, 2020.

He is a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Real Estate Group and a firefighter and paramedic with McHenry Township Fire Protection District.

In the Third Ward, incumbent Jeffrey Schaefer had 155 votes, or 46.1% of the vote, while his opponent McClatchey had 181 votes, or 53.9%.

McClatchey is a small business owner in McHenry with a computer repair shop called PROFIX, according to his campaign Facebook page. He previously served as alderman and also has been a member of the McHenry Planning and Zoning Commission, McHenry Area Jaycees, McHenry Area Rotary Club and the McHenry Area Downtown Business Association.

Schaefer was first elected to the McHenry City Council in April 2005, according to his website, and is also chairman of the Parks and Recreation Committee and is a member of the Finance and Personnel Committee.

The other city races, including the one for mayor, were uncontested.

Mayor Wayne Jett, who is finishing up his first term, has lived in McHenry since 1989. He owns Jett’s Heating and Air Inc.

Trisha Ramel was appointed by Jett following the resignation of Lynzi Nevitt, who left office shortly after her 2017 election.

Alderman Shawn Strach, also uncontested, is on track to represent the Fifth Ward. Strach is a real estate agent.