Jeff Thorsen

The McHenry County Board approved raising its portion of residents' property taxes, which will add about $14 onto a $7,000 bill.

Unofficial results for the newly downsized McHenry County Board show 13 Republicans to five Democrats. Of those potential winners, eight new faces could be on the board, making up nearly half of the body.

With the polls now closed in Illinois, the count can begin to see which candidates will take the 18 open seats on the McHenry County Board.

The race for Illinois governor won’t be the only one on Tuesday’s ballot. With the redrawing of the state’s political maps, the make-up of the entire McHenry County Board and both the U.S. and Illinois houses of representatives will be determined, along several other races.

The candidates running for the McHenry County Board’s in District 2 say the public wants to talk about money. Voters, they said, voiced concerns to them about property taxes, inflation and overall uncertainty about the economy.

Candidates for the Republican Party across local, state and federal races, were in Crystal Lake on Wednesday to meet with residents and talk about the state of Illinois, the SAFE-T Act and other issues.

Thomas DeVore, the Republican candidate for Illinois attorney general, told voters in Crystal Lake Wednesday that he views his role, now and moving forward, as protecting the state’s constitution from Democratic overreach, starting with a repeal of the SAFE-T Act.

The McHenry County Board approved the increases Tuesday night, despite concerns about the discrepancy in increases for lower-level employees compared to higher-paid staff, along with how it could affect the budget.

Voting information cards with new polling locations went out before the McHenry County Board voted on the changes

An affordable housing project in McHenry has been helped along by McHenry County to the tune of almost $2 million, but will still need other funding and final approval from City Council before construction begins.

“Illinois needs a Comptroller with real financial experience, not a career politician controlled by the special interests,” McHenry County Auditor Shannon Teresi said in a statement.

A 2019 law only allows McHenry County voters to vote to dissolve townships. County leaders say the law has too many issues that need to be addressed and the law should not just single out McHenry County

McHenry County is the only county in Illinois where voters can vote to dissolve a township. County Board members want state lawmakers to either repeal the law or expand it to all counties.

“At this point in our trajectory, I think it’s not going to send a proper statement to the residents at this time in the middle of a pandemic to raise taxes,” board member Jeff Thorsen, R-Crystal Lake, said

Removing Regional Superintendent Leslie Schermerhorn "is in the best interest of the county and the people we serve, the students and the faculty of all these school districts,” said board member Paula Yensen, D-Lake in the Hills