Will County Board Member Jacqueline Traynere appeared headed for victory, overcoming a misdemeanor conviction the week before the election and a stiff challenge in the Democratic primary election on Tuesday.

Other county board members facing primary challenges, Republicans Steve Balich and Judy Ogalla, also had leads after all precincts were counted.

Voters in the primary picked two county board members in their party from each district to run in the general election in November.

The votes are based on 100% precincts reporting in Will County, along with early voting and vote-by-mail ballots. It does not account for provisional ballots, which are expected to be processed on March 31.

Traynere of Bolingbrook finished second among four candidates in the Democratic primary for the 11th District, which was enough to put her in the general election in November.

“I think I had the Democratic Party and the Republican Party working against me, and I still won,” she said. “Pretty damn good, I think.”

Sheldon Watts, a former Bolingbrook village trustee, was the top vote getter in the primary, based on the unofficial results.

Watts had 3,025 votes, or 33%. Traynere had 2,225 votes, or 24%, which would be enough to get into the general election.

Coming in third was Tyler Giacalone with 2,030 votes, or 22%. Barbara Ann Parker had 1,869 votes, or 20%.

Traynere was found guilty on March 9 for computer tampering after having gained access to fellow board member Judy Ogalla’s email.

Both were respective party leaders on the board at the time.

Ogalla of Monee, meanwhile, faced her own challenge in the Republican primary for District 2.

Ogalla held onto second place in the three-candidate Republican race to also make it into the general election.

Incumbent Frankie Pretzel of New Lenox led in the district with 3,380 votes, or 44%. Ogalla had 2,936 votes, or 38%. Neil “Muggsy” Gallagher, an agricultural worker from Manhattan, had 1,313 votes, or 17%.

Steve Balich, a Republican from Orland Park who also figured into the Traynere computer tampering case, faced a challenge in District 4, where four candidates were running.

Balich led a press conference in 2024 calling for an investigation into the Traynere computer case.

He also appeared headed for a second-place finish that would get him into the general election.

James Richmond of Mokena, the current Republican Leader on the board, led District 4 with 2,494 votes, or 32%. Balich had 2,441 votes, also 32%.

It was a four-candidate race with Michael Lepore, a village trustee from Homer Glen, getting 2,282 votes, or 30%, and Pawel Tyrala getting 475 votes, or 6%.