Will County Gazette

There are six competitive school board races in Will County, according to an analysis of candidate filings by the Will County Gazette.

Of the six school boards, four currently have Republican majorities and two Democrat ones, according to an analysis of elected official primary voting history.

All told-- 50 candidates are running for 20 open seats across the six districts, including 12 incumbents. That includes 25 Republicans, 20 Democrats and five independents.

In Lincoln-Way 210, the Lincoln-Way Area Freedom Coalition is backing Nathan Sandoval, David Collins, Gena Sambo and Kasia Topor, running on a plaform of stopping Marxist "Critical Race Theory" and so-called "transgender" ideology, which says biological sex doesn't actually exist, from being taught in school classrooms. They also oppose the use of pornographic books, like Gender Queer, which depicts gay sex in a comic book style, from being part of the school curriculum.

Pro-teacher's union candidates challenging them are incumbent Richard LaCien, Jr,, Caitlin Olejnik, Catherine Johnson and Dana Bergthold, who support Critical Race Theory and "transgender" ideology teaching. They argue all books should be allowed in Lincoln-Way high schools, even pornographic ones like Gender Queer.

Of the 42 current school board slots in the six competitive districts, 21 are held by Democrats, 20 by Republicans and one by an independent.

Election Day is Tues. April 4.

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Which 2023 school board races are competitive in Will County?

Six school board races are in the balance on April 4. 

School Board	Current Split	Seats Up	Inc. Running	total	DEM	GOP	Other
Valley View CUSD 365-U	5-2 REPUBLICAN	3	3	10	6	3	1
Lincoln-Way CHSD 210	5-2 DEMOCRAT	4	1	10	3	6	1
New Lenox SD 122	4-3 REPUBLICAN	3	1	9	4	4	0
Frankfort CCSD 157C	5-1-1 REPUBLICAN	4	3	9	2	5	2
Lockport HSD 205	4-3 REPUBLICAN	3	2	8	2	5	1
Naperville CUSD 203	7-0 DEMOCRAT	3	2	5	3	2	0
TOTALS		20	12	50	20	25	5

Lincoln-Way 210
Current Split	5-2	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	4
Candidates running	10
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Dr. David M. Collins	R	Mokena	46
Gena M. Sambo	R	Frankfort	47
Katarzyna "Kasia" Topor	R	New Lenox	49
Richard LaCien, Jr. (I)	D	New Lenox	56
Caitlin Olejnik	D	Manhattan	36
Catherine Casolari Johnson	R	Mokena	38
Dana M. Bergthold	R	Frankfort	44
Dr. Mark T. Bamman	NV	Mokena	36
Nathan Sandoval	R	Mokena	40
Tessa R. Quinlan	D	Mokena	47
Existing Board Members	Party	Hometown	Age
Joseph M. Kosteck	R	Frankfort	50
Aaron P. Janik	D	Mokena	45
Deadra W. Stokes	D	Frankfort	57
Members leaving board
Beth Janus-Doyle	D	Mokena	44
Joseph A. Kirkeeng	D	New Lenox	57
Christopher M. Lucchetti	R	Mokena	50
Naperville CUSD 203
Current Split	7-0	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	3
Candidates running	5
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Kristine M Gericke (I)	D	Naperville	50
Gilbert R Wagner	R	Bolingbrook	45
Joseph Kozminski (I)	D	Naperville	45
Ronald Amato	R	Naperville	53
Melissa Kelley Black	D	Naperville	54
Existing Board Members
Kristin Fitzgerald	D	Naperville	51
Charles Cush	D	Naperville	52
Amanda McMillen	D	Naperville	44
Donna Wandke	D	Naperville	53
Members leaving board
Tony Casey	N	Naperville	45
New Lenox SD 122
Current Split	4-3	REPUBLICAN
Seats up	4
Candidates running	9
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Nicole R. DeGrave	D	New Lenox	42
Tyler Sturm	D	New Lenox	39
Stephanie Peltzer	D	New Lenox	38
Samantha Jean Gasca	R	New Lenox	35
Adelheid L. Connolly	R	New Lenox	40
Jeanine M. Kozlowski	NV	New Lenox	43
Ignacio Rojas, Jr.	D	New Lenox	35
Mary E. Lambert	R	New Lenox	70
William Pender (I)	R	New Lenox	50
Existing Board Members	Party	Hometown	Age
Rhonda Starklauf	D	New Lenox	46
Kristopher J. O'Connor	R	New Lenox	33
Albert H. Haring	R	New Lenox	65
Members leaving board
Nicole A. Swallow	D	New Lenox	47
Cynthia J. Dykas	R	New Lenox	48
David C. Rush	D	New Lenox	43
Frankfort CCSD 157c
Current Split	5-1-1	REPUBLICAN
Seats up	4
Candidates running	9
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Jennifer Hindel	R	Frankfort	48
Nicole Queen	R	Frankfort	38
Edith Lutz (I)	R	Frankfort	61
Larry Kociolek (I)	D	Frankfort	42
Brian Skibinski (I)	D	Frankfort	44
Jeffrey S. Tarala	R	Frankfort	39
Michael S. Casey	NV	Mokena	36
Francesco D'Avola	NV	New Lenox	45
Peter Guse	R	Mokena	36
Existing Board Members	Party	Hometown	Age
Ann Zaremba	R	Frankfort	46
Paul M. Aleck	NV	Frankfort	37
Brett J. Cosich	R	Frankfort	45
Members leaving board
Michae G.l Bouck	R	Frankfort	47
Valley View 365U
Current Split	5-2	REPUBLICAN
Seats up	3
Candidates running	10
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Steven A. Quigley (I)	R	Bolingbrook	58
James T. Boudouris (I)	D	Romeoville	38
Diane C. Parro (I)	R	Bolingbrook	63
Victoria J. Sutterlin	D	Bolingbrook	71
William R. Spengler	D	Bolingbrook	52
Laurie Ann Smith	NV	Romeoville	44
Nicole Pelzman	R	Romeoville	42
Randall Sutton	D	Bolingbrook	25
Rafael Ortiz	D	Romeoville	30
Jon-Pierre Bradley	D	Romeoville	38
Existing Board Members	Party	Hometown	Age
Victor D. Zack	R	Romeoville	59
Debbie Sykora	R	Bolingbrook	70
Elizabeth Campbell	R	Bolingbrook	65
Leo Venegas	D	Bolingbrook	48
Lockport HS 205
Current Split	4-3	REPUBLICAN
Seats up	3
Candidates running	8
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Martin T. Boersma	R	Lockport	41
Sandra Chimon Rogers	NV	Homer Glen	49
Michae A.l Lewandowski (I)	R	Lockport	59
Veronica L. Tylka-Shaw (I)	D	Lockport	38
Michael Clausen	R	Homer Glen	46
Lance Thies	R	Lockport	48
Sheri Boniecki-Cooling	D	Lockport	43
Nicholas J. Paris	R	Lockport	28
Existing Board Members	Party	Hometown	Age
Ann M. Lopez-Caneva	R	Lockport	60
Lou Ann Johnson	D	Crest Hill	67
Michael L. Travis	D	Crest Hill	60
Zyan Navarra	R	Lockport	27
Members leaving board
Richard M. Ives	R	Lockport	62

Source: Illinois State Board of Elections; Will County Clerk