Dupage Policy Journal

There are 24 competitive school board races in DuPage County, according to an analysis of candidate filings by DuPage Policy Journal.

Of the 24 school boards, 18 currently have Democrat majorities, according to an analysis of elected official primary voting history.

All told-- 134 candidates are running for 83 open seats across the 24 districts, including 52 incumbents.

That includes 74 Democrats and 46 Republicans.

7-0 Democrat school boards in DuPage County include Glen Ellyn SD 41, Westmont CUSD 201 and Naperville CUSD 203, where two GOP challengers are looking to join a board unanimously supportive of pro-"Critical Race Theory" district superintendent Dan Bridges.

Last year, Naperville 203 Board President Kristin Fitzgerald irked hundreds of parents protesting her mask mandates at a school board meeting, admionishing them repeatedly to wear their masks properly, or she wouldn't allow public comment.

Fitzgerald is a Democrat who once worked for GOP congressmen Harris Fawell and Judy Biggert. She's up for re-election in 2025.

In Downers Grove HSD 99, the wife of U.S. Rep. Sean Casten (D-Downers Grove), Kara Casten, is a Democrat candidate for school board. She's running on an "equity" slate, backed by  HSD 99 superintendent Hank Thiele, along with Ken Dawson and Don Renner, a GOP primary voter who donates to Democrats, campaign finance records show.

District email records show Kara Casten consulted Thiele before declaring her candidacy last fall.

Dawson's wife, Donna, was hired in Feb. by Thiele to be a "permanent guest teacher" in the district at $150 per day.

Elmhurst CUSD 205 is 6-0-1, Republican. But unhappiness over the board's handling of mask mandates, the teaching of "Critical Race Theory" and its response to the bullying of a special needs student last year has attracted five GOP challengers to GOP incumbents.

Some districts are sure to flip. Carol Stream CCSD 93 is currently 4-3 Republican. It has six seats up-- the most in DuPage County. But all nine candidates running to fill them are Democrats.

Of the 168 current school board slots in the 24 competitive districts, 107 are held by Democrats, 52 by Republicans and nine by an independent.

Election Day is Tues. April 4.

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Which 2023 races are competitive in Chicago's DuPage suburbs?

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

				Candidates
School Board	Current Split	Seats Up	Inc. Running	total	DEM	GOP	Other
Addison DuPage HSD 88	5-2 Democrat	4	3	5	3	2	0
Addison SD 4	5-2 Republican	3	2	5	2	3	0
Addison-Villa Park SD 45	5-2 Democrat	3	3	4	3	1	0
Bensenville SD 2*	5-2 Republican	5	2	6	2	1	2
Butler SD 53	4-2-1 Democrat	3	1	6	1	3	2
Carol Stream CCSD 93*	4-3 Republican	6	3	9	9	0	0
Center Cass SD 66	6-1 Democrat	3	0	5	3	2	0
Downers Grove CHSD 99	5-2 Democrat	3	0	6	2	4	0
Elmhurst CUSD 205	6-0-1 Republican	4	2	9	3	5	1
Fenton CHSD 100*	5-1-1 Democrat	4	4	5	4	1	0
Glen Ellyn CCSD 89	4-2-1 Democrat	3	2	6	2	3	1
Glen Ellyn SD 41	7-0 Democrat	3	3	4	3	1	0
Glenbard HSD 87*	6-1 Democrat	4	3	11	6	5	0
Hinsdale HSD 86	5-2 Democrat	3	0	5	3	2	0
Lombard SD 44	6-1 Democrat	3	3	4	3	1	0
Maercker SD 60	4-3 Democrat	3	2	4	3	0	1
Marquardt SD 15	5-1-1 Democrat	3	3	4	2	0	2
Medinah SD 11*	3-1-4 Democrat	3	3	7	2	0	5
Naperville CUSD 203	7-0 Democrat	3	3	2	3	2	0
Roselle SD 12	5-2 Democrat	3	0	4	1	2	1
West Chicago SD 33	4-3 Republican	3	2	4	3	1	0
Westmont CUSD 201	7-0 Democrat	3	2	5	4	1	0
Wheaton CUSD 200*	4-3 Republican	4	2	9	3	6	0
Woodridge SD 68	5-1-1 Democrat	4	4	5	4	0	1
TOTALS		83	52	134	74	46	16

*Includes two elections for four seats; one for a two-year seat and one for three four-year seats.

Addison SD 4
Current Split	5-2	REPUBLICAN
Seats up	3
Candidates running	5
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Evdoxia Ioanna Gonzalez	D	Addison	42
Daniel Alexander Medina	R	Addison	37
Eddie Castillo	D	Elmhurst	62
Sergio Ruffolo (I)	R	Addison	58
Dave Williams (I)	R	Addison	73
Existing Board Members
Christen Bollig	D	Addison	43
Zack Frangidakis	D	Addison	43
Jeremiah Lange	R	Addison	43
Taso Triantafillos	R	Addison	46
Members leaving board
Jim Towns	R	Addison	57
Bensenvile SD 2
Current Split	5-2	REPUBLICAN
Seats up	5
Candidates running	6
2023 Candidates- 4 yr.	Party	Hometown	Age
Victoria Connie Gonzalez	D	Bensenville	44
James E Stoltman, Jr. (I)	R	Bensenville	54
Anita J Miller	NV	Bensenville	36
Jacqueline Dye (I)	D	Bensenville	45
Nalia Rafiq Fonseca	NV	Wood Dale	49
2023 Candidates- 2 yr.	Party	Hometown	Age
Bob Laudadio (I)	R	Bensenville	62
Existing Board Members
Marisol Leyva	D	Bensenville	36
Lori Parthimos	R	Wood Dale	49
Members leaving board
Chris McCullough	R	Bensenville	45
Katie Krajecki	R	Bensenville	44
Oak Brook Butler SD 53
Current Split	4-2-1	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	3
Candidates running	6
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Kaleem A Qureshi	D	Oak Brook	44
John Baar (I)	R	Oak Brook	70
Reynick Martinez	R	Oak Brook	39
Athanasia Soula Skokos	NV	Oak Brook	40
Nozaina Aftab	R	Oak Brook	53
Karla Moctezuma Caldera	NV	Oak Brook	38
Existing Board Members
Kavitha V. Neerukonda	D	Oak Brook	43
Craig Donnelly	R	Oak Brook	43
Sahar Ahmad	D	Oak Brook	51
Syed I. Ali	D	Oak Brook	45
Members leaving board
Sanjay Rao	D	Oak Brook	52
Keith Carlson	NV	Oak Brook	55
Glen Ellyn CCSD 89
Current Split	4-2-1	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	3
Candidates running	6
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Scott Waldbusser	R	Glen Ellyn	45
Yannick Koger (I)	D	Wheaton	39
Jessica McGee	D	Wheaton	43
Kevin McGrane	R	Glen Ellyn	45
Juan Peralta	NV	Glen Ellyn	40
Scott Pope (I)	R	Glen Ellyn	44
Existing Board Members
Haydee Nunes	D	Wheaton	45
James Joseph "Jay" Lerch	D	Glen Ellyn	57
Donna Kemp	R	Glen Ellyn	58
Steve Neurauter	D	Glen Ellyn	45
Members leaving board
Ben Yates	NV	Glen Ellyn	45
Carol Stream CCSD 93
Current Split	4-3	REPUBLICAN
Seats up	6
Candidates running	9
2023 Candidates- 4 yr.	Party	Hometown	Age
Michael A Lovatt	D	Carol Stream	35
Jessica R Zolmierski (I)	D	Carol Stream	39
Joshua R Payton	D	Carol Stream	40
Sonal Amin (I)	D	Glendale Hts	48
Gaspare "Jasper" Vaiana (I)	D	Carol Stream	46
Kristen Davia	D	Carol Stream	46
vote for 3
2023 Candidates- 2 yr.	Party	Hometown	Age
Jason Bastian	D	Carol Stream	38
Marideth Groves	D	Carol Stream	48
Allison Williams	D	Carol Stream	40
vote for 3
Existing Board Members
Scott W. Stone	R	Carol Stream	55
Members leaving board
Rogelio Orozco	R	Carol Stream	47
Clay Elmore	R	Bloomingdale	48
Elise Houswerth	R	Carol Stream	34
Woodridge Center Cass 66
Current Split	6-1	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	3
Candidates running	5
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Edson Burton	D	Woodridge	40
Nicoletta Giancola-Shanks	D	Darien	39
Tiffany Watson	D	Woodridge	41
Megan DuPass	R	Woodridge	40
Doug Wiley	R	Woodridge	43
Existing Board Members
Chris Esposito	D	Woodridge	44
Brian Liedtke	R	Darien	41
Donna M. Sobotka	D	Darien	65
Liane Raso	D	Darien	55
Members leaving board
Joan A. Cullen	D	Woodridge	59
Lori A. Hoffman	D	Woodridge	54
Beth Bukey	D	Downers Grove	50
Downers Grove CHSD 99
Current Split	5-2	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	3
Candidates running	6
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Christopher Todd Erickson	R	Downers Grove	45
Barbara Allen	R	Downers Grove	49
Kara Casten	D	Downers Grove	52
Dana Cox	R	Downers Grove	47
Don Renner	R	Downers Grove	44
Ken Dawson	D	Downers Grove	61
Existing Board Members
Teresa K. Pavesich	R	Downers Grove	66
Sherell Fuller	D	Downers Grove	50
Christopher Espinoza	D	Downers Grove	23
Jennie Hagstrom	D	Downers Grove	51
Members leaving board
Nancy Kupka	D	Downers Grove	66
Michael J. Davenport	R	Downers Grove	56
Joanna Vazquez Drexler	D	Downers Grove	72
Wheaton CUSD 200
Current Split	4-3	REPUBLICAN
Seats up	4
Candidates running	9
2023 Candidates- 4 yr.	Party	Hometown	Age
David A Sohmer	R	Wheaton	53
Erik C Hjerpe	D	Winfield	43
Dave Long (I)	R	Winfield	61
Amanda Erkenswick	R	Wheaton	37
Spencer Garrett	R	Wheaton	56
Julie Kulovits (I)	D	Wheaton	42
Anajali Bharadwa	D	Wheaton	41
vote for 3
2023 Candidates- 2 yr.	Party	Hometown	Age
John K Rutledge	R	Wheaton	78
Kimberly Hobbs	R	Wheaton	47
vote for 1
Existing Board Members
Chris Crabtree	D	Winfield	58
Rob Hanlon	R	Winfield	57
Bradley A. Paulsen	R	Wheaton	57
Members leaving board
Susan Booton	D	Wheaton	49
Angela Blatner	R	Wheaton	53
Westmont CUSD 201
Current Split	7-0	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	3
Candidates running	5
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Carlos Hevia (I)	D	Westmont	53
Adina Hoover (I)	D	Westmont	47
Whitney Rogers	D	Westmont	43
George Welson	R	Westmont	50
James Liceaga	D	Westmont	63
Existing Board Members
Jessica Radogno	D	Westmont	37
Angela Steketee	D	Westmont	48
Leah Conover	D	Westmont	42
Kevin Marren	D	Westmont	52
Members leaving board
Laura Coyle	D	Westmont	51
Addison-Villa Park DuPage SD 88
Current Split	5-2	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	4
Candidates running	5
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Amy Finnegan (I)	D	Lombard	53
Mubasher Ashrafi	D	Addison	48
Donna Craft Cain (I)	D	Lombard	59
Daniel Olson (I)	R	Villa Park	60
Gail Galivan	R	Oakbrook Terrace	66
Existing Board Members
Christine Poirier	D	Lombard	51
Diana Stout	D	Lombard	50
Jean Taylor	D	Villa Park	54
Members leaving board
Lisa Knauf	R	Addison	59
Elmhurst CUSD 205
Current Split	6-0-1	REPUBLICAN
Seats up	4
Candidates running	9
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Linda T Nudera	R	Elmhurst	55
Kelly Asseff	D	Elmhurst	47
Kelly M. Henry	D	Elmhurst	39
Beth Hosler (I)	R	Elmhurst	53
Courtenae Trautmann (I)	R	Elmhurst	55
Ben Zulauf	D	Elmhurst	36
Lan Li	NV	Elmhurst	46
Thomas A Chavez	R	Elmhurst	58
Jammie Esker Schaer	R	Elmhurst	49
Existing Board Members
Kara M. Caforio	R	Elmhurst	48
Athena Arvanitis	R	Elmhurst	43
James E. Collins	R	Elmhurst	64
Members leaving board
Christopher Kocinski	NV	Elmhurst	39
Karen Stuefen	R	Elmhurst	61
Fenton SD 100
Current Split	5-1-1	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	4
Candidates running	5
2023 Candidates- 4 yr.	Party	Hometown	Age
Cary D Lewis (I)	D	Wood Dale	49
Leonel T Figueroa (I)	D	Bensenville	61
Kittipon Tingpalpong (I)	D	Wood Dale	50
Reid Goodrich	R	Wood Dale	68
2023 Candidates- 2 yr.	Party	Hometown	Age
Juliet Rago (I)	D	Bensenville	54
Existing Board Members
Sylvia Hayde	D	Bensenville	54
Kent Kovac	NV	Bensenville
John Radzinski	R	Wood Dale	56
Glen Ellyn SD 41
Current Split	7-0	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	3
Candidates running	4
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Jessica Buttimer (I)	D	Glen Ellyn	47
Julie Hill (I)	D	Glen Ellyn	44
Edward Estes (I)	D	Glen Ellyn	61
Alison Prochaska	R	Glen Ellyn	37
Existing Board Members
Robert A. Bruno	D	Glen Ellyn	67
Jason Loebach	D	Glen Ellyn	46
Chris Martelli	D	Glen Ellyn	50
Tayyaba Syed	D	Glendale Heights	42
Glenbard HSD 87
Current Split	6-1	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	4
Candidates running	11
2023 Candidates- 4 yr.	Party	Hometown	Age
James E Shannon (I)	D	Glen Ellyn	75
Muhammad Islam Choudhary	D	Glendale Heights	52
John Wilharm	R	Glen Ellyn	51
Monika Moro	D	Lombard	57
Jessica Breede	R	Glendale Heights	43
Hetal Lee	R	Glendale Heights	49
John Kenwood (I)	R	Glen Ellyn	62
Keyanna L. Kincade	D	Glen Ellyn	39
Martha L. Mueller (I)	D	Lombard	61
2023 Candidates- 2 yr.	Party	Hometown	Age
Margaret A DeLaRosa (I)	D	Glen Ellyn	61
Jennifer M Jendras	R	Glen Ellyn	54
Existing Board Members
Kermit Eby	D	Lombard	65
Robert Friend	D	Lombard	69
Rosemarie Montanez	D	Glendale Heights	43
Hinsdale HSD 86
Current Split	5-2	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	3
Candidates running	5
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Deborah Clare Willoughby	D	Westmont	46
Asma Akhras	D	Darien	48
Kay Gallo	D	Clarendon Hills	63
Catherine Greenspon	R	Burr Ridge	52
Andrew Catton	R	Hinsdale	43
Existing Board Members
Terri Walker	D	Hinsdale	56
Peggy James	R	Hinsdale	55
Jeff Waters	R	Hinsdale	51
Debra V. Levinthal	R	Hinsdale	55
Members leaving board
Erik Held	D	Westmont	41
Kathleen Hirsman	D	Clarendon Hills	68
Cynthia Hanson	D	Burr Ridge	50
Lombard SD 44
Current Split	6-1	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	3
Candidates running	4
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Stephen E Flint (I)	R	Lombard	65
Gayln Piper (I)	D	Lombard	37
Tony del Alcazar (I)	D	Lombard	54
Jeff Hansel	D	Lombard	58
Existing Board Members
Courtney Simek	D	Lombard	40
Sarah Novey	D	Lombard	43
James E. Robinette	D	Lombard	46
Cary Weisgram	D	Lombard	42
Maercker SD 60
Current Split	4-3	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	3
Candidates running	4
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Michael A Jones, Jr. (I)	D	Westmont	45
Priya V Linson (I)	D	Willowbrook	43
Lisa T. Bishop	D	Clarendon Hills	69
Robert Schaefer	NV	Westmont	37
Existing Board Members
Mary S. Satchwell	D	Hinsdale	42
Drew Sikula	R	Hinsdale	47
Amy Sullivan	D	Clarendon Hills	57
Lesley Wright	R	Westmont	36
Members leaving board
Paul Kleppetsch	R	Westmont	44
Glendale Heights Marquardt 15
Current Split	5-1-1	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	3
Candidates running	4
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Elisabeth Betancourt (I)	D	Bloomingdale	42
Corey Randazzo	NV	Glendale Heights	29
Richard Pugh (I)	D	Glendale Heights	63
James Vargas (I)	NV	Bloomingdale	49
Existing Board Members
Jean Randazzo	R	Glendale Heights	58
Marcia Reiken	D	Glendale Heights	38
Karen Camporese	D	Glendale Heights	35
Rebecca Giannelli	D	Glendale Heights	44
Medinah School District 11
Current Split	3-1-4	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	5
Candidates running	7
2023 Candidates- 4 yr.	Party	Hometown	Age
Amy B Johnson	D	Roselle	48
Destini M Best (I)	NV	Medinah	52
Elizabeth Riter (I)	NV	Itasca	49
Jennifer Buczkiewicz	NV	Medinah	47
Judith Buczkiewicz	NV	Medinah	42
Katarzyna Golaszewski (I)	NV	Roselle	39
vote for 3
2023 Candidates- 2 yr.	Party	Hometown	Age
Ian A Neitzke	D	Roselle	35
vote for 1
Existing Board Members
James P. Mallory	R	Medinah	71
Santa DeAngelo	D	Roselle	42
Kristen Gudath	NV	Medinah	37
Members leaving board
Ray Kubalewski	D	Bensenville	86
Sandra Mewes Martyn	D	Roselle	75
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
Roselle SD 12
Current Split	5-2	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	3
Candidates running	4
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Casie Pezzarossi	R	Roselle	45
Victoria Tiberi	R	Roselle	50
Sheryl Le Vine	NV	Roselle	61
Lydia Galante	D	Roselle	33
Existing Board Members
James McGowan	R	Roselle	51
Kimberly Duris	D	Roselle	45
Steven J. Zurek	D	Roselle	54
Chris Humbert	R	Roselle	58
Members leaving board
Timothy Layer	D	Roselle	31
Blythe Cammy	D	Roselle	62
Amy Magnus	D	Roselle	48
Villa Park SD 45
Current Split	5-2	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	3
Candidates running	4
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Carol Klamecki (I)	R	Villa Park	54
Allen Legutki (I)	D	Villa Park	44
Melissa Slinn (I)	D	Villa Park	45
Katie Wagner	D	Villa Park	35
Existing Board Members
Judy Degnan	D	Villa Park	57
Navreet Heneghan	D	Lombard	47
Kelli May	R	Villa Park	40
Emily Shultz	D	Villa Park	35
West Chicago 33
Current Split	4-3	REPUBLICAN
Seats up	3
Candidates running	4
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
Rita Balgeman (I)	D	West Chicago	41
Kathleen Fry	R	West Chicago	61
Janette Hernandez	D	West Chicago	34
Tom Doyle (I)	D	Winfield	49
Existing Board Members
Felicia N. Gills	R	West Chicago	51
Chad M. McLean	R	West Chicago	53
Sandra F. Garcia	D	West Chicago	37
Morgan Banasiak	R	West Chicago	53
Members leaving board			56
Phebe S. Balzer	R	West Chicago
Woodridge SD 68
Current Split	5-1-1	DEMOCRAT
Seats up	4
Candidates running	5
2023 Candidates	Party	Hometown	Age
M. Joann Wright	D	Woodridge	64
Lourdes Molina de Mesa (I)	D	Woodridge	47
Donna Hebreard	D	Woodridge	43
Michael Toohey (I)	D	Woodridge	51
Stuart Vanorny (I)	NV	Woodridge	48
Existing Board Members
Thomas A. Ruggio	D	Woodridge	75
Joshua Christ	R	Woodridge	39
Scott Coley	D	Bolingbrook	75
Members leaving board
Steven M. Gustis	D	Woodridge	46

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was updated to reflect Jeff Waters' voting history.