McHenry County Blog

Earlier this month, the percentages of precincts for which people filed for Republican Precinct Committeeman was published.

Republicans, you may remember filled 49% of McHenry County’s 212 precincts, while Democrats had candidates in 19%.

Today we look at how the Democrats did, township by township.

Dunham – 100% (1 of 1)
Hebron – 50% (1 of 2)
Seneca – 50% (1 of 2)
Burton – 33% (1 of 3)
Coral – 33% (1 of 3)
Grafton – 32% (10 of 31)
Nunda – 31% (9 of 29)
Dorr – 29% (4 of 14)
Greenwood – 14% (1 of 7)
McHenry – 14% (5 of 35)
Algonquin – 9% (6 of 68)
Alden – 0% (0 of 1)
Chemung – 0% (0 of 5)
Hartland – 0% (0 of 2)
Marengo – 0% (0 of 4)
Richmond – 0% (0 of 4)
Riley – 0% (0 of 1)

As with Republicans, it’s easier for a small township to have a large percentage. Indeed, none of the top five townships have more than three precincts.

Of the six townships that have absolutely no candidates for Precinct Committeeman in the Democratic Party, none has more than five precincts.

Of the largest townships, there is a close contest among Grafton, Nunda and Dorr. All three have just under one-third of their precincts with candidates on the ballot.

McHenry in times past was a Democratic Party stronghold. Only 14% of its 35 precincts are filled.

The county’s largest township, Algonquin has 68 precincts, but only 6 candidates. Not even previous candidates for township or county board are running for Precinct Committeeman.

A while back McHenry County Blog took a look at how the Republican Party was faring, based on the number of people who filed GOP Precinct Committeeman petitions.

Let’s take a walk down that same path with McHenry County Democrats.

To put McHenry County political landscape into perspective, there are 212 election precincts.

People filed to run for Democratic Party Precinct Committeeman in only 40 of them.

Less than 19% of the precincts in a county carried by Barack Obama have people with enough energy to get ten of their neighbors’ signatures.

That’s compared to the 49% of precincts where there are GOP candidates, which was pathetic in itself.

Unlike in the Republican Primary, there are no contests for Precinct Committeeman in the Democratic Party.

I know that local Democrats like to call their Precinct Committeemen “Precinct Representatives,” but the title is “Committeeman.”

As I have suggested more than once, if local Democrats want to change the title of the office, folks in their party control the legislature and the Governor’s Office.

Hey, there’s even a Democrat in the Illinois House from McHenry County.

Just ask Jack Franks.

That should not be a hard bill to pass.

Alden Township

(Alden)

ALDEN – No Candidate Filed

Algonquin Township

(Algonquin, southern Crystal Lake, Lake in the Hills, Cary, Fox River Grove, Barrington Hills)

ALGONQUIN 1 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 2 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 3 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 4 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 5 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 6 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 7 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 8 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 9 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 10 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 11 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 12 – No Candidate Filed

ALGONQUIN 13 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 14 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 15 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 16 – Patricia A. Abboud (Barrington Hills)
ALGONQUIN 17 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 18 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 19 – Loreen (Lori) Keller (Crystal Lake)
ALGONQUIN 20 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 21 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 22 – No Candidate Filed

ALGONQUIN 23 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 24 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 25 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 26 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 27 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 28 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 29 – Katherine M Tremont (Cary)
ALGONQUIN 30 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 31 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 32 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 33 – Debbie Chirikos (Algonquin)
ALGONQUIN 34 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 35 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 36 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 37 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 38 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 39 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 40 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 41 – Robert R. Waddell (Algonquin)
ALGONQUIN 42 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 43 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 44 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 45 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 46 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 47 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 48 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 49 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 50 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 51 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 52 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 53 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 54 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 55 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 56 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 57 – No Candidate Filed

ALGONQUIN 58 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 59 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 60 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 61 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 62 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 63 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 64 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 65 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 66 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 67 – No Candidate Filed
ALGONQUIN 68 – No Candidate Filed

Burton Township

(Spring Grove, Fox Lake)

BURTON 1 – Jeff S. Thirtyacre (SpringGrove)
BURTON 2 – No Candidate Filed
BURTON 3 – No Candidate Filed

Chemung Township

(Harvard, Lawrence)

CHEMUNG 1 – No Candidate Filed
CHEMUNG 2 – No Candidate Filed
CHEMUNG 3 – No Candidate Filed
CHEMUNG 4 – No Candidate Filed
CHEMUNG 5 – No Candidate Filed

Coral Township

(Union)

CORAL 1 – Ryan Anderson (Union)
CORAL 2 – No Candidate Filed
CORAL 3 – No Candidate Filed

Dorr Township

(Woodstock, Bull Valley)

DORR 1 – No Candidate Filed
DORR 2 – No Candidate Filed
DORR 3 – Robert E. Gibson (Woodstock)
DORR 4 – Ann Legg (Woodstock)
DORR 5 – No Candidate Filed
DORR 6 – No Candidate Filed
DORR 7 – Thomas J. Cynor (Woodstock)
DORR 8 – No Candidate Filed
DORR 9 – No Candidate Filed
DORR 10 – No Candidate Filed
DORR 11 – No Candidate Filed
DORR 12 – No Candidate Filed
DORR 13 – No Candidate Filed
DORR 14 – Thomas G. Erlenborn (Bull Valley)

Dunham Township

(Southern Harvard)

DUNHAM – Scott Summers (Harvard)

Grafton Township

(Huntley, Lakewood, western Crystal Lake, western Lake in the Hills, western Algonquin)

GRAFTON 1 – Diane E. Oltman Ayers (Huntley)
GRAFTON 2 – Sara Ryerson (Lakewood)
GRAFTON 3 – Elizabeth A Puchmelter (Crystal Lake)
GRAFTON 4 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 5 – Mary Mackowiak (Crystal Lake)
GRAFTON 6 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 7 – Jill McCutcheon (Crystal Lake)
GRAFTON 8 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 9 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 10 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 11 – No Candidate Filed

GRAFTON 12 – Michael Bissett (Lake in the Hills)
GRAFTON 13 – James P. Kennedy (Lake in the Hills)
GRAFTON 14 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 15 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 16 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 17 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 18 – Denise Barreto (Lake in the Hills)
GRAFTON 19 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 20 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 21 – No Candidate FiledGRAFTON 22 – Samuel S. Melei (Huntley)

GRAFTON 23 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 24 – Michael A. Henry (Huntley)
GRAFTON 25 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 26 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 27 – No Candidate Filed.
GRAFTON 28 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 29 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 30 – No Candidate Filed
GRAFTON 31 – No Candidate Filed

Greenwood Township

(Northern Woodstock, western Wonder Lake & Greenwood)

GREENWOOD 1 – No Candidate Filed
GREENWOOD 2 – No Candidate Filed
GREENWOOD 3 – No Candidate Filed
GREENWOOD 4 – No Candidate Filed
GREENWOOD 5 – No Candidate Filed
GREENWOOD 6 – Brian D. Meyers (Woodstock)
GREENWOOD 7 – No Candidate Filed

Hartland Township

HARTLAND 1 – No Candidate Filed
HARTLAND 2 – No Candidate Filed

Hebron Township

(Hebron)

HEBRON 1 – Andrew J Georgi, Jr. (Hebron)

HEBRON 2 – No Candidate Filed

Marengo Township

(Marengo)

MARENGO 1 – No Candidate Filed
MARENGO 2 – No Candidate Filed
MARENGO 3 – No Candidate Filed
MARENGO 4 – No Candidate Filed

McHenry Township

(McHenry, eastern Wonder Lake, Johnsburg, McCullom Lake, Lakemoor, Holiday Hills, Ringwood)

MCHENRY 1 – Martha B “Marti” Swanson (Ringwood)
MCHENRY 2 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 3 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 4 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 5 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 6 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 7 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 8 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 9 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 10 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 11 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 12 – Irene Wolff Raven (McHenry)
MCHENRY 13 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 14 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 15 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 16 – Michael Mayo (Johnsburg)
MCHENRY 17 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 18 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 19 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 20 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 21 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 22 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 23 – No Candidate Filed

MCHENRY 24 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 25 – Brian Peters (Lakemoor)
MCHENRY 26 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 27 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 28 – Herbert Hassinger (McHenry)
MCHENRY 29 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 30 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 31 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 32 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 33 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 34 – No Candidate Filed
MCHENRY 35 – No Candidate Filed

Nunda Township

(Northern Crystal Lake, Southern McHenry, Prairie Grove, Island Lake, Oakwood Hills, Holiday Hills)

NUNDA 1 – Kathleen Bergan Schmidt (Crystal Lake)
NUNDA 2 – Pauline Walker (Crystal Lake)
NUNDA 3 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 4 – No Candidate Filed

NUNDA 5 – Patrick Murfin (Crystal Lake)
NUNDA 6 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 7 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 8 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 9 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 10 – Kevin L. Klopfenstein (Crystal Lake)
NUNDA 11 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 12 – Alexander Bielsky (Holiday Hills)
NUNDA 13 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 14 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 15 – Mitchell J. Wisumierski (Crystal Lake)
NUNDA 16 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 17 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 18 – Nancy Schietzelt (Crystal Lake)
NUNDA 19 – Nan Kueller (Crystal Lake)
NUNDA 20 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 21 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 22 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 23 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 24 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 25 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 26 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 27 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 28 – No Candidate Filed
NUNDA 29 – Robert Routzahn (Crystal Lake)

Richmond Township

(Richmond, Spring Grove)

RICHMOND 1 – No Candidate Filed
RICHMOND 2 – No Candidate Filed
RICHMOND 3 – No Candidate Filed
RICHMOND 4 – No Candidate Filed

Riley Township

(Southern Marengo)

RILEY -No Candidate Filed

Seneca Township

(Western Woodstock)

SENECA 1 – No Candidate Filed
SENECA 2 – John Bartman (Marengo)

I hadn’t memorized the number of precincts in McHenry County.

Today McHenry County Clerk told me we have 212.

So, let me do some division using the Friday noon petition filings for precinct committeeman.

The Republicans had 54. [John Landon points out below that I can't count. Don't know if that is the case or whether it's that I transposed the "5" and the "4." At any rate, I thank another citizen-editor and have made the necessary correcitons.]

54 divided by by 212 rounds up to 26%.

26% of precincts have Republican precinct committeeman candidates.

What will the percentage be after the end of filing tonight?

For Democrats with their 18 candidates, the figure is 8.5%.

What can one say about to describe the state of the parties in McHenry County?

Still time to download a petition and other needed documents from the County Clerk’s web site. (Links in this article.)

As of Friday noon, neither current party chairman had filed for precinct committeeman.

Monday, the first day for filing petitions for public and party office, only one Democrat, Ringwood’s Marti Swanson filed for precinct committeeman.

As of Friday noon, the minority party was up to 18 filings.

• GRAFTON 18 – Denise Barreto, 5525 Alexandria Dr, Lake in the Hills
• DORR 3 – Robert E. Gibson, 835 Clay St, Woodstock
• DORR 4 – Ann Legg, 853 Washington St, Woodstock
• GREENWOOD 6 – Brian D. Meyers, 801 Bach Ct, Woodstock
• BURTON 1 – Jeff S. Thirtyacre, 7518 Cuneo Dr, Spring Grove
• MCHENRY 1 – Martha B “Marti” Swanson, 5615 N Ridgeway Rd, Ringwood
• MCHENRY 12 – Irene Wolff Raven, 4420 Lakewood Rd, McHenry
• MCHENRY 25 – Brian Peters, 701 Morris Ct, Lakemoor
• MCHENRY 28 – Herbert Hassinger, 103 Augusta Dr, McHenry
• NUNDA 1 – Kathleen Bergan Schmidt, 4713 Timberlane Rd, Crystal Lake
• NUNDA 2 – Pauline Walker, 233 Third St, Crystal Lake
• NUNDA 5 – Patrick Murfin, 522 W Terra Cotta Ave, Crystal Lake
• NUNDA 10 – Kevin L. Klopfenstein, 635 Arrowhead Ln, Crystal Lake
• NUNDA 15 – Mitchell J. Wisumierski, 6715 W Hillside, Crystal Lake
• NUNDA 18 – Nancy Schietzelt, 4419 Walkup Rd, Crystal Lake
• ALGONQUIN 29 – Katherine M. Tremont, 3104 Killarney Dr, Cary
• ALGONQUIN 33 – Debbie Chirikos, 10075 N River Rd, Algonquin
• ALGONQUIN 41 – Robert R. Waddell, 1192 Holly Ln, Algonquin

If you are a Democrat, you can become Precinct Committeeman in any precinct but Ringwood’s without opposition.

That’s because only Marti Swanson filed for Committeeman as a Democrat on the first day possible.

It takes only 10 valid signatures to get on the ballot. Less, if no one challenges a petition.

Are McHenry County Democrats dead or are they lying in the weeds and going to file Precinct Committeeman petitions when they file County Board petitions?

Not many Republicans have filed either.

My excuse for not having filed for Republican Precinct Committeeman in Algonquin’s Precinct 7 is procrastination.

Those who filed as Republicans the first day follow (an asterisk means they were filed at 8 AM):

CHEMUNG 1 – *Glenda L. Miller, Harvard
CHEMUNG 2 – *Joseph F. Hagenbruch
SENECA 1 – *R. Mark Gummerson, Woodstock
SENECA 2 – *Mary T McCann, Woodstock
CORAL 1 – *Pamela K. Palmer, Union
GRAFTON 6 – *Harriet Ford, Lakewood
GRAFTON 8 – *Carolyn Schofield, Crystal Lake
GRAFTON 19 – Samuel F Paglini, Lake in the Hills
DORR 7 – Tina R Hill, Woodstock
DORR 8 – *Katherine M. Keefe, Woodstock
DORR 11 – John Jung Jr., Woodstock
GREENWOOD 6 – *Brian Sager, Woodstock
RICHMOND 3 – Tamara A Valentine-Garza, Richmond
MCHENRY 1 – *Richard E Mack, Ringwood
MCHENRY 2 – *Geraldine “Geri” Davis, McHenry
MCHENRY 13 – Neal Schepler, McHenry
MCHENRY 16 – *Gregory L Foreman, McHenry
MCHENRY 26 – *Andrew “Andy” Glab, McHenry
MCHENRY 27 – *Robert “Bob” Koehl, Lakemoor
MCHENRY 32 – *Sandra Fay Salgado, McHenry
MCHENRY 33 – *John D. Hammerand, Wonder Lake

NUNDA 7 – *Kelvin Lee Jennings, McHenry
NUNDA 11 – Mark Daniel, Crystal Lake
NUNDA 12 – *Mary McClellan, Holiday Hills
NUNDA 14 – Patrick Collins, Crystal Lake
NUNDA 21 – *Brent Smith, Prairie Grove

ALGONQUIN 2 – Kenneth (Ken) D Koehler, Crystal Lake
ALGONQUIN 3 – *Michael E. Barnas, Cary
ALGONQUIN 5 – *Charles A. Lutzow, Jr, Crystal Lake
ALGONQUIN 8 – *Neils Kruse, Cary
ALGONQUIN 9 – *Dan Shea, Fox River Grove
ALGONQUIN 13 – *Rita M. Heuel, Crystal Lake
ALGONQUIN 16 – *Lou Anne Majewski, Algonquin
ALGONQUIN 17 – *David W Miller, Cary
ALGONQUIN 18 – *Mary Cardelli, Algonquin
ALGONQUIN 22 – *Lowell A. Cutsforth, Fox River Grove
ALGONQUIN 25 – *Thomas P. McDermott, Crystal Lake
ALGONQUIN 33 – *Sean Murphy, Algonquin
ALGONQUIN 40 – *Mallory A. Rosencrans, Cary
ALGONQUIN 46 – *Kathleen R. DeRaedt, Cary
ALGONQUIN 50 – *Linda (Lyn) Orphal, Crystal Lake

No Green Party candidates have filed.

It’s an off year for partisan politicians, but you’d think parties and candidates would be trying to raise money.

Must be a tough economy, because the McHenry County Democrats didn’t even try.

No receipts and $5,140 in the bank.

The County GOP raised $20,810, but spent $12,435.

Left to spend?

$12,064 when one adds in the beginning balance of $3,689.

Republican Party Chairman has his own leadership fund apart from the Central Committee. It’s called the Chairman’s Circle.

$1,266 raised, but $1,000 of that was a loan from Tryon’s state rep. campaign fund.

Left to spend?

$314.

The only local element of the Republican Party showing much activity is the Nunda Township Republican Central Committee. (Picnic this Saturday at Veterans Acres in Crystal Lake at the Rotary Building.)

There’s a bit over $2,000 in its bank account with solicitations having been sent to all possible candidates.

So, one can conclude that party resources are slim.

While the teen were exploring other parts of the McHenry County Fair on Friday, I went looking for things political.

Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks’ tent was first.  It was closest to the free parking.

Then,  I saw the Sheriff’s Department’s Crime Stoppers Trailer.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s booth was at the front of the first building I entered, although Sheriff Keith Nygren had not yet arrived.

McHenry County Citizens for Choice was way around the corner.

The McHenry County Republican Party booth was down the aisle to the right. My second time around I found Jack Franks’ staffer conversing with the folks behind the table.

I found the Sheriff’s Department had a second booth location to the right of the main one.

In the next building, the Libertarian Party booth was the first I saw.

Most pennies were in the “Cut Spending” jar.

Next door was the best political story.

The booth was called “Peter’s Net.” Those in it were clearly Catholics and they were explaining how Catholics were Pro-Life.

Here’s a closer look at the models.

The booth renter across the aisle, described as a “modeling agency” complained about the medical models to Fair Officials. One came and, I’m told, said that the display might not be allowed next year.

Since I vividly remember a similar display from 2000 at the McHenry County Right-To-Life organization, I have a hard time understanding such logic, assuming the story that reached my ears was correct.

It certainly makes no economic sense for the Fair, since another Catholic group, renting three or four spaces–as many as the Sheriff’s Department–also had in utero models.

Maybe it was the message on the button saying, “It’s a child, not a choice” that bothered the folks across the aisle or maybe the models were drawing too much attention from the young girls the complaining booth was targeting.

Just around the corner was the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee’s booth.

They had an intimidating American history quiz that they were encouraging people to take.  I was told Jack Franks wouldn’t take it.

I hesitated, read the questions on the front page and figured by 7th and 8th grade American history classes would stand me in good stead.  Then I started checking off the best answer.  I did find until I got to the national debt question.  It asked when the first debt ceiling had been passed.  That was not in any of the American history classes I took.  I won’t ruin the quiz. Suffice is to say that was my only wrong answer.

As I continued my political tour of the McHenry County Fair, I found a second large Pro-Life booth.

Young girls were looking at a display of baby booties and shoes called “Little Soles.”

This is the other booth in which I found the in utero models seen above.

Right across the aisle was the booth of the McHenry County Sportsman’s Association and the McHenry County Right to Carry Association.

With Illinois’ being the last state in the union where individuals are not allowed to carry firearms to protect themselves, the petition signatures gathered in past years may have been the reason that Jack Franks’ flipped from being opposed to being favor.

President Anthony Lopez was standing out front talking to Barb Wheeler, who was helping staff the booth. His wife Laura Rakers was behind the table with Richard Pere.

I went looking for Congressman Joe Walsh’s outpost.

It was on the midway in a corner tent.

I doubled back to the building with the Sheriff’s display in hopes of finding Sheriff Keith Nygren and was rewarded by his presence.

I made another circuit and found Congressman Don Manzullo’s booth. Former Wonder Lake resident Marilyn Davis was behind the table.

As I left the building, Nunda Township Republican Chairman Brent Smith and Sheriff Nygren were having a conversation.

On the way out, I saw John O’Neill, an announced candidate for McHenry County Board staffing the Ray Chevrolet tent.

It appears backing Independent Scott Lee Cohen over Democratic Party nominee Pat Quinn for Governor has consequences.

The name of District 4 County Board candidate Jeff Thirtyacre has disappeared from the McHenry County Democratic Party’s web site page listing local candidates, even though the heading says,

“This is a list of candidates for county offices for the November general election.”

Thirtyacre endorses Cohen in mid-August.

The wheels of party discipline apparently turn slowly in McHenry County.

Party discipline in the suburbs.

What great timing I had. As I was arriving the parade was about ready to kick off and a helpful policeman, after figuring out that I really didn’t want to head down the street toward the front of the parade, pointed me to the parking area.

As I was walking toward the street, I could see healthy crowds lining the street.

I made it just in time for the color guard.

Most people were standing in respect to the American Flag.

Considering the aversion that Crystal Lake has to throwing candy, I was surprised that Lake in the Hills allows it. There may have been other elected village officials, but, not knowing most of the players, I couldn’t pick them out. Certainly, there were not cars with signs, as was the case in Algonquin’s Founders Days Parade.

Next came the Sheriff’s contingent.

First four motorcycles. Two from the Sheriff’s department and two, I believe, from the Conservation District.

Next came Sheriff Keith Nygren and his wife Marge. Nygren seems to have lost some weight over the summer.

Behind Nygren’s car was the Crime Prevention Trailer, pulled by the Community Relations vehicle.

What was behind wasn’t political, except for the trombone player in the Dixieland band called Sinful Saints. He’s Republican precinct committeeman Tom McDermott.

A Mark Kirk sticker guy came past in a lull in the parade. No sign of Kirk’s contingent, however.

Another sticker person wasn’t far behind. By the time I figured out that she was passing out stickers for Sally Wiggins, the Independent candidate for Circuit Court Judge, the young woman had passed me. So I called out and asked if I could take a photo of her sweat shirt. I now see it was a tee shirt. You see the result above.

This group of Cub Scouts deserves a notice for its sheer exuberance. I think it’s Pack 458 of Huntley, but the photo really doesn’t have a good view of the number.

The Jaycees, Lake in the Hills, I would presume, are trying for a world record soda float on Sunday. Really. That’s what the sign says.

The Summers Academy of Dance performer provided this wonderful shadow.

At this point, I found a young person who had been “stickered.” There was one for Mark Kirk and another for Sally Wiggins.

I have never heard of the Hearts of Gold organization, which seems to be based in Algonquin, but since many people are in hard times, I thought you ought to know about it.

The leading edge of the County Democrats’ contingent soon came into view.

The Democrats came into sight. A big red convertible with flags flying was surrounded by marchers wearing tee shirts.

Others carried yard signs and, I’m guessing, passed out candy.

Next came the Democratic Party candidate for Sheriff. He introduced himself and told those lining the parade route that he was from Lake in the Hills.

It is rare for a candidate to get beyond the front row of parade watchers, but Mahon was doing it on the south side of the street.

State Rep. David Miller, who is running for State Comptroller, had a couple of young men in the parade, so, although I thought the Democrats were gone, I saw more were coming.

And, from the banner being carried by Mary Erlenborn and Mike Bisset’s wife, Paula Yensen, it appears that what I earlier thought was the Democratic Party float was really one for Mike Mahon.

A name I didn’t know came into view: Mark Booras.

“Are you Mark Booras?” I asked. Turns out the man carrying the sign was his brother, so I asked if he were at the parade

He was.

Across the street. “So, you’re the Democrat running for county board?” I said.

He agreed he was and, showing that he had learned some political tricks, he kissed a child.

When I remarked on it, he told me it was his child.

Next I saw Jean Bianchi passing out something colorful, which I didn’t get a copy of.

McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi was riding in a yellow convertible and waved at the camera. Bianchi is not up for election.  Bianchi’s contingent were acting as if this were a campaign year.

Next came the walking contingent for Sheriff Keith Nygren.

Brent Smith’s son had a dog wearing a Nygren tee shirt. It reminded me of my first campaign for state representative when Coventry Republican Precinct Committeeman claimed he was forming “Pets for Skinner.”

Next was McHenry County College Board member Donna Kurtz riding on the front of a bicycle. She is running for county board. Kurtz and Ken Koehler are on the Republican ballot, while Mark Booras is on the Democratic Party side of the ballot.

The Jacobs High School Band marched past next.

I’m a percussion section fan.

Behind me near the sidewalk, I noticed a young lady passing out Kirk stickers.

On the street behind the Medinah Temple small motorcycle guys, the Mark Kirk marchers could be seen.

The red convertible had State Senator Pam Althoff and State Rep. Mike Tryon’s signs affixed to it.

As in Crystal Lake, Congressman Kirk waved to the crowd and thanked them for coming.

The wind was blowing hard enough that some banner holders could not keep their unweighted signs down so they could be read.

State Senator Pam Althoff was handing out bubble gum at the parade.

On the back of the pick-up truck rode County Board member Tina Hill.

County Board candidate John Jung was handing out Double Bubble, too. I asked for three and got them.  Hill and Jung are running mates in District 5, trying to edge out incumbent Democrat Jim Kennedy, who beat Perry Moy four years ago.

Two more Cub Scout Packs followed.

The first was from Lake in the Hills and I can read the number on its waving flag.

Next marched Huntley’s Cub Scout Pack 167.

The McHenry County Environmental Defenders continued its tradition of being the last parade entry with members carrying large bags for plastic bottles.

Bringing up the rear was a huge Elgin Sweeper.

Sunday, I posted a revealing article that originated with the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce’s Director of Advocacy, Don Gray.

He spent a lot of time categorizing expenditures for the power parties in the twenty largest counties. You can see bigger graphs here or just click to enlarge.

Gray was kind enough to send me the breakdowns for the McHenry County Republican and Democratic Parties.
On the Republican side, the local party is ranked 10th in expenditures of the top 20 most populous counties:

• Campaign Expenditures: 22,359.66
• Overhead Expenditures: 32,538.90
• Total Spent: 54,898.56
• % spent on campaign resources: 41%

Here are the figures for the McHenry Dems, who are ranked 6th in local party expenditures among the top 20 most populous counties:

• Campaign Expenditures: 22,444.45
• Overhead Expenditures: 14,568.29
• Total Spent: 37,012.74
• % spent on campaign resources: 61%