There were thirty people who waged write-in campaigns for Republican Precinct Committeeman.
This is an attempt to put all of the results in one place.
Here are the results of Mickey Barnas’ campaign.
Algonquin 3’s write-in results.
Joe Stecker’s success in Algonquin 19 has already been reported, but you can see the results below:
The write-in results in Algonquin 19.
In Algonquin 34, two men–Gary Verdung and Nathaniel Gainer–signed up to run as write-ins, but neither put on much of a campaign. As you can see below, neither got the required ten votes to become Precinct Committeeman.
Previous Precinct Committeeman Gary Verdung and newcomer Nathaniel Gainer ran for the office.
In Algonquin 50, Thomas Kantner signed up to run a write-in campaign, but the results don’t show him getting any votes.
No votes were recorded for avowed write-in candidate Thomas Kantner in Algonquin 50.
In Coral Township Precinct 3, Chuck Ruth racked up 35 votes to get election Precinct Committeeman.
Seven unknown people wrote in names other than the registered candidate, Chuck Ruth.
Election night I predicted there were enough write-in votes for Mike Skala to be elected. Turns out I was correct.
Mike Skala garnered 25 votes in Grafton 1.
In Grafton 4, Sharon Bills signed up as a write-in candidate, but didn’t get the necessary ten votes.
Sharon Bills only received two of the ten votes to be elected Precinct Committeeman.
In Grafton 8, incumbent Precinct Committeeman Carolyn Schofield didn’t file a petition for Precinct Committeeman, but decided to run a write-in campaign. So did former Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Milliman.
Schofield beat Milliman by seven votes.
Caroline Schofield 39 votes, Scott Milliman 31.
Pam Fender was unable to win the office of Grafton Township Supervisor running as a Republican, but she did get enough votes to be elected Precinct Committeeman in Grafton 8.
Pam Fender received 21 votes for Precinct Committeeman.
Rob LaPorta, former Grafton Township Trustee did not do well enough to be elected GOP Precinct Committeeman. He got seven of the required ten votes.
Robert LaPorta received seven votes for Precinct Committeeman.
Kenneth Cabay ran a successful write-in campaign in Grafton 18.
Kenneth Carbay got three times as many votes as he needed to become Precinct Committeeman
Political consultant Joe Calomino ran for Precinct Committeeman as a write-in candidate in Grafton 25.
Eight votes for Precinct Committeeman were cast, but apparently none were for the registered candidate.
Karen Filpi ran as a write-in candidate for Precinct Committeeman in Grafton 29 and won.
Karen
In Greenwood Township’s Precinct 4, Ronald Zieman registered as a write-in candidate for GOP Committeeman. The County Clerk’s web site says he received no votes.
Ronald Zieman had no reported write-in votes in Greenwood 4.
In Marengo 2, Mayor Don Lockhart ran a successful write-in campaign for Precinct Committeeman.
Don Lockhart received 42 write-in votes.
In McHenry 13, Neal Schepler ran a successful write-in campaign, too. He is the incumbent Precinct Committeeman.
Neal Schepler garnered 13 votes.
Lewis F. Matuszewich of McHenry 24 is the next candidate on my list of Precinct Committeeman write-ins. He is another incumbent who did not file a petition. He got six votes, four short of the ten he needed to continue in the office.
Six votes was not enough to elect Lewis Matuszewich.
Long-time Oakwood Hills Precinct Committeeman Bernie Narusis didn’t file a petition to run for Precinct Committeeman. He did decide to run as a write-in candidate.
Bernard Narusis got 20 votes.
Larry Cannon ran as a write-in in Nunda 10. He won.
Larry Cannon received 22 votes.
Gina LeFevour, who lives in Seneca Township Precinct 2, ran a successful write-in campaign in the precinct where the current Committeeman is County Board Mary McCann.
Mary McCann will be replaced as Precinct Committeeman by Gina LeFevour. LeFevour got 52 votes.
So, with all of these write-in wins and near misses, who is closer to being elected McHenry County Republican Chairman, Mark Daniel or Sandy Salgado?
And yes, a lot of deal-making, coalitions and “horse-trading” can change the chairman’s race between now and April 16th, but after the write-ins are counted, who is currently leading in the chairman’s race?
If my memory is serving me correctly, didn’t Gary Verdung find himself in legal trouble a number of years ago, but he voted for himself.
It is my understanding that the party is actively searching for an alternative to Mark Daniel’s.
Daniel’s told the Prim campaign he was all in and told Zinke campaign the same.
They are very concerned about his flimsy political resume.
His lack of leadership and inability to recruit precinct committeeman.
I have the alternative – and her name is Sandy Salgado.
There will always be those who are unhappy no matter who is elected.
But the team that is in the running to replace the current team has already proven they can work together and make things happen.
The team found over 30 new committeemen all over McHenry County.
The old team needed a Hail Mary write in campaign and is still woefully short of having a snowball’s chance in hell of taking over.
The team sent out letters for precinct committeemen at little or no cost to those committeemen.
The team sent out post card reminders for their contested precinct committeemen.
The team went all in for its candidates.
Some won – some lost.
But Bill Prim will make an excellent sheriff.
Next time, 2016, we will have an ever better organization with more support and resources.
The team is inclusive – no litmus test here.
There were some committeemen who did not want to endorse Bill Prim, or in one case, endorse Andy Zinke.
We helped them all with getting their letter out.
One committeeman asked a Zinke sign for her yard – and they got one.
The team truly believes in smaller, fiscally responsible local governments.
But it all starts with the Republican Party leadership.
Sandy Salgado, myself, Diane Evertsen, and Chuck Wheeler have already shown that we have the ability to work together and do things the current leadership just was not able to accomplish.
Was it 100% more effective?
Were we four times more efficient than certain individuals?
Was it perfect?
We all know the answer is no and we could have done a better job.
However, all of us are capturing lessons learned and documenting everything for the fall and 2016.
On April 16th we will see a new leadership team. I hope Sandy and I are a part of it.
We all make a great team.
Respectfully,
Andrew Gasser