Election Swung Democrat In Kendall County: How Residents Voted

KENDALL COUNTY, IL — The closely watched midterm election season came to a close, washing much of the country, including Kendall County, in a wave of blue.

Democrats and the independent Kendall County Party swept in the general election in Kendall County. Not one county race appears to have gone to a Republican.

Voters flipped all three county seats — sheriff, treasurer, and clerk and recorder — previously held by Republicans.

Democrat Jose Villagrana, who retired from the Kendall County Sheriff's Office, came away the winner in the sheriff's race, overtaking Republican Bobby Richardson, the current undersheriff, by 2,934 votes, according to unofficial totals.

Democrat Zach Bachmann unseated incumbent Debbie Gillette in the county clerk and recorder race, coming away with 26,263 votes versus the Republican's 22,485, current tallies show. Gillette has held office since 2008, while Bachmann served on the Kendall County Board since 2022 but said he would step down following the win.

The election also marked a historic win for the independent Kendall County Party. Representative Bob Allen clinched the seat for treasurer, making it the first time the party secured countywide office. Incumbent Treasurer Jill Ferko, who held the position for 24 years, received 22,487 votes to Allen's 25,026, according to unofficial tallies.

Voters didn't sway Republican in the county board district races, either. All five representatives who won — two in District 1 and three in District 2 — were Democrats.

This election, Kendall County saw a voter turnout of about 51 percent, with 49,422 ballots cast out of a total number of 96,942 registered voters, the clerk's office said.