Dems sweep Oswego board seats, contribute to Laesch’s Aurora mayoral victory
Chronicle Media — April 2, 2025Democratic candidates swept all four available Oswego Village Board seats in the April 1 Consolidated Election.
Three Democrats — Rachelle Koenig, James Cooper and incumbent Karen E. Novy — each collected more than 20 percent of the vote in a six-candidate field to win election to four-year trustee terms.
Republicans Terry Olson, incumbent Jennifer Jones Sinnott and Jim Marter II all trailed with less than 13 percent of the vote apiece. Marter II was seeking a return to the board following a 2023 loss.
Democrat Jennifer Hughes, meanwhile, earned 63 percent over Republican Lori West, a former trustee, in a race to fill an unexpired two-year term.
Voters in Kendall County precincts of Aurora also contributed to Democrat John Laesch’s victory over incumbent Mayor Richard C. Irvin. Laesch won three Kendall precincts and unofficially earned around 52 percent of the overall votes to become leader of the state’s second-largest city.
Oswego Township voters reelected independent incumbent Brian Hauser as assessor with nearly 62 percent of the vote over Republican challenger Dan Koukol.
In nonpartisan races, former 14th District Republican congressional candidate James T. Marter failed in a bid to join the Oswego Public Library Board. In a five-candidate field, Lu Anne Harkins, Peter Wallers, Terry Tamblyn and James Connon were winners of the four available seats while Marter was fifth.
Eight candidates were on the ballot for four seats on the Oswego Community School District 308 board. Winners included: Heather Martin (17.5 percent), Erika Sieh (15.4 percent), Rovel Pollock (13.8 percent) and Brandi Robinson (14.7 percent).
James T. Marter also unsuccessfully sought a seat on the District 308 board, trailing with 12 percent of the vote.