Prochaska wins Republican seat for Kendall County Circuit Clerk

YORKVILLE – There is officially a single Republican contender for the Kendall County Circuit Clerk race in November.

Current Kendall County Board member Matt Prochaska of Bristol, a Republican, will be facing Democrat Ryan Kauffman for the seat during the general election later this year. That comes after current Kane County deferred prosecution coordinator Michelle Halbesma of Oswego and former Kendall County circuit clerk office employee Emily Carlson of Yorkville conceded to Prochaska.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the fall,” Prochaska said.

Prochaska won 42.68%, or 3,703 total votes in the race, according to unofficial votes from the county. Carlson had 2,546 total votes, or 29.34%, and Halbesma had 2,428 total votes, or 27.98%.

The update comes after the Republican circuit clerk candidates answered questions about their priorities, should they become the Republican nominee for the seat, during a Jan. 23 forum hosted by the Aurora Area chapter of the League of Women Voters.

Prochaska said he believes he is the only candidate in the race with experience in county government who balanced budget, is familiar with policies affecting the circuit clerk's office and has sat at the table during union negotiations.

“I know how county government works, I know what needs to be done in the office and it will be a seamless transition,” Prochaska said.

Prochaska said one thing that needs to be seriously looked at is the state of technology within the circuit clerk's office. Throughout his campaign, he said, he heard from lawyers practicing in Kendall County who had become increasingly frustrated with how behind the courthouse is, technologically speaking, and not having immediate access to certain documents online like they would in DuPage and Kane counties, for example.

Meanwhile, current Kendall County Board member Matt Kellogg of Yorkville, former board member Dan Koukol of Oswego and former Oswego Village Board trustee Joe West of Oswego won the Republican votes for Kendall County Board District 2.

Current county board member Tony Giles of Oswego and Gabriella Shanahan of Joliet – who is a part-time figure skating teacher, full-time mom, member of the county's 708 Mental Health Board and has worked on campaigns for U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger and former U.S. Senator Mark Kirk – did not make the cut for the Republican seats for the race.

According to unofficial results from the county, Kellogg received 23.80% of the vote, or 2,358 total votes. Koukol came in second with 23.01%, or 2,280 total votes, followed by West with 19.68%, or 1,950 total; Giles with 18.12%, or 1,796 total votes; and Shanahan with 15.39%, or 1,525 total votes.

• This story will be updated as more information becomes available.