3 Newcomers, 1 Incumbent Projected For Naperville City Council

NAPERVILLE — Incumbent Benjamin White is joined by newcomers Paul Leong, Ian Holzhauer and Jennifer Bruzan Taylor as projected winners in the race for four open seats on the Naperville City Council, with 100 percent of precincts reporting in DuPage and Will Counties.

The race to fill four seats in Naperville Community Unit School District 203 saw three incumbents and one newcomer as projected winners. Four seats on Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204's board of education will be filled by two incumbents and two newcomers, according to unofficial results.

Naperville City Council Election Results

Eleven candidates were vying for four open seats (four-year terms) on the Naperville City Council. The race included two incumbent candidates and nine challengers.

With 100 percent of precincts reporting in DuPage and Will Counties, newcomers Paul Leong, Ian Holzhauer and Jennifer Bruzan Taylor joined incument Dr. Benjamin White as projected winners.

Paul Leong: 7,465 votes

John J. Krummen (incumbent): 6,046 votes

Vasavi Chakka: 6,367 votes

James Haselhorst: 1,918 votes

Ian Holzhauer: 8,727 votes

Jennifer Bruzan Taylor: 7,352 votes

Allison Longenbaugh: 6,985 votes

Vincent E. Ory: 1,081 votes

Lucy Chang Evans: 3,790 votes

Mark V. Urda: 3,714 votes

Benjamin White (incumbent): 8,502 votes

About the Candidates

Vasavi Chakka

Vasavi Chakka has lived in Naperville for more than 16 years. Chakka works as an IT professional and small business owner, according to her campaign website. She and her husband have two children

Ahead of Tuesday's election, Chakka's campaign website stated, "I am running for Naperville City Council because I believe OUR home – Naperville – needs a city council that not only reflects our community; but also, is committed to its growth. As an experienced IT business professional, a small-business owner, and an advocate for our Naperville community, I support smart investments in security, technology and equitably administering community services."

Lucy Chang Evans

Lucy Chang Evans has lived in Naperville for the past 15 years. She is a "former Secret Service agent, civil engineer, and an MBA student at the University of Illinois," according to her campaign website. Evans is married and has three children.

Evans's campaign website stated, "To hold true to the nonpartisan role of a City Council member, I have not sought financial support from either political party. I have spent about $1,300 of my own money to pay for my campaign website and yard signs. I have raised an additional $1,200 in donations from friends and family to pay for the rest of the campaign materials. I am capping my campaign budget total at $2,500, because I hope to be able to show that a middle-class Naperville resident can win a local election on a relatively small campaign budget."

James Haselhorst

James Haselhorst has lived in Naperville since 1994. He has managed a dental practice in downtown Naperville for the past 26 years, according to his campaign website. Haselhorst has served in the U.S. Navy for more than 20 years.

Heading into Tuesdays's election, Haselhorst stated on his campaign website, "Naperville is a community of communities, a rich, distinctive and prosperous collection of communities. The various business organizations that make up our business community; the diverse collection of houses of worship that make up our religious community; the dozens of non-for-profit organizations that make up our charitable and volunteer communities; the over a hundred homeowners organizations that make up our neighborhoods; youth groups, senior groups, cultural groups, ethnic groups and yes even the political groups. All of these communities are what make Naperville extraordinary and make possible a quality of life few communities in the US can provide. "

Ian Holzhauer

Ian Holzhauer grew up in Naperville and currently works as an attorney at Nagle, Obarski & Holzhauer P.C. He previously served in the U.S. Air Force. Holzhauer is married and has four children.

Holzhauer's campaign website stated, "The Naperville I grew up in is facing its greatest challenge in a generation. The global pandemic and our eroding respect for each other in public discourse are threatening our community. We must protect working families and small businesses, preserve our environment, and keep Naperville a welcoming community for diverse families."

John J. Krummen

Incumbent city council member John J. Krummen has lived in Naperville for the past 15 years. Krummen works in technical sales leadership for a manufacturing startup and as an adjunct professor at local universities. He and his late wife have two sons.

Krummen stated on his campaign website, "I am very proud to have served on the Naperville city council since 2015. I have been listening for a more community-focused Naperville. I want to thank everyone who has voted for me in the past, and I hope I have earned and maintained your trust. Being your councilman and serving the Naperville community is the greatest job in the world and a great honor. We all contribute to this small town with great schools and a strong community feel."

Paul Leong

Paul Leong has lived in Naperville for more than 20 years, according to his campaign website. He currently serves on the Naperville Community Unit School District 203 board of education. Leong is married with two children.

Leong's campaign website stated, "Local government affects residents directly, and it is critical to elect officials who will best represent you and spend your tax dollars wisely. Paul Leong has been serving as a Naperville CUSD D203 School Board Member for four years, and he has been working hard for all of the residents and students of Naperville."

Allison Longenbaugh

Allison Longenbaugh has lived in Naperville for more than 16 years. She has worked at J.P. Morgan for 29 years, according to her campaign website. Longenbaugh and her husband have three daughters.

On her campaign website, Longenbaugh stated, "Development is a way to keep Naperville at the top of the national lists. Allison believes major development processes need to be more transparent and efficient. The lack of transparency and poor project management surrounding the failed 5th Avenue redevelopment initiative doomed the promise of a major development at the Metra station. Naperville can, and must do better. Allison will listen to your concerns, analyze the problem, and work collaboratively to execute the best solutions for Naperville and its residents."

Vincent E. Ory

Vincent E. Ory has been a lifelong resident of Naperville and has served on the city's historic sites commission.

Ory believes transparency is the most pressing issue facing Naperville.

Click the link to view Ory's candidate profile.

Jennifer Bruzan Taylor

Jennifer Bruzan Taylor grew up in Naperville, where she currently lives with her husband and two children. Taylor is an attorney who worked as a Cook County Prosecutor in the Cook County State's Attorney's Office in Chicago.

On Taylor's campaign website, she stated, "As a citizen wanting to be and stay informed, I made it my mission to attend every City Council meeting, including various workshops and commission meetings. Over the years, I built long-term relationships with community leaders and work to stay informed on the issues facing our community. I am actively involved in the community as a DuPage Children’s Museum NextGen Board member and as the Vice Chairwoman of the Westside Home Owners Association."

Mark V. Urda

Mark V. Urda has lived in Naperville for 40 years and has served on the city's Historic Preservation Commission.

Ahead of Tuesday's election, Urda's campaign website stated, "There needs to be a better balance between all the players involved in deciding where Naperville is going! I want to be your councilman and lead the way in ensuring that you’re an integral part of that process."

Benjamin White

Incumbent council member Benjamin "Benny" White was elected in 2017. He has also served on the Indian Prairie School District #204 Board of Education. A retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army, Dr. White is married and has two children.

On his campaign website, Benny White stated, "[A] city our size means that our residents and Council members will have varying opinions on many issues that come before the City Council and finding common ground is not always easy. Benny is committed to learning and listening to other points of view in order to get the best perspective before making decisions."

Naperville Community Unit School District 203 Election Results

Nine candidates were running for four open four-year terms on the Naperville Community Unit School District 203 Board of Education. With 100 percent of precincts reporting in DuPage and Will Counties, the projected winners are incumbents Charles Cush, Kristin W. Fitzgerald and Donna E. Wandke, along with newcomer Amanda McMillen.

Thomas Andrew Binkowski: 3,488 votes

Charles Cush (incumbent): 6,127 votes

William Bernard Eagan III: 3,722 votes

Kristin W. Fitzgerald (incumbent): 7,516 votes

Christi Helm: 1,949 votes

Amanda McMillen: 6,065 votes

Robert M. Reed: 3,539 votes

Adam Russo: 4,436 votes

Donna E. Wandke (incumbent): 6,629 votes

Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204 Election Results

Eleven candidates were running to fill four seats on the Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204 Board of Education. Each seat will serve a four-year term. With 100 percent of precincts reported in DuPage and Will Counties, the projected winners are incumbents Laurie Donahue and Susan Taylor-Demming, along with newcomers Allison Fosdick and Supna C. Jain.

Shannon Adcock: 4,252 votes

Laurie Donahue (incumbent): 6,015 votes

Allison Fosdick: 5,229 votes

Saba Haider: 2,922 votes

Robert O. Harris: 2,935 votes

Supna C. Jain: 5,119 votes

Marina Kosack: 3,088 votes

Yanmei May Liang: 2,810 votes

Rajesh Narayan: 4,126 votes

Kader Sakkaria: 2,299 votes

Susan Taylor-Demming (incumbent): 5,912 votes

How do you feel about the results of Naperville's 2021 consolidated election? Let us know in the comments.