LaPlante, Maes vying for Democratic nod in DuPage County Board District 4

Two Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination to represent District 4 on the DuPage County Board.

Incumbent Lynn LaPlante, of Glen Ellyn, faces challenger Christine “Christy” Maes, of Glendale Heights, in the March 19 primary. District 4 includes Glendale Heights, Glen Ellyn and Wheaton.

LaPlante, 52, is seeking her third term on the board. She currently chairs the community development commission and the economic development committee.

“I’m running for reelection to finish the great work and new initiatives I started when first elected to the board,” LaPlante, who is a violinist, wrote in her candidate questionnaire. “I’m extremely motivated to bring new ideas to DuPage County, especially when it comes to the arts.”

The county is in the midst of a feasibility study related to sports and cultural facilities. LaPlante has suggested the county fairgrounds, adjacent to the county government campus, would be an ideal location for an arts venue for music and concerts to help fuel tourism.

She also identified food insecurity and affordable housing as two key issues facing the county. She noted the county board has a committee focused on finding solutions for affordable housing. The county board also has given more than $5 million in grants to area food pantries to assist with the growing demand for food assistance.

Maes, 43, identified public safety as one of her top priorities.

“I want to keep DuPage County a safe place for my family to live and grow,” Maes said in her candidate questionnaire.

She added she was running to represent working families and to give people a chance for their voices to be heard. In an endorsement interview with the Daily Herald, Maes said she had spoken with other voters who did not know who represented them on the county board.

“Working families need to have a voice in the district,” she said.

Maes also said she would focus on finding ways to balance the county’s budget when federal recovery funds from the pandemic dry up.

“Competing priorities like health, public safety and economic development will all be on the table as budgets get tighter,” she wrote. “We need leaders who are positioned to balance those competing priorities.”

LaPlante noted the county is in a good financial position and that she would continue to look for new revenue services.

Both Maes and LaPlante said their experience would be a benefit to the county board. LaPlante has served two terms on the county board and volunteers in her community. Maes serves as secretary on the Glenside library board and has a master’s degree in public administration.

Mary FitzGerald Ozog, a Glen Ellyn Democrat, and Grant Eckhoff, a Wheaton Republican, also represent District 4 on the county board. Their seats were not up for election this year.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20240220/news/laplante-maes-vying-for-democratic-nod-in-dupage-county-board-district-4/