Theresa Rouse, who recently announced plans to retire as superintendent from Joliet Grade School District 86, is running for Will County Regional Superintendent of Schools.

The future Rouse matchup against incumbent Superintendent Elizabeth Caparelli-Ruff is one of the top Will County election contests after candidates filed Monday for the March 17 primary.

The primary will determine who runs in the Nov. 3, 2026 general election.

The primary includes:

• A heavily contested race for sheriff with three Republicans in the primary and two Democrats

• A prelude to a November rematch for county clerk between incumbent Republican Annette Parker and Democrat Michelle Stiff

• A Republican contest for treasurer with incumbent Timothy Brophy the only candidate in the Democratic primary

• Primary contests in four of the eight county board districts that will be on the ballot

Rouse and Caparelli-Ruff are the only candidates who filed in their respective primaries, meaning they are likely to face each other in the November election.

Rouse, who announced last month that she would leave District 86 when her contract expires in June 2027, filed to run in the Democratic primary.

The term for the next regional superintendent of schools, unlike other county-wide offices, starts in July 2027.

Caparelli-Ruff, who was the one Republican to be elected to a countywide office in 2022, is seeking reelection in the Republican primary.

The busiest contest among county-wide offices in the primary will be the race for sheriff, a position being vacated by Sheriff Mike Kelley, who is not seeing another term.

In the Democratic primary, Dan Jungles, deputy chief in the sheriff’s office, will face Patrick Jones, a sergeant in the department.

Three candidates are running in the Republican primary.

Jim Reilly, a sheriff’s deputy who twice ran unsuccessfully against Kelley, is in the Republican primary along with Justin Fialko and Brian Conser.

Raj Pillai, who was the Republican candidate for treasurer in 2022, will face Carmen Maurella III, the Homer Township assessor, in the Republican primary.

The rematch of Parker vs. Stiff, who is secretary of Joliet High School District 204 board, in the clerk’s race comes after they faced off in 2024 in an election for a two-year term to replace Lauren O’Hara, then named Lauren Staley Ferry, after she resigned to take the job as city clerk in Joliet.

Will County Board

Eight of 11 county board districts will be on the ballot in the March primary and again in November.

Voters choose up to two from each party to run in the November election, when two board members are elected from each district.

• District 1: Incumbent Member Katie Deanne Schottman, R-Joliet and Debbie Militello are seeking the two Republican spots in the primary. Incumbent Joe Van Duyne, D-Wilmington, is the only Democrat in the primary.

• District 2: Neil “Muggsy” Gallagher of Manhattan is seeking one of the two spots in the Republican primary along with incumbents Judy Ogalla, R-Monee, and Frankie Pretzel, R-New Lenox. Bob Howard is the lone candidate in the Democratic primary.

• District 3: Incumbent Sherry Newquist, D-Steger and Marc McKirdle are running in the Democratic primary. Incumbent Daniel Butler, R-Frankort, is running in the Republican primary.

• District 4: Both primaries are contested. Republican incumbents Stephen Balich, R-Homer Glen and James Richmond, R-Mokena, face challenges from Michael Lepore and Pawel J. Tyrala in the Republican primary. Three Democrats are running: William Pratt, Sherri Boniecki-Cooling and Kevin Koukol.

• District 5: The Republican primary is contested with incumbent David Oxley, R-Lockport, James “JJ” Balonek and David Palya in the race. In the Democratic primary, incumbent Sherry Williams, D-Crest Hill, and Karen Johnson are running.

• District 8: This primary is uncontested. Two Democrats, incumbent Mica Freeman, D-Plainfield, and Michael Crowner are running in that primary. Incumbent Mark V. Reavis, R-Plainfield, is the only Republican running.

• District 9: Also uncontested, incumbent Destinee Ortiz, D-Romeoville and Alex Zapien are the two Democratic candidates, while incumbent Raquel M. Mitchell, R-Bolingbrook, is the only Republican running.

• District 11: Four candidates are running in the Democratic primary. They are incumbent Jacqueline L. Traynere, D-Bolingbrook, Tyler Giacalone, Sheldon L. Watts and Barbara Ann Parker. The one Republican in that primary is Steven Smith.

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