Smentek defeats Ubriaco for DuPage Forest Preserve District 1 seat

Susan M. Smentek, a Democrat, won the race for DuPage County Forest Preserve Board District 1 on Tuesday, Nov. 3, according to unofficial results from DuPage County Clerk. Smentek received 27,549 votes, or 58.5%, to Ubriaco's 19,548 votes, or 41.5%, a margin of 8,001 votes. All 105 of 105 reporting units have reported.

The DuPage County Clerk last updated the results at 11:25 p.m. CST.

What was at stake

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is governed by a seven-member board of commissioners, according to the district's website. DuPage County has six districts, and voters elect one commissioner from the district where they live. A president is elected countywide.

The board oversees 60 forest preserves spanning 26,000 acres and approved a $151 million budget for 2026, a 5% increase over the prior year. Of that total, $69.6 million supports capital projects.

The key issues:

• Smentek's campaign platform listed land conservation, trail connections and sustainable operations as priorities, according to her campaign website.
• Ubriaco was listed as the District 1 candidate on the DuPage County Republican Central Committee's 2026 candidate page.
• The board's 2026 budget includes habitat restoration, trail improvements and land acquisition across the district.

A little history

The DuPage County Clerk's official candidate listing shows Smentek ran as a Democrat and Ubriaco as a Republican. The district's board page lists Marsha Murphy as the District 1 commissioner.

What's next

The results remain unofficial until the canvass is complete. The county canvass must be finished by Nov. 24, according to DemocracySentry.org. Mail ballots postmarked by Election Day count if received by Nov. 17.

Illinois does not have automatic recounts. A candidate who received at least 95% of the winner's vote total may file a discovery recount petition within five days of the canvass, according to Verified Voting. Discovery recounts do not change the outcome.

Election results: DuPage County Forest Preserve Board - District 1 (Illinois General Election, 2026-11-03)

Source: DuPage County Clerk. Results current as of Nov. 3, 2026, 11:25 p.m. CST. Reporting: 105 of 105. Unofficial results; every reporting unit has reported.