If you want a snapshot of where some of Kane County’s contested races stand heading into March 17, the League of Women Voters’ two candidate forums offered an illuminating view.

On February 5, the League hosted a forum at Batavia City Hall covering the contested race for Kane County Sheriff and two Kane County Board districts (11 and 13), with several candidates discussing staffing, budgets, public trust, mental health services, and the county’s long-term priorities.

This first forum centered on how the Kane County’s sheriff’s office should be run, how deputies should be supported, and what kind of leadership the office needs at a time when staffing, mental health calls, and public trust have all become major discussion points.

Candidates participating:

Staffing and overtime: Rodriguez argued the sheriff’s office — especially the jail — is not adequately staffed, and pointed to mandatory overtime as a major safety and morale issue. Johnson said overtime mandates are unavoidable in corrections, but emphasized recruitment, retention, and working through staffing allocations to reduce strain over time.

Mental health and jail services: Johnson highlighted partnerships with outside providers and said the jail needs more social worker capacity than it currently has. Rodriguez focused on protecting re-entry and diversion programs, saying those services are key to breaking cycles of incarceration and improving outcomes.

Community trust and accountability: Rodriguez pushed for a citizens review board, framing it as a transparency tool that could strengthen public trust and fairness in discipline. Johnson said the department already has checks and balances through professional standards and the state’s attorney, but said she would not rule out the conversation about a civilian review board.

Immigration enforcement: Both Democratic candidates were direct in saying the sheriff’s office should not cooperate with ICE enforcement, emphasizing Illinois law and the need for trust in immigrant communities. Johnson said the office should follow state mandates and the governor’s guidelines, and stressed that residents should feel safe walking through the department’s doors.

Republican candidate Lou Santoyo reflected on his immigrant upbringing in Chicago, a 28-year career in local law enforcement, and his passion for serving the people and communities of Kane County. 

Watch the full video recording of the forum.

While the sheriff’s forum was focused on operations and public safety, the county board forum shifted toward budgets, service priorities, and the long-term direction of county government.

Candidates frequently brought up the same core question: how do you protect essential services without raising taxes?

Candidates participating:

District 11 (Democrats):

District 13 (Democrats):

Budget priorities and county services: Juby emphasized balanced budgets and county services like public health, along with environmental protection and farmland preservation. Jimenez framed his approach around fiscal discipline tied to outcomes such as affordability, prevention-based programs, and long-term cost savings.

Housing affordability: Jimenez said housing stability should be a top priority, describing Kane County as one of the most expensive places to live in Illinois and pointing to tools like zoning and partnerships to prevent displacement.

Mental health gaps: Linder argued the county does not do enough on mental health and said it should become a larger focus, drawing a comparison to how sheriff candidates described mental health calls becoming a major part of policing.

Transportation and infrastructure: Linder also highlighted transportation, criticizing the local bus system and calling it inferior to what he experienced decades ago. Jimenez similarly tied transportation to long-term efficiency, describing it as part of modernizing county operations and lowering future costs.

The forum also included brief solo statements earlier in the night from candidates who were the only ones present for their race — including Ellen Nottke (District 2) and Anthony Catella (Republican, District 13). The other candidates did not attend.

Watch the full video recording of the forum.

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