Smentek wins DuPage forest preserve District 1 seat

Susan M. Smentek, a Democrat, won the race for DuPage County Forest Preserve Board District 1, according to unofficial results from the DuPage County Clerk. Smentek received 27,549 votes, or 58.5%, to Republican Carolyn Ubriaco's 19,548 votes, or 41.5%, out of 47,097 votes counted. All 105 reporting units have reported.

Smentek won by 8,001 votes, a margin of 17.0 percentage points. She will replace Commissioner Marsha Murphy, who has represented District 1 on the seven-member board.

What was at stake

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

District 1 was one of three district seats scheduled for the Nov. 3 ballot under a staggered-term cycle set after the 2022 election.

The key issues:

• Smentek, 60, of Elmhurst, campaigned on land conservation, expanding trail connections and integrating renewable energy across district operations, according to a Daily Herald candidate profile published Oct. 20.
• Ubriaco, 65, of Elmhurst, emphasized stormwater management partnerships and safe trail access, according to a separate Daily Herald profile published the same day.
• Both candidates listed previous service as Elmhurst Park District commissioners.

The winner will help oversee the district's preserves, which serve residents across DuPage County, including Lombard and Glen Ellyn.

A little history

Murphy has held the District 1 seat since at least 2022, when all seven board members were sworn in as incumbents, according to a district news release. Neither Smentek nor Ubriaco is the incumbent for this seat. Smentek won a Democratic primary against Quinn F. Fulmer on March 17. Ubriaco ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

What's next

The results remain unofficial until the DuPage County Clerk completes the canvass. Under Illinois law, county clerks must conclude the canvass within 21 days of the election.

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.