Smentek wins DuPage forest preserve District 1 seat

Susan M. Smentek 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 24,555 votes, or 58.7%, to Ubriaco's 17,265 votes, or 41.3%, out of 41,820 votes counted. Smentek won by 7,290 votes, a margin of 17.4 percentage points. All 105 reporting units have reported.

Commissioner Marsha Murphy holds the District 1 seat, according to the Forest Preserve District's board page.

What was at stake

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is governed by a seven-member board of commissioners. DuPage County has six districts, each represented by one commissioner. A seventh member, the president, is elected countywide. The board sets policy for the district's natural areas and operations.

The key issues:

• Smentek's campaign platform listed land conservation, habitat restoration and expanding trail connections as priorities.
• Smentek also called for integrating renewable energy sources across district operations.
• Smentek listed fiscal stewardship of the district's natural and financial resources as a priority.

The winner will help shape how DuPage County's forest preserves are managed, including decisions on land acquisition, trail access and operations spending.

What's next

The results remain unofficial. The DuPage County Clerk last updated these results Nov. 3, 2026, at 9:36 p.m. CST.

The Forest Preserve District's board meets at 8 a.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at district headquarters, 3S580 Naperville Road in Wheaton, according to the district. Meetings are also livestreamed on Facebook.

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, 9:36 p.m. CST. Reporting: 105 of 105. Unofficial results; every reporting unit has reported.