NW Side incumbents cruise to victory, but District 1 Chicago school board race too close to call

by BRIAN NADIG

Incumbents Lindsay LaPointe (D-19) and Mike Kelly (D-15) are the winners of their state representative races and state Senator Robert Martwick (D-10) will be re-elected, but the Northwest Side District 1 Chicago school board race between Jennifer Custer and Michelle Pierre is too close to call as of 9 p.m. on election night, Nov. 5.

Jennifer Custer, a former suburban school teacher and administrator, and Michelle Pierre, a proponent of school choice who has worked at charter and public schools, were in a close race.

Custer was leading with 117 of 151 precincts reporting, according to unofficial voting results. Custer had 31,276 votes compared to 30,205 for Pierre.

Alderman Nicholas Sposato (38th) endorsed Pierre, while many Northwest Side elected officials put their support behind Custer, who was also backed by the Chicago Teachers Union. During her campaign, Custer was critical of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s handling of school board issues.

Meanwhile, with more than half of the precincts reporting, LaPointe had 18,057 votes compared to 9,426 for her Republican challenger John Zimmers. Kelly had 20,955 votes compared to 13,385 votes for his Republican challenger Mark Albers, who also ran in 2022.

Martwick had  33,866 votes compared to 24,552 votes for his Republican challenger Jon Luers, who ran as a write-in candidate in 2022.

State Representative Brad Stephens (R-20) was unopposed.

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