Daniel Hebreard, the Democratic incumbent, won the race for DuPage County Forest Preserve Board president, defeating Republican Carl Schultz by 75,393 votes, according to unofficial results from the DuPage County Clerk. Hebreard had 181,993 votes, or 63.1%, to Schultz's 106,600 votes, or 36.9%, out of 288,593 votes counted as of 9:36 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3. All 600 of 600 reporting units have reported.

The results are unofficial. The Illinois State Board of Elections said on Instagram that vote-by-mail and provisional ballots still need to be counted after election night.

What was at stake

The board president leads the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County's governing body.

The key issues:

  • Spending and oversight: Schultz, in a candidate questionnaire, said Hebreard raised the district's budget by 70% in seven years while adding only about 85 acres. Hebreard's campaign said he passed a $40 million bond issuance without raising taxes.
  • Commissioner pay and benefits: Hebreard's campaign called for reducing commissioner salaries by 70% to 75% and abolishing commissioner pensions and health care benefits.
  • Environment: Hebreard's campaign said he lives in a solar-powered home and wants to bring more solar-powered amenities to the preserves. Schultz said his focus is connecting people with nature and making preserves accessible to every family.

A little history

Hebreard has served as board president since 2018. His campaign said he was a senior ranger with the Forest Preserve District from 2005 to 2018 before winning the presidency. Schultz served as a forest preserve commissioner for District 5 from 2002 to 2012 and owns Horticultural Consultants, a business he has run since 1986. He also served as an appointed Naperville Township trustee.

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

Candidate

Votes

Percent

DANIEL HEBREARD

181,993

63.1%

CARL SCHULTZ

106,600

36.9%

Total

288,593

Source: DuPage County Clerk. Results current as of Nov. 3, 2026, 9:36 p.m. CST. Reporting: 600 of 600. Unofficial results; every reporting unit has reported.