DuPage County, Illinois

DuPage County Board District 6 (2-Year Term)

2 candidates are tracked for DuPage County Board District 6 (2-Year Term) on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Melissa Martinez and Kathleen Zander. Candidate information follows official DuPage County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Sitting board member Melissa Martinez won the Democratic nomination with 53.68 percent of the vote over Lauren "Laurie" Nowak; Kathleen Zander ran unopposed for the Republican nomination, in the March 17 primary. They meet on the November 3 ballot, per the county's official canvass.

What this office does

County commissioner. The county board is the county's legislative and, in most states, executive body. Commissioners adopt the county budget and property tax rate, oversee roads, the jail, public health, planning and zoning in unincorporated areas, and appoint or confirm department heads. In counties with an elected county executive or judge, the board's role is mainly the budget and ordinances.

This race. The sitting officeholder, Melissa Martinez, is on the ballot.

Illinois › DuPage County › DuPage County Board District 6 (2-Year Term)

Melissa Martinez

Democratic Incumbent

Top priorities

Protecting families and community trust, including immigrant families
Responsible, transparent stewardship of taxpayer spending
Accessible mental health and public health services

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Martinez is founder and chief executive of Cool Party Balloons, a retail and wholesale balloon distributor she built starting in 2024, per her campaign site. Before that, she spent more than 20 years in corporate roles leading marketing, strategy and sales across the telecom, lottery, television media and newspaper industries, per her campaign site. She currently serves on the county board and is seeking re-election, per her campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Kathleen Zander

Republican

Top priorities

Focuses on confronting the fentanyl epidemic through prevention, enforcement and support for law enforcement
Emphasizes amplifying the voices of families affected by the drug crisis in county decision-making
Wants county government to respond to drug trafficking threats with urgency

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Kathleen "Kathy" Zander founded the nonprofit My Child's Life Matters after experiencing personal loss to the fentanyl crisis, and has worked with national leaders on fentanyl-related policy, per campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotForest Preserve District of DuPage County President

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for DuPage County Board District 6 (2-Year Term) in 2026?

When is the DuPage County Board District 6 (2-Year Term) election in Illinois?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Illinois are on the Illinois election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact DuPage County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official DuPage County and state election office filings, last verified September 29, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Illinois election office, or see the full DuPage County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your DuPage County ballot

47 tracked races in DuPage County, Illinois. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County Commissioner District 1 Forest Preserve District of DuPage County Commissioner District 2 Forest Preserve District of DuPage County Commissioner District 5 See all 47 DuPage County races

Candidate profiles

Melissa Martinez, full profile Kathleen Zander, full profile Official Illinois election office