Despite a total of 17 seats up for reelection on the Sangamon County Board and increased eyes on county politics, only four of those races are contested.
With 29 board members, Sangamon is one of only three counties (the other two being LaSalle and St. Clair) to have the maximum number of county board seats allowed under Illinois law – for reference, Cook County has a dozen fewer county districts.
Republicans have long held control of the Sangamon County Board, with 21 current Republican board members. They will continue to control county government as the party is only at risk of losing one seat.
Learn more about the candidates in those contested elections here:
District 7, southwest Sangamon County
Tara Bergschneider, 37, bedside nurse; Democrat; born and raised in Sangamon County; married with four children
Bergschneider’s campaign has been largely focused on opposition to the county’s April data center approval, which is slated to be built in District 7. She’s also behind an online petition from earlier this year asking the Sangamon County Board to remove Andy Van Meter as board chair and Tony DelGiorno as the Democratic Caucus leader due to their support for the project.
Priorities for district and county?
• “Protecting our meaningful engagement and making sure that government is reaching the people that it was elected to serve.”
• “To restore the partnership between elected officials and the constituents and, because of the direction economic development has taken in our region, developing that shared decision-making process between the public and the private sectors, capitalizing on our essential resources for daily life and operations.”
Richard King, 66, retired IDOT operations employee; Republican; born and raised in Sangamon County; married with two children
King, who chairs the West Sangamon Republican Club political action committee, said he’s “not too hip on” data centers, arguing they should be slated for “industrial or commercial zones, not on agricultural farm ground.” He also said solar projects shouldn’t be “too close to villages that could choke off their growth in years to come.”
Priorities for district and county?
• “We need to make sure we have balanced budgets; we also need to try to increase the sheriff’s office (funding) for more deputies in rural areas.”
• “If I was on the board, I’d probably vote no (during April vote on data center approval),” despite his endorsement from the Central Illinois Building & Construction Trades Council.
District 21, southern Springfield
(special election, two-year term)
Reginald “Reggie” Guyton, 35, actor with Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum; Democrat (incumbent); lived in Sangamon County since 2014
Guyton was appointed in February 2025 to fill the seat vacated by the late Clyde Bunch. Guyton told Illinois Times that he’s not supported by the local Democratic party and has “frustration with how (young Black voters) have been disregarded as well as looked down upon.”
Priorities for district and county?
• “I’m looking for opportunities to improve infrastructure not only through Springfield, but the surrounding villages and cities… I really am for responsible innovation that benefits everyone, not just businesses, but also families and communities.”
• “Transparency within the sheriff’s office is a major (priority); I would like to prioritize the Mental Health Board’s work being implemented.”
• “I’m hoping to bring a more nuanced discussion and perspective in office.”
Connie Sebok, 70, previously worked for Social Security Administration and District 186; Republican; born and raised in Sangamon County
Sebok’s Sept. 18 campaign announcement on Facebook describes how she’s “served on the BOS Center board and now the county’s Jury Commission. I’m running because I want to keep putting that same work ethic and commitment to this community to use on the county board.”
Priorities for district and county?
• Illinois Times was unable to interview Sebok prior to publication despite numerous attempts to contact her. Information was gathered through online reports and Sebok’s Facebook page.
District 12, southwest Springfield
(special election, two-year term)
Sheila Feipel, 61, business development for Heart Technologies; Democrat (incumbent); lived in Sangamon County since 2000; married
Feipel was recently appointed to fill the seat vacated by Marc Ayers, who resigned in April. She expressed a goal of filling the district’s vacant storefronts and using “our taxpayer dollars wisely and not on avoidable lawsuits.”
Priorities for district and county?
• “Business development is one (priority) that my constituents are really talking about, they don’t like the empty buildings downtown or on MacArthur Boulevard.”
• “I really want to hold the county accountable to implement tangible reforms that are spelled out perfectly – the policy that needs to change is in that Massey Commission report and we need to hold them accountable to do that so that we don’t have another tragedy.”
• “I want our new Mental Health Board to live up to its promise: to better help all people who have mental health issues in our community.”
Joel Oschwald, 54, director for Central Illinois District Church Extension Fund; Republican; born and raised in Sangamon County; married with two children
Oschwald said he hopes his nearly 30 years of banking experience can provide a “fresh voice” to entice new businesses and employers to set up shop in Sangamon County.
Priorities for district and county?
• “People want to be safe. We need a well-paid, well-managed sheriff’s department. We need a good functioning court system and a jail with capacity to keep dangerous criminals off the street.”
• “We pay a lot of property taxes and it’s important that the County Board keeps an eye on spending and looks for the most efficient ways that we can serve the community.”
• “Anything that Sangamon County can do to reduce additional burdens on businesses, I think, is a positive thing and so I’d like to do what I can to encourage that.”
District 23, Springfield
Tony DelGiorno, 48, practicing attorney; Democrat (incumbent); born and raised in Sangamon County; married with one child
DelGiorno leads the board’s Democratic Caucus, a group of eight, and has been on the board for nearly 15 years. He’s been secretary/treasurer for Moving Pillsbury Forward, a nonprofit group that acquired the former flour mill in 2022 and raised money to demolish the blighted factory.
Priorities for district and county?
• “The biggest priority for both is trying to revitalize our city and bring economic opportunities to both the city and the county for the area of our district.”
• “We have seen a continued slide of development going toward the west and it is very important for our district that the core of our city is revitalized.”
• “Attract the needed business to keep jobs, develop jobs and give our kids a reason to want to return to Springfield after either going away to school or studying in the trades; give them a reason to want to stay here in central Illinois.”
Patricia Hayes, 67, “semi-retired” attorney; Write-in candidate; lived in Sangamon County since 1988; one child
Hayes told Illinois Times the county’s data center code has a “lack of regulations (that) is astounding to me” and “the reason I got into this race.” Hayes is a Democrat precinct committee person, but didn’t challenge DelGiorno in the March primary, saying she didn’t expect him to be such a strong supporter of the project. Hayes was previously elected to the Board for District 28 in 2020 – a seat that was eventually filled by Kevin McGuire, another Democrat, in 2024.
Priorities for district and county?
• “I’m very concerned about how the data center was approved and the lack of regulations associated with the data center… I also believe that there needs to be reform at the Sangamon County Jail, those are two of my main issues.”
• “My main focus is trying to rein in this behemoth project and try to place some restrictions on it… I don’t believe it’s in the community’s best interest.”
• “There should have been detailed studies examining water demand, energy use, noise, vibration, environmental impacts, and infrastructure needs – none of that was done. They did have a data center impact analysis that was prepared by CyrusOne… those are easily bought.”
This article appears in October 22-28, 2026.
