Lake County Recorder Gina Pimentel was leading in the Democratic primary for county auditor Tuesday night.
“I expected a close race,” Pimentel said while leading on election night. “The people really came out for a change, and I’m ready to deliver that change.”
Pimentel, current Auditor Peggy Holinga Katona, and former Calumet Township Assessor’s Office Chief of Staff Sondra Ford faced off in the Democratic primary. Charles Messler ran unopposed and received the Republican nomination.
As of about 8:45 p.m. Tuesday, Pimentel had 8,414 votes, or 38%. Katona had won 7,667 votes, or 35%, and Ford had won 5,866 votes, or 27%.
According to the Lake County website, the auditor oversees ledgers and records affecting county funds, and oversees duties related to the assessment of property and levy and collection of property taxes, among other roles.
Pimentel has been recorder for six years, after starting as the office’s chief deputy in 2016. As recorder, Pimentel worked closely with the auditor’s office, she previously told the Post-Tribune.
Pimentel believes she’s the best person for the job, she previously said.
“I’m happy and secure in where I’m at right now,” Pimentel said. “This auditor’s race has been very important to me. I’m looking forward to serving the people of Lake County and providing the change that they voted for.”
Katona was elected auditor in the 2022 general election after serving as treasurer. She has about 40 years of finance experience, Katona previously told the Post-Tribune.
At the Lake County Council’s April 14 meeting, council members expressed disappointment with Katona, who they said hasn’t come into work for nearly four years, according to Post-Tribune archives. Katona said she hasn’t been to work for three years after sustaining serious injuries, including breaking her leg, fracturing her back and tearing both rotator cuffs, after a fall in a Lake County Government Center hallway, and she’s had six surgeries.
Katona believes the action was done to hurt her campaign, she told the Post-Tribune.
“I’m not happy with the council,” Katona said Tuesday. “It wasn’t their job to do what they did, and they just did it to ruin my campaign. That’s obvious to me.”
Ford wanted to run for auditor because she believes the office is “a ship without a captain.” In the Calumet Township Assessor’s Office, Ford worked closely with the auditor’s office, she said. The offices share systems, and she knows what errors have been made before and how to prevent them.
On Tuesday, Ford said she’d back whoever wins the party nomination, even if it isn’t her.
“I will work with whoever comes out as the victor,” Ford said. “Our work is not done. I want to win, but if it’s not me, I will support whoever does to make sure that they are victorious in the general election because they will be facing a Republican challenger.”
