There is no Republican on the ballot this November for the Kane County Board seat covering downtown Aurora, but that has not made the District 3 race quiet. Incumbent Democrat Anita Lewis, 68, is seeking a third term against independent challenger Guy Bodie, 59, in a contest shaped by inflation, data center anxiety and fear in Aurora's immigrant community ahead of the Nov. 3 general election.
Lewis, first elected to the county board in 2018, told the Chicago Tribune that her constituents are wrestling with inflation, affordable housing and ICE immigration enforcement. She said people are struggling to afford gas and are turning to food pantries because of budget pressures, and that many working families simply cannot afford decent apartments or houses. District 3 stretches across downtown Aurora, portions of east and west Aurora, and parts of neighboring Montgomery, a footprint set after the decennial redistricting process, according to the Kane County Democratic Women.
Fear Over ICE Enforcement Weighs on Aurora Families
Per the Tribune's report, Aurora residents are concerned about undocumented neighbors being taken away by ICE and children being left without caregivers as a result. Lewis said she plans to keep working on ICE-related issues, economic development and better communication with constituents if reelected, including a possible newsletter or forum.
Lewis describes her role as jobs chair of Kane County's economic development group, according to the Tribune. She previously served on the Aurora District 131 school board before joining the county board. On the economic front, she said she wants to focus on business retention and attracting companies that fit Kane County's needs as jobs chairman of the county's economic development group, per the Tribune.
Bodie Targets Property Taxes and Data Center Growth
Bodie, running for county board for the first time, told the Tribune that District 3 residents are most concerned about taxes and data centers. He is proposing that the county assess and audit commercial properties he believes may be undervalued, arguing that would help ease the tax burden spread across homeowners. He also said voters want a moratorium on data centers and more transparency from county board leaders about how those projects move forward.
Bodie Points to Jericho Road as a Housing Model
Bodie said he wants to provide more energy-efficient and affordable housing for new homebuyers if elected, and he opposes converting all of the county's farmland into larger developments, telling the Tribune he supports preserving productive farmland for future generations. He also said he would push for the county health department to hire a full-time grant writer and continue supporting sustainable development, while auditing commercial properties to verify their value.
Bodie pointed to Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity's energy-efficient homes on Jericho Road in Aurora as a housing model for new homebuyers and seniors. The 17-home Habitat Green Freedom subdivision was developed through a partnership between Nicor Gas and Habitat for Humanity and unveiled its first completed show home in November 2025, according to the Daily Herald. The homes include solar panels with battery storage, EV chargers and high-performance insulation.
A Board Already Navigating Budget and Ethics Strain
Whoever wins will join a 24-member board. Kane County is Illinois's fifth-most populous county, with a 2020 Census population of 516,522 residents anchored by Aurora as its largest city and Geneva as the county seat, per Wikipedia and U.S. Census Bureau figures.
The board has had a turbulent year. Members voted 13-7 in September to censure Chair Pierog over a leak after she disclosed confidential details tied to an employee complaint against another board member, reflecting friction among board leadership. In May, the board approved 2.5% pay raises for non-union staff while managing a persistent general fund deficit during preliminary 2027 budget talks, even as a proposed 2.7% property-tax levy increase was under consideration.
Those fiscal pressures loom over whichever candidate takes the District 3 seat, since the board must balance staffing costs and data-center concerns alongside the kind of household budget strain Lewis and Bodie both describe hearing from constituents. With no Republican in the race, the Nov. 3 outcome will come down to which candidate's pitch — Lewis's focus on jobs and communication, or Bodie's push on taxes and data centers — resonates more with Aurora and Montgomery voters.
