Incumbent Has Comfortable Lead In McHenry County Coroner's Race
MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — McHenry County Coroner Michael Rein appears poised to win his second term in office.
Unofficial results show Rein with a comfortable lead over challenger Chris Kalapodis following Tuesday’s election. Rein received 89,362 votes, and 58.22 percent of the vote total, over Kalapodis’s 64,138 votes, which was 41.78 percent of the vote total.
Rein, of Woodstock, was first elected as coroner in 2020 and prior to that served on McHenry County Board as well. He is a veteran of the United States Marin Corps and was the vice president of his family’s construction business for many years. He also owned a his own small business in the healthcare industry and served on numerous non-profit boards over the years.
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Kalapodis, of Lake in the Hills, is a registered nurse who has specialized in critical care, in-hospital crisis response and hospice care. He has not been appointed or elected to any offices prior to running against Rein this election.
In a recent Patch.com questionnaire, Rein shared his thoughts on the most important issues he hoped to tackle if re-elected to coroner. We’ve included some of those questions and answers below:
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PATCH: The single most pressing issue facing our county is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
REIN: The most pressing issue is property taxes. As you will see from my answers below why I have been able to decrease the McHenry County Coroner’s budget by almost 10% in FY2024 and will do again in FY2025. Not only have I decreased the budget but have also increased our standards and excellence within the office.
PATCH: What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
REIN: My leadership and experience make me the most qualified to be the Coroner of McHenry County. I am a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps, was VP of our family construction business, and owned my own small business in the healthcare industry. I was also a 4 yr County Board Member and have been on numerous non-profit boards. Because of my lifetime experiences I understand what it takes to lead a team, to be fiscally responsible and the understanding complex scenarios that need expert decision making quickly and correctly.
PATCH: If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?
REIN: Though I am not the challenger I feel that I have taken the Coroner’s Office to a new higher standard. Receiving our accreditation from the International Association of Coroner’s and Medical Examiners (IACME) has put us in the top 1% of all counties nationally. This feat makes McHenry County Coroner Office only 1 of 37 counties to be accredited through the IACME nationwide.
PATCH: Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:
REIN: Though I have accomplished many things during my first term I am continuing to better policies and procedures that increase efficiencies. During my first term I was able to work with our organ/tissue donation organization more closely in changing some protocols that have benefited over 300 individuals with life saving/changing measures. I was also the first county in Illinois that collaborated with a new organization that uses whole body donation for medical research and education. This gives families an outlet to give back and provides free cremation services to those families in need.
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I have been transparent in giving our citizens an Annual Report the past 2 yrs that has shown what the Coroner Office achieves and carry’s out every year. We show statistical analysis and data points for our county. This can be found on our website for all to view.
PATCH: If you gain this position, what accomplishment would define your term in office as a success?
REIN: I feel that I have defined my first term in office as higher standards, fiscal responsibility, and compassion to all deaths in McHenry County. I will continue to lead with these accomplishments in the second term as well.
PATCH: Why are you running for office?
REIN: I am running for this position because I feel that I will continue to give the citizens of McHenry County high quality leadership, fiscal responsibility and compassion to all.
PATCH: Explain your attitudes toward fiscal policy, government spending and how taxpayer dollars should be handled by your office?
REIN: I have shown that you can function at the highest standard along with being fiscally responsible throughout my less than 4 yrs since I took office. I was able to secure a $113,000 DOJ, that was only given to less than 10 counties nationwide in 2022. This money was used to secure new equipment, increase security measures and increase training to all deputies.
I lowered our budget in FY2024 by 10% and will lower our budget by around the same in FY2025. Because of my business background I put into place cost saving measures to accomplish this feat, and keeping the highest standards of the office.
I was able to replace our old aging fleet of vehicles without using taxpayer property tax dollars. These cost savings initiative keeps your property taxes as low as possible while also giving the highest quality standards.
PATCH: What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
REIN: I am a lifelong resident of McHenry County. After graduating high school I joined the United States Marine Corps. After being honorably discharged I worked in the family construction business and ascended to the role of VP. After almost a decade of the construction field I returned to school. I received my degrees in 8 yrs that included Associates of Science, Bachelors in Human Biology and a Doctorate of Chiropractic. As a Doctor of Chiropractic, and one of the few professions able to diagnose patients, we are held at the same standard as M.D.’s under the Medical Practice Act in Illinois in retaining our license.
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