The Palatine Township High School District 211 board adopted a policy allowing transgender students to use locker rooms and bathrooms of the gender with which they identify. Angry parents said that the board members who supported that policy would have to pay.

Three anti-transgender candidates were fielded to challenge incumbents. The local election was yesterday.

With 146 of 147 precincts counted in unofficial totals, incumbents Anna Klimkowicz and Robert Lefevre Jr. along with former board member Edward Yung won re-election to the board.

Klimkowicz has 9,823 votes, LeFevre 8,603 and Yung 8,044. The challenger slate saw Katherine Jee Young David with 7,841 votes, Ralph Bonatz with 7,260 and Jean Forrest with 7,150.

I think that what it says is the community thinks we're doing a good job.

I think the community is aware of the transgender issue, but is supportive of the solution that we came up with because it was the most fair for all students.

--Klimkowicz

A controversial agreement with the federal government to allow a transgender student limited access to a girls locker room -- as well as a district policy allowing all transgender students to use the bathrooms of the gender with which they identify -- sparked the candidacies of the three newcomers running as a slate.

Three other, more experienced candidates were also running, but they had no major political difference with the winners.

More than 50 families calling themselves Parents for Privacy are taking part in a federal lawsuit against the district, with support from the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian group. Backers say the transgender policy violates other students' right to privacy.

The challengers were supported financially by conservative donor Richard UIhlein of Lake Forest.

As I finish writing this, here are the unofficial results of the election:

All 147 precincts reporting; 18,318 votes

Ralph T. Bonatz: 14.86% (7,318)
Katherine Jee Young David: 16.07% (7,917)
Robert J LeFevre Jr.: 17.67% (8,706)
Jean Forrest: 14.67% (7,225)
Anna Klimkowicz: 20.2% (9,951)
Edward M Yung: 16.53% (8,144)