Voters in Naperville, Illinois, went to the polls on Tuesday for the consolidated local elections of 2025. According to projected results, there are three Indian Americans who have emerged winners.
Supna Jain , a non-partisan candidate who was born and raised in Illinois, is one of the projected winners for one of the four open seats in the Indian Prairie School District 204 . She is also an incumbent and has secured 20% of the votes. In explaining her reasons for running for re-election Jain said that for her entire life, she has been in the role of a ‘student’ or an ‘educator’. “If there is anything I understand, it is the power of education. I have experienced and witnessed its ability to teach each child how to learn, understand diverse perspectives, think critically, and become contributing members of our society. Education gives our children options on what they hope to do in life today and in the future. Education has been at the centre of my roles as a parent, educator, and community advocate,” she said on her campaign website. An experienced academician, Jain is a principal lecturer in communication and director of the speaking centre at North Central College in Naperville. She also teaches Indian dance at the Naperville Park district and is the founder and artistic director of a non-profit dance troupe.
From her past four years on the school board, she feels that she has understood the vital role that the board plays in children’s development - from addressing remote learning challenges, redrawing boundaries, crafting a five-year strategic plan, and conducting a master facility assessment. The Indian Prairie School District 204 serves over 25,600 students from Will and DuPage counties and covers 33 schools.
Ashfaq Syed , a newcomer, has been elected to the Naperville City Council winning one of the four open slots. Syed, who has roots in Hyderabad, becomes the first Indian American to hold this position. He is well-recognised for community service and serves on several boards and co-chaired the 2020 census committee.
He has also had a successful career in finance and banking and serves as president of the Naperville Public Library board of trustees and is a board member for Loaves & Fishes Community Services and Naperville Neighbors United. Syed chose to run for city council because he believes in the need for leaders who know how to bring people together to solve the most pressing challenges. His top priorities are fiscal responsibility, excellence in public safety, and responsible development, Syed had stated in his campaign. “My top priorities are all with a focus on sustainability. I will work to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used efficiently to maintain and improve city services while alleviating the financial burden on residents.”
Indian American Meghna Bansal , who also ran for a position on the city council, is in sixth place. Council members have four-year terms.
Aishwarya Balakrishna, who is a newcomer and was the youngest candidate across all the electoral races in Naperville this year, is among the projected winners for the four open seats on the Naperville Park District Board of Commissioners. All park board commissioners serve four-year terms. She ran because she believes that every resident deserves vibrant public spaces and a say in how they’re run. A daughter of Indian American immigrants and a lifelong Naperville resident, Balakrishna feels she has received a lot from the community and wants to give back. On her campaign website, she has said that she is committed to fostering healthier communities through evidence-based approaches and community-driven initiatives.
Naperville’s parks and programmes are vital to the community’s well-being and identity, she said. “Our common spaces are where we connect and form community bonds. As someone who grew up in our parks and continues to use its programmes to this day, I have experienced this first hand and want to make our parks and programmes more accessible, affordable, and inclusive for all of our residents.”
Supna Jain , a non-partisan candidate who was born and raised in Illinois, is one of the projected winners for one of the four open seats in the Indian Prairie School District 204 . She is also an incumbent and has secured 20% of the votes. In explaining her reasons for running for re-election Jain said that for her entire life, she has been in the role of a ‘student’ or an ‘educator’. “If there is anything I understand, it is the power of education. I have experienced and witnessed its ability to teach each child how to learn, understand diverse perspectives, think critically, and become contributing members of our society. Education gives our children options on what they hope to do in life today and in the future. Education has been at the centre of my roles as a parent, educator, and community advocate,” she said on her campaign website. An experienced academician, Jain is a principal lecturer in communication and director of the speaking centre at North Central College in Naperville. She also teaches Indian dance at the Naperville Park district and is the founder and artistic director of a non-profit dance troupe.
From her past four years on the school board, she feels that she has understood the vital role that the board plays in children’s development - from addressing remote learning challenges, redrawing boundaries, crafting a five-year strategic plan, and conducting a master facility assessment. The Indian Prairie School District 204 serves over 25,600 students from Will and DuPage counties and covers 33 schools.
Ashfaq Syed , a newcomer, has been elected to the Naperville City Council winning one of the four open slots. Syed, who has roots in Hyderabad, becomes the first Indian American to hold this position. He is well-recognised for community service and serves on several boards and co-chaired the 2020 census committee.
He has also had a successful career in finance and banking and serves as president of the Naperville Public Library board of trustees and is a board member for Loaves & Fishes Community Services and Naperville Neighbors United. Syed chose to run for city council because he believes in the need for leaders who know how to bring people together to solve the most pressing challenges. His top priorities are fiscal responsibility, excellence in public safety, and responsible development, Syed had stated in his campaign. “My top priorities are all with a focus on sustainability. I will work to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used efficiently to maintain and improve city services while alleviating the financial burden on residents.”
Indian American Meghna Bansal , who also ran for a position on the city council, is in sixth place. Council members have four-year terms.
Aishwarya Balakrishna, who is a newcomer and was the youngest candidate across all the electoral races in Naperville this year, is among the projected winners for the four open seats on the Naperville Park District Board of Commissioners. All park board commissioners serve four-year terms. She ran because she believes that every resident deserves vibrant public spaces and a say in how they’re run. A daughter of Indian American immigrants and a lifelong Naperville resident, Balakrishna feels she has received a lot from the community and wants to give back. On her campaign website, she has said that she is committed to fostering healthier communities through evidence-based approaches and community-driven initiatives.
Naperville’s parks and programmes are vital to the community’s well-being and identity, she said. “Our common spaces are where we connect and form community bonds. As someone who grew up in our parks and continues to use its programmes to this day, I have experienced this first hand and want to make our parks and programmes more accessible, affordable, and inclusive for all of our residents.”
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