The Cook County, Illinois, general elections will be held on November 3, 2026. Primaries will be held on March 17, 2026.
Elections will be held for assessor, clerk, sheriff, treasurer, president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, all 17 seats of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, two seats of the Cook County Board of Review, four seats on the Water Reclamation District Board, and judgeships on the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Assessor
Second-term incumbent Fritz Kaegi, a Democrat, was defeated in his party's primary.
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Pat Hynes, Lyons Township assessor and nephew of former Cook County assessor Thomas Hynes
Eliminated in primary Fritz Kaegi, incumbent assessor
Withdrawn Samantha Steele, Cook County Board of Review member from the 2nd district (2022–present) (running for re-election)
Endorsements
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error FritzKaegi PatHynes Other UndecidedImpact Research (D)October 31 – November 5, 2025600 (LV)± 4.0%31%24%–45%Change ResearchhJune 24 – July 2, 20251,052 (LV)± 3.1%19%6%15%60%
Results
Republican primary No candidate ran in the Republican primary.
Libertarian primary Nico Tsatsoulis is the only candidate in the Libertarian primary. He also ran as the party's nominee in 2022, receiving over 200,000 votes in the general election.
Clerk
Democratic primary Candidates Declared Monica Gordon, incumbent clerk
Endorsements
Results
Republican primary No candidate ran in the Republican primary.
Libertarian primary Hontas Farmer ran as a write-in in the Libertarian Party primary.
Sheriff
Democratic primary Candidates Declared Tom Dart, incumbent sheriff
Endorsements
Results
Republican primary No candidate ran in the Republican primary.
Libertarian primary Brad Sandefur, who ran as the Libertarian nominee for Sheriff in 2022, was the only candidate in the primary, therefore advancing to the general election.
Treasurer Democratic primary Candidates Declared Maria Pappas, incumbent treasurer
Endorsements
Results
Republican primary No candidate ran in the Republican primary.
President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
Incumbent Toni Preckwinkle, a Democrat, was nominated by her party for a fifth term as county board president.
Democratic primary Candidates Declared Toni Preckwinkle, incumbent president Brendan Reilly, former president pro tempore of the Chicago City Council (2019–2023) from the 42nd ward (2007–present)
Declined Bridget Degnen, Cook County commissioner from the 12th district (2018–present) Bill Lowry, Cook County commissioner from the 3rd district (2018–present) (running for re-election)
Endorsements
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error ToniPreckwinkle BrendanReilly UndecidedM3 StrategiesMarch 14–15, 2026465 (LV)± 4.5%55%35%10%Tulchin ResearchOctober 27 – November 2, 2025500 (LV)± 4.4%53%22%25%
Toni Preckwinkle vs. "Someone Else" Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error ToniPreckwinkle SomeoneElse UndecidedTulchin ResearchFebruary 20–25, 2025500 (LV)± 4.4%58%29%13%
Results
Republican primary In the Republican primary for county board president, one candidate filed for the ballot, but was removed from the ballot before the primary. Max Rice and Eric Wallace ran as write-in candidates.
Libertarian primary
Michael Murphy and Justin Tucker contested the Libertarian primary. Michael Murphy, a Chicago resident, prevailed.
Cook County Board of Commissioners
The 2026 Cook County Board of Commissioners election will see all 17 seats of the Cook County Board of Commissioners up for election to four-year terms.
Cook County Board of Review In the 2026 Cook County Board of Review election, two seats, both of which are Democratic-held, are up for reelection.
1st district Democratic primary Candidates Declared George Cardenas, incumbent commissioner Juanita Irizarry, former executive director of Friends of the Parks and candidate for Chicago's 26th ward in 2015
Endorsements
Results
Republican primary No candidate ran in the Republican primary.
2nd district Democratic primary Candidates Declared Liz Nicholson, consultant and wife of former NFL player Gerry Sullivan Samantha Steele, incumbent commissioner
Endorsements
Results
Republican primary No candidate ran in the Republican primary.
Water Reclamation District Board In the 2026 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago election, three six-year term seats were up for a regularly scheduled election and an additional seat was upon for election to a partial term in a special election.
Regular election Three seats with six-year terms were up for election in the regular election, with voters able to vote for up to three candidates. In both the primaries and general election, the top-three finishers were the winners.
Democratic primary Candidates Declared Precious Brady-Davis, incumbent commissioner Sarah Bury, attorney Beth McElroy Kirkwood, incumbent commissioner Eira Corral Sepúlveda, incumbent commissioner
Endorsements
Results
Republican primary No candidate ran in the Republican primary.
Special election A seat with a partial unexpired term was up for election.
Democratic primary Candidates Declared Cam Davis, incumbent commissioner
Endorsements
Results
Republican primary No candidate ran in the Republican primary.
Circuit Court of Cook County Judicial elections to the Circuit Court of Cook County will also be held.
Other elections Coinciding with the primaries, elections will be held to elect both the Democratic and Republican committeepeople for the suburban townships.
See also 2026 Illinois elections
Notes
Partisan clients
References