2022 Cook County, Illinois, elections explained

Flag Image:File:Flag of Cook County, Illinois.svg
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2020 Cook County, Illinois, elections
Previous Year:2020
Next Election:2024 Cook County, Illinois elections
Next Year:2024
Election Date:November 8, 2022

The Cook County, Illinois, general elections were held on November 8, 2022. Primaries were held on June 28, 2022.

Elections were held for Assessor, Clerk, Sheriff, Treasurer, President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, all 17 seats of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, all three seats of the Cook County Board of Review, three seats on the Water Reclamation District Board, and judgeships on the Circuit Court of Cook County.

The Republican Party saw its representation on the Cook County Board of Commissioners reduced from two seats to a single seat. Cook County Commissioner Sean M. Morrison's victory by a margin of 2.58% in his district marked the only victory in a partisan county race for a Republican nominee, with Democrats winning all other partisan elections.

Election information

2022 was a midterm election year in the United States. The primaries and general elections for Cook County races coincided with those for federal (House and Senate) and those for state elections.

In the primary, turnout among registered voters was 21.14%. Turnout among registered voters in suburban Cook County was 19.61%, with 319,825 ballots cast. Turnout among registered voters in the City of Chicago was 22.81%, with 341,901 ballots cast.[1] [2]

Assessor

Election Name:2022 Cook County Assessor election
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2018 Cook County, Illinois elections#Assessor
Previous Year:2018
Next Year:2026
Election Date:November 8, 2022
Candidate1:Fritz Kaegi
Image1:Fritz Kaegi (3x4a).png
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:1,063,188
Percentage1:82.31%
Candidate2:Nico Tsatsoulis
Party2:Libertarian Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:228,425
Percentage2:17.69%
Assessor
Before Election:Fritz Kaegi
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Fritz Kaegi
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

First-term incumbent assessor Fritz Kaegi, a Democrat, was reelected to a second term.

Democratic primary

In the Democratic primary, the incumbent Kaegi was challenged by Metropolitan Water Reclamation District President Kari Steele.[3]

Endorsements

Republican nomination

No candidates ran in the Republican primary.

Libertarian primary

Nico Tsatsoulis ran uncontested in the Libertarian primary for assessor.

General election

Clerk

Election Name:2022 Cook County Clerk election
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2018 Cook County, Illinois elections#Clerk
Previous Year:2018
Next Year:2026
Election Date:November 8, 2022
Candidate1:Karen Yarbrough
Image1:Karen Yarbrough 2013-08-16 (1).png
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:1,003,854
Percentage1:71.58%
Candidate2:Tony Peraica
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:368,095
Percentage2:26.25
Clerk
Before Election:Karen Yarbrough
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Karen Yarbrough
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

Incumbent clerk Karen Yarbrough, a Democrat, was reelected to a second term.

Democratic primary

Yarbrough ran uncontested in the Democratic primary.

Republican nomination

No candidate ran in the Republican primary. The Republican Party ultimately nominated former Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica.[4]

Libertarian primary

Joseph Schreiner, an occasional candidate for office and 2020 Illinois House of Representatives Libertarian candidate in District 19, ran uncontested in the Libertarian primary.

Marco Gomez expressed interest, but did not run.

General election

Sheriff

Election Name:2022 Cook County Sheriff election
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2018 Cook County, Illinois elections#Sheriff
Previous Year:2018
Next Year:2026
Election Date:November 8, 2022
Candidate1:Tom Dart
Image1:File:Tom Dart 2017-06-08 (1).png
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:1,041,525
Percentage1:74.21%
Candidate2:Lupe Aguirre
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:321,252
Percentage2:22.89%
Sheriff
Before Election:Tom Dart
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Tom Dart
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

The incumbent sheriff Tom Dart, a Democrat, was reelected to a fifth term.

Only Democrats have held this office ever since Michael F. Sheahan unseated Republican James E. O'Grady in 1990.

Democratic primary

Dart was challenged in the Democratic primary by Noland Rivera, Carmen Navarro Gercone, LaTonya Ruffin, and Kirk Ortiz. Only Rivera made the ballot.[5] [6]

Republican nomination

No candidates ran in the Republican Party primary. The Republican Party later nominated Lupe Aguirre.[7]

Libertarian primary

Cook County Sheriff's Department Deputy Brad Sandefur ran uncontested in the Libertarian primary after perennial candidate Richard Mayers was disqualified and removed from the ballot. Jack Kozlowski had expressed interest, but did not run.

General election

Treasurer

Election Name:2022 Cook County Treasurer election
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2018 Cook County, Illinois elections#Treasurer
Previous Year:2018
Next Year:2026
Election Date:November 8, 2022
Candidate1:Maria Pappas
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:1,063,160
Percentage1:75.41%
Candidate2:Peter Kopsaftis
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:314,013
Percentage2:22.27%
Treasurer
Before Election:Maria Pappas
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Maria Pappas
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

Incumbent treasurer Maria Pappas, a Democrat, was reelected to a seventh term.

Democratic primary

Pappas ran unchallenged in the Democratic primary.

Republican primary

No candidates ran in the Republican primary. The Republican Party later nominated Peter Kopsaftis.[8]

Libertarian primary

Michael Murphy ran unchallenged in the Libertarian primary.

General election

President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners

Election Name:2022 President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners election
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2018 Cook County, Illinois elections#President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
Previous Year:2018
Next Year:2026
Election Date:November 8, 2022
Candidate1:Toni Preckwinkle
Image1:Toni Preckwinkle press conference 210226-Z-AZ071-3051 (1).jpg
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:967,062
Percentage1:68.54%
Candidate2:Bob Fioretti
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:399,339
Percentage2:28.30%
President
Before Election:Toni Preckwinkle
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Toni Preckwinkle
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

Incumbent president Toni Preckwinkle, a Democrat, was elected to a fourth term.

Democratic primary

Community activist Zerlina Smith-Members and former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin challenged Preckwinkle in the Democratic primary.[9] Only Boykins made the ballot.

Republican primary

No candidates ran in the Republican primary. Subsequently, Bob Fioretti, who previously ran for the office in the Democratic primary in 2018, was nominated by the Republican Party.[10]

Libertarian primary

Thea Tsatsos, a 2002 candidate for U.S. House of Representatives in District 1, ran unchallenged in the Libertarian primary.

Ruben Pantoja considered running, but did not file.

General election

Cook County Board of Commissioners

See also: 2022 Cook County Board of Commissioners election.

Election Name:2022 Cook County Board of Commissioners election
Ongoing:no
Type:parliamentary
Previous Election:2018 Cook County, Illinois elections#Cook County Board of Commissioners
Previous Year:2018
Next Year:2026
Election Date:November 8, 2022
Seats For Election:All 17 seats on the Cook County Board of Commissioners
Majority Seats:9
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Seats Before1:15
Seats1:16
Seat Change1: 1
Popular Vote1:1,013,467
Percentage1:74.88%
Swing1: 6.91%
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Seats Before2:2
Seats2:1
Seat Change2: 1
Popular Vote2:299,095
Percentage2:22.10%
Swing2: 3.88%
Map Size:300px

The 2022 Cook County Board of Commissioners election saw all 17 seats of the Cook County Board of Commissioners up for election to four-year terms.

As this was the first election held following the 2020 United States Census, the seats faced redistricting before this election.[11] A new map was unanimously adopted by the Cook County Board of Commissioners in September 2021.[12]

Democrats won 16 seats, while Republicans won only a single seat.

Cook County Board of Review

Election Name:2022 Cook County Board of Review election
Ongoing:no
Type:parliamentary
Previous Election:2020 Cook County, Illinois elections#Cook County Board of Review
Previous Year:2020
Next Election:2024 Cook County, Illinois elections#Cook County Board of Review
Next Year:2024
Election Date:November 8, 2022
Seats For Election:3 of 3 seats on the Cook County Board of Review
Majority Seats:2
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
1Blank:Seats up
2Blank:Races won
Seats Before1:3
Seats After1:3
Map Size:300px

In the 2022 Cook County Board of Review election, all three seats, all of which were Democratic-held, were up for reelection.

The Cook County Board of Review has its three seats rotate the length of terms. In a staggered fashion (in which no two seats have coinciding two-year terms), the seats rotate between two consecutive four-year terms and a two-year term.[13] This was the first year since 2012 that all three seats were coincidingly up for election.

The seats faced redistricting before this election.[13]

1st district

See also: Cook County Board of Review 1st district. Democratic nominee George Cardenas, a Chicago alderman, won the general election without an opponent. First-term Commissioner Tammy Wendt, a Democrat first elected in 2020, had been defeated for renomination by Cardenas. This election was for a four-year term.[13]

Democratic primary

Candidates
Results

Republican primary

No candidates ran in the Republican primary.

General election

2nd district

See also: Cook County Board of Review 2nd district.

Democratic nominee Samantha Steele won election to the 2nd district seat. Incumbent second-term Commissioner Michael Cabonargi, a Democrat, was defeated for renomination by Steele in the Democratic primary. This election was for a four-year term.[13]

Republican primary

No candidates ran in the Republican primary.

General election

3rd district

See also: Cook County Board of Review 3rd district.

Incumbent commissioner Larry Rogers, Jr., a Democrat, was reelected to a sixth term. He was unopposed in both the Democratic primary and the general election. This election was for a two-year term.[13]

Republican primary

No candidates ran in the Republican primary.

General election

Water Reclamation District Board

Election Name:2022 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago election
Ongoing:no
Type:parliamentary
Previous Election:2020 Cook County, Illinois elections#Water Reclamation District Board
Previous Year:2020
Next Election:2024 Cook County, Illinois elections#Water Reclamation District Board
Next Year:2024
Election Date:November 8, 2022
Seats For Election:4 of 9 seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Majority Seats:5
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
1Blank:Seats up
2Blank:Races won
Seats Before1:9
Seats After1:9
1Data1:3
2Data1:4
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Seats Before2:0
Seats After2:0
1Data2:0
2Data2:0
Party3:Green Party (United States)
Seats Before3:0
Seats After3:0
1Data3:0
2Data3:0
Map Size:300px

In the 2022 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.

Incumbent Democrat Mariyana Spyropoulos was reelected alongside New Democratic members Yumeka Brown and Patricia Theresa Flynn. Incumbent Democrats Josina Morita and Barbara McGowan did not seek reelection.

Democratic primary

Incumbent Mariyana Spyropoulos was renominated. Among the unsuccessful candidates was former commissioner Rick Avila.

Republican primary

Only one candidate, R. Cary Capparelli, ran in the Republican primary.

Green nomination

The Green Party nominated only one candidate, Mark E. Buettner.

Special election

A seat with a partial unexpired term was up for election. Incumbent Perry D. Chakena, who had been appointed to fill the vacancy, unsuccessfully sought the Democratic Party nomination to finish the partial term that she had been appointed to.[15]

Republican nomination

No candidate ran in the Republican primary

Green nomination

The Green Party nominated Toneal M. Jackson.

Circuit Court of Cook County

Judicial elections to the Circuit Court of Cook County were also held. All 61 justices up for retention elections were retained.[16] There were 29 partisan elections to fill judicial vacancies. Democratic nominees won all of these, with only one judicial race having a competitive general election (featuring a Republican Party opponent).

Other elections

Coinciding with the primaries, elections were held to elect both the Democratic and Republican committeepeople for the suburban townships.[17]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tabulated Statement of the Returns and Proclamation of the Results of the Canvass of the Election Returns for the June 28, 2022 General Primary Election Held in Each of the Precincts in all of the Wards in the City of Chicago . 19 November 2022 . 2022.
  2. Web site: Cook County Clerk's Office - Election Results . results622.cookcountyclerkil.gov . Cook County Clerk . 19 November 2022 . November 18, 2022.
  3. Hinton, Rachel. "Water treatment board president Kari Steele to challenge Assessor Fritz Kaegi ", Chicago Sun-Times. September 20, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  4. Web site: Samara . Mohammad . Democrat Yarbrough and Republican Peraica look to history in clerk's race — and rehash a little along the way . Chicago Sun-Times . 6 December 2022 . en . 2 November 2022.
  5. Web site: Terry . Jermont . Longtime deputy Carmen Navarro Gercone loses bid to stay in race for Cook County Sheriff . CBS News . 20 November 2022 . June 14, 2022.
  6. Web site: Yin . Alice . Top rival to Sheriff Tom Dart vows appeal after being tossed from ballot over controversial provision in new law . Chicago Tribune . 20 November 2022 . May 4, 2022.
  7. Web site: Illinois 2022 live election results: Cook County sheriff . Chicago Tribune . 20 November 2022.
  8. Web site: Illinois 2022 live election results: Cook County treasurer . Chicago Tribune . 20 November 2022 . November 2022.
  9. Web site: Esposito, Stefano. West Side community activist takes out second mortgage on home to help fund her campaign for Cook County board president. Chicago Sun-Times. December 13, 2021. December 13, 2021.
  10. Web site: The GOP has put up its largest slate in years to run in Cook County. Some candidates, like ex-alderman Bob Fioretti, are former Democrats. . 2022-08-22 . Chicago Tribune. 26 July 2022 .
  11. Web site: Kapos . Shia . POLICE CHIEF EMERGES — COOK COUNTY's REMAP — PROBING DEADLY FIRES — A NOD TO TERM LIMITS . POLITICO . 13 May 2021 . en . 23 April 2021 . 13 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210513080613/https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2021/04/23/police-chief-emerges-cook-countys-remap-probing-deadly-fires-a-nod-to-term-limits-492577 . live .
  12. Web site: Quig . A.D. . Here's the new Cook County Board map . Crain's Chicago Business . 6 December 2022 . 23 September 2021.
  13. Web site: 35 ILCS 200/5-5 . ilga.gov . Government of Illinois . 18 March 2020 . 4 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200904011639/https://ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/003502000K5-5.htm . live .
  14. Web site: Longtime alderman to run for property tax appeals panel. July 6, 2021. Crain's Chicago Business. October 7, 2021. July 12, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210712033947/https://www.chicagobusiness.com/government/longtime-alderman-run-property-tax-appeals-panel. live. Quig, A.D..
  15. Web site: COMPLETE LIST OF BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FROM DATE OF ORGANIZATION . mwrd.org/ . Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago . 6 December 2022.
  16. Web site: Dukmasova . Maya . Election results: All Cook County judges won retention in 2022 election . Injustice Watch . 6 December 2022 . 30 November 2022.
  17. Web site: Cook County & City of Chicago Primary Election June 28, 2022 Combined Summary . Cook County Clerk . 2022.