Precious W. Brady-Davis, a Democratic incumbent on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District board, is running for reelection in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The district manages wastewater treatment and stormwater for Cook County, including North Shore communities.
Three seats are on the ballot. Voters may vote for up to three candidates. The other candidates in the race are Beth McElroy Kirkwood (Democratic), Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda (Democratic), Jill B. Shestokas (Republican), Michelle Pennington (Republican) and Timothy E. Rueckert (Republican), according to BallotReady.
Candidate information
- Party: Democratic
- Residence: Hyde Park, Chicago, according to the district's website. She lives with her husband Myles Brady-Davis and their two daughters Zayn and Zyon.
- Birthplace: Omaha, Nebraska
- Education: Bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Columbia College Chicago (2013); certificate in senior executives in state and local government from Harvard University (2025). She also attended the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
- Author: Brady-Davis published a memoir, "I Have Always Been Me," in 2021 through Topple Books.
- Recognition: Inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame in 2025. Named to Out Magazine's OUT100 list in October 2025, according to the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame.
Brady-Davis is the first Black openly trans woman appointed and elected to public office in Cook County history and the first to serve on a water reclamation district in the United States, according to the district's website.
Experience and public service
Brady-Davis has served as a district commissioner since 2023, when Governor JB Pritzker appointed her to the board. She was elected as commissioner in 2024, according to the district's website.
Before joining the board, Brady-Davis held roles in communications, advocacy and education:
- Teaching artist and later artistic associate at About Face Theatre (2010–2014)
- Youth outreach coordinator at Center on Halsted (2011–2014)
- Assistant director of diversity recruitment initiatives at Columbia College Chicago (2014–2017)
- Associate communications director and later northeast communications director at the Sierra Club (2020–present)
- Chief strategy officer at Center on Halsted (2024–present)
Work history is according to BallotReady.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Brady-Davis's campaign responses.
Greenhouse gas emissions: Brady-Davis said she will push for a 50% cut in greenhouse gas emissions at the district by upgrading infrastructure across its seven plants to trap methane and convert it into usable energy.
Flood prevention: Brady-Davis said she supports directing flood-prevention resources to South and West Side neighborhoods hit hardest by urban flooding. She said she will advocate to complete Stage II of the Deep Tunnel (McCook Reservoir) project by 2029 to manage heavy rainfall and protect neighborhoods from flooding.
Lake Michigan protection: Brady-Davis said she wants to protect Lake Michigan as the primary source of the region's drinking water and advance green infrastructure to improve community resilience across Cook County.
Land use and pollution: Brady-Davis said she supports stopping district land leases to polluters who endanger waterways, wildlife and public health.
Endorsements
The following endorsements were claimed by the endorsers, according to BallotReady:
- Cook County Democrats
- Illinois Sierra Club
- Jane Fonda Climate PAC
- Advocates for Trans Equality
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134
- Chicago Federation of Labour
- Cook County College Teachers Union Local 1600
- Equality IL
- Northside Democracy for America
- Citizen Action Illinois
- Personal PAC
- IUOE Local 150
Candidate positions and policy statements are based on campaign questionnaire responses and the candidate's campaign website. They reflect the candidate's own claims and have not been independently verified.
