Three Democratic incumbents hold large leads over Republican challengers for seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) board, according to unofficial returns from the Nov. 3 election. The results will shape who oversees wastewater treatment and flood control for North Shore communities including Wilmette, Winnetka, Kenilworth, Glencoe and Northfield.
Incumbents Precious Brady-Davis, Beth McElroy Kirkwood and Eira Corral Sepúlveda led Republicans Michelle Pennington, Timothy Rueckert and Jill Shestokas with 71% of the combined Chicago and suburban vote counted on election night, WTTW reported. WTTW described the Democratic leads as "insurmountable," based on unofficial results.
The Daily Northwestern reported Nov. 4 that Democratic nominees are projected to sweep all four open seats. That outlet attributed Brady-Davis with 24.25%, McElroy Kirkwood with 24.07% and Corral Sepúlveda with 23.64% of votes, citing unofficial results from the Cook County Clerk's office. No named news organization in the available record has issued a formal race call for the six-year seats.
All results remain unofficial. Counting is not finished.
Suburban Cook County returns (six-year term)
The Cook County Clerk's election night results page shows unofficial totals for suburban Cook County only, with all 1,366 suburban precincts reporting. These figures do not include Chicago, which reports separately through the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. "100% precincts reporting" means every precinct transmitted its totals. It does not mean every ballot has been counted.
Six-year term (vote for three), suburban Cook County unofficial results:
- Precious Brady-Davis (D): 430,401
- Beth McElroy Kirkwood (D): 427,092
- Eira Lizeth Corral Sepúlveda (D): 419,546
- Michelle Pennington (R): 177,817
- Timothy E. Rueckert (R): 161,434
- Jill B. Shestokas (R): 157,165
Suburban Cook County turnout was 42.44%, with 706,868 ballots cast out of 1,665,720 registered voters, according to the clerk's results page.
Unexpired two-year term
In a separate race, incumbent Cameron "Cam" Davis ran unopposed and collected 541,554 votes in suburban Cook County, according to the clerk's results page.
Chicago totals not yet available
Chicago's MWRD vote totals were not available in the sources reviewed for this article. The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners posts results separately at chicagoelections.gov. Because the MWRD covers all of Cook County, a full districtwide count requires combining both jurisdictions.
What happens next
Mail ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 and provisional ballots will continue to be processed through Nov. 17, according to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. The proclamation of official election results will take place by Nov. 24, according to the board.
What was on the ballot
Four seats on the MWRD's nine-member board were at stake: three regular six-year terms and one two-year unexpired term. Voters could select up to three candidates for the six-year seats, and the top three vote-getters win, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
The three Republican challengers ran as a coordinated slate, according to the Chicago Tribune. They overcame a Democratic challenge to their ballot paperwork earlier this year, according to Patch.
Davis has served as a commissioner since 2018 and previously advised President Obama on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, according to the Evanston RoundTable's ballot guide.
What's at stake for the North Shore
The MWRD is an independent agency that treats wastewater and manages stormwater for Chicago and 128 suburban communities. Its work is funded largely through property taxes. The district's 2026 budget included $755.7 million in property taxes, and its 2027 budget recommendations project $782.4 million, according to the Sun-Times.
Flooding and aging infrastructure are central issues. The MWRD operates the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan, known as the Deep Tunnel, which stores excess stormwater during heavy rain. After days of heavy rain in July, the McCook Reservoir reached between 96% and 100% capacity and the Thornton Reservoir hit 94%, the Sun-Times reported. Sewage overflows entered the Chicago River.
"I'm so honored to have the trust of the great people of Cook County," Brady-Davis told WTTW on election night.
Residents can track suburban Cook County results at electionnight.cookcountyclerkil.gov and Chicago results at chicagoelections.gov.
