Monica Gordon, the Democrat who took office as Cook County Clerk in December 2024, is certified for the ballot in the Nov. 3, 2026 general election. North Shore residents in New Trier Township cast ballots through the Cook County Clerk's office, which administers elections and vital records across suburban Cook County.
Gordon became the youngest woman and the third African American to hold the post when she was sworn in on Dec. 2, 2024, according to a City Club of Chicago profile. She is a longtime resident of the Chicago Southland region of Cook County, according to the City Club of Chicago.
Candidate information
- Party: Democratic
- Office sought: Cook County Clerk
- Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
- Education: Bachelor's degree in journalism, Northern Illinois University; master's degree in communications and training, Governors State University
- Current role: Cook County Clerk (sworn in Dec. 2, 2024)
Experience and public service
Gordon's background spans government and civic work.
Before becoming clerk, she served as a Cook County commissioner representing the 5th District from 2022 to 2024. She was vice chair of the Transportation Committee, according to the City Club of Chicago. Her professional background includes work as executive director of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Foundation, director of government affairs and community relations at Chicago State University, and founder of EQ Capital Consulting LLC, according to BallotReady.
She also served as board chair at Prairie State Community College and as Democratic committeeperson for Bloom Township. Gordon has held roles with the Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association, the National Association of Counties Transportation Steering Committee, the Chicago Southland Economic Development Corporation and Girls 4 Science, according to the City Club of Chicago. She also served as treasurer of Illinois Democratic Women and as a fellow with the Edgar Program and Illinois Women in Leadership.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Gordon's campaign website and a published candidate response in Politico's Illinois Playbook.
Election security and voting rights: Gordon said her office prepared for months to address the possibility of a federal presence at polls ahead of the March 2026 primary. She said the county deployed additional security personnel and election judges during early voting and on Election Day, with staff "strategically located throughout suburban Cook County." Gordon said her office's crisis management planning accounts for both cyber and physical threats. "Our responsibility is to be prepared, not reactive," she said, according to Politico.
Gordon said on her campaign website that she supports multilingual support and disability accommodations so that language barriers and physical challenges do not prevent access to services. On elections, she said fairness means accessible polling locations, extended voting hours and voter education initiatives that reach all demographics.
Government modernization: Gordon said she wants to modernize the clerk's office through digital transformation, including automating routine tasks such as document processing, voter registration and record keeping. She said adopting electronic filing and online service portals can reduce paperwork, minimize errors and speed up service delivery, according to her campaign website.
She also said she supports redesigning workflows to eliminate unnecessary steps, such as simplifying procedures for obtaining licenses or permits.
Working families and public safety: Gordon said on her campaign website that she supports legislative policies that back working families. She also said she advocates for funding in youth development, violence prevention, safety infrastructure and reentry programs.
Endorsements
The following endorsements are claimed by the endorsing organizations, according to BallotReady profile data:
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134
- International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399
- IUOE Local 150
- Chicago Federation of Labour
- Cook County Democrats
- Equality IL
- Personal PAC
Candidate positions and priorities in this profile are based on campaign materials and published candidate responses. They reflect the candidate's own statements and have not been independently verified.
