North Shore voters will see Toni Preckwinkle's name on the Nov. 3 ballot for Cook County Board president. The Democrat has held the office since 2011.
Preckwinkle faces Libertarian candidate Michael Murphy, according to BallotReady election data.
Candidate information
- Party: Democratic
- Office sought: Cook County Board President
- Election date: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026
- Education: Bachelor's degree and master's degree from the University of Chicago
- Endorsements (claimed by endorsers): Cook County Democrats, Chicago Federation of Labour, IUOE Local 150, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134, Illinois Sierra Club, Equality IL, Citizen Action Illinois, Personal PAC and United Hellenic Voters of America
Experience and public service
Preckwinkle has held the Cook County Board presidency since 2011, according to her county government profile. She is the first Black woman elected to the position.
She has also served as president of the Forest Preserves of Cook County since 2010 and as chair of the Cook County Democratic Party since 2018.
Before county office, Preckwinkle represented Ward 4 on the Chicago City Council from 1991 to 2010. She taught high school history from 1981 to 1991. She also worked as executive director of the Chicago Jobs Council and as a planner at the Chicago Department of Economic Development.
Preckwinkle is a native of St. Paul, Minnesota. She came to Chicago to attend the University of Chicago.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Preckwinkle's county profile and campaign website. Statements reflect the candidate's own claims unless otherwise noted.
Fiscal management
Preckwinkle said she has not raised property taxes in the 15 years she has been in office. She said she has reduced county debt by $800 million, built reserves and funded pensions at 65 percent, which she described as more than double the rate of the city of Chicago. Her most recent county budget passed unanimously with no new taxes, fines or fees, according to her campaign website.
Healthcare
Under Preckwinkle's leadership, Cook County used the Affordable Care Act to create CountyCare, a managed care program for Medicaid-eligible residents, according to her county profile. The county provides care to more than 500,000 individuals through its health system and health plan, the profile states.
Criminal justice reform
Preckwinkle has pursued changes to the criminal justice system that treat mental health issues, substance abuse and addiction as illnesses rather than crimes, according to her county profile. She has worked to expand the Justice Advisory Council to coordinate juvenile justice reform and public safety policy and to reduce the Cook County Jail population, the profile states.
Candidate responses were gathered from Preckwinkle's official Cook County profile and campaign website. North Shore Weekly presents this profile as part of its 2026 general election coverage to help voters evaluate candidates for offices that affect New Trier Township communities.
