What to know about the Democratic primary for Cook County board president

Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) faces off against longtime incumbent Toni Preckwinkle in the March 17 Democratic primary for Cook County board president. Here's a closer look at the race.

What does the Cook County board president do?

The Cook County board president is the chief executive of one of the biggest counties in America. The president oversees the county’s jail, vast court system and large public health system that has a mission and legacy to treat patients no matter if they can pay. The county employs more than 20,000 people. A big part of the job is crafting the annual county budget, which the 17-member Board of Commissioners must approve. The president also oversees the Forest Preserves of Cook County, which has more than 70,000 acres of natural areas where people can hike, fish, bike, camp and even zipline.

Why is the Cook County board president a powerful position?

The president controls a massive budget of around $10 billion, together with commissioners steering money throughout Chicago and dozens of suburbs. In recent years, the county has invested in guaranteed income for residents with low to moderate income and erased more than $600 million of medical debt for more than 500,000 people. The president also must manage relationships with political leaders, from local mayors and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to the White House. The county health system, for example, is heavily dependent on dollars from the federal government.

Who is the incumbent, Toni Preckwinkle?

Preckwinkle, who turns 79 on March 17, the day of the general primary, was a history teacher and longtime Chicago alderperson representing the South Side before she was elected county board president in 2010. She uses her political muscle and progressive values to shape how the county spends money, with equity top of mind. Preckwinkle also is head of the Cook County Democratic Party, a powerful position that can make or break candidates who want the party’s blessing and resources to run for a county seat or become a judge. She has mentored many into higher office, from her former chief of staff Kim Foxx, who became Cook County state’s attorney, to Christian Mitchell, who is Pritzker’s running mate.

Who is the opponent, Ald. Brendan Reilly?

Reilly, 54, has represented Chicago’s downtown 42nd Ward in the City Council since 2007, when he unseated a three-decade incumbent, former Ald. Burt Natarus. Reilly often votes with a bloc of the council’s more conservative alderpersons but is a self-proclaimed “independent voice” on the Council. He has focused on increased transparency around executive decision-making, most notably during his stiff opposition to the development of a Chicago casino in what he felt was a rushed and secretive process. Reilly was a close ally of former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, serving as Emanuel’s vice mayor. He served as president pro tempore under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, though he grew increasingly critical of Lightfoot and backed her opponent, Paul Vallas, during her 2023 reelection bid. Reilly is a frequent and harsh critic of Mayor Brandon Johnson.