We Are Proud to Support these 2026 General Election Democratic Candidates in November
Every election season, GPAD works to connect our community with the candidates who share our values and will fight for our neighbors. Here you will find the Democratic candidates running in Palatine Township's districts this November - from federal and statewide races to your local state and county representatives.
But beyond simply knowing who is on your ballot, this is an invitation to take action. Whether you have five minutes to sign up for a newsletter, a front yard to display a campaign sign, or an afternoon to volunteer, your engagement is the engine that drives local victories. Use the information below to learn about our nominees, connect with their campaigns, and find out how you can help.
Together, we can elect leaders who will fight for our families, protect our rights, and build a stronger Illinois.
To find your districts and elected officials, use the official Cook County Voter Lookup tool. Enter your address to view your districts, current elected officials, & polling location.
United States Senate
Juliana Stratton
Candidate for U.S. Senate
Juliana Stratton has served as Illinois' 48th Lieutenant Governor since 2019, working alongside Governor JB Pritzker to raise the minimum wage, protect reproductive freedom, and invest in the state's infrastructure and economy. A former state representative and attorney, she was born and raised on Chicago's South Side, the daughter of a Navy veteran and a public school teacher, and is a graduate of DePaul University College of Law. She is running to fill the seat of retiring U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, campaigning on Medicare for All, a $25 federal minimum wage, and putting working families ahead of corporate special interests.
Campaign Info
Website: julianastratton.com
How to Get Involved: julianastratton.com/get-involved
United States House of Representatives
Mike Quigley ● Incumbent
Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives — 5th District
Mike Quigley has represented Illinois' 5th Congressional District since winning a special election in April 2009, making him one of the longest-serving members of Illinois' congressional delegation. A former Cook County Commissioner, he now serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Appropriations Committee. He has championed funding for housing, public transit, and infrastructure across Chicago's North Side and northwest suburbs, while prioritizing healthcare, climate policy, and gun violence prevention.
Campaign Info
Website: quigleyforcongress.com
How to Get Involved: quigleyforcongress.com/get-involved
Melissa Bean
Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives — 8th District
Melissa Bean represented Illinois' 8th Congressional District for three terms from 2005 to 2011, becoming the first Democrat to hold the seat since its formation in 1935. A Des Plaines native and graduate of Roosevelt University, she built her career in small business and financial services, later serving as CEO of Mesirow Wealth Advisors and in a leadership role at JPMorgan Chase. During her time in Congress she served on the House Financial Services Committee and helped pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Wall Street reforms, and the Affordable Care Act. She is returning to reclaim the seat vacated by Raja Krishnamoorthi, running on restoring the balance of powers, protecting healthcare, and delivering for working families.
Campaign Info
Website: melissabeanforcongress.com
How to Get Involved: melissabeanforcongress.com/volunteer
Illinois Statewide Candidates
Governor JB Pritzker ● Incumbent
Candidate for Governor of Illinois
JB Pritzker was first elected Governor of Illinois in 2018 and re-elected in 2022 with the highest vote share of any Democratic governor in over 60 years, and is now seeking a historic third term — which would make him the first Democrat ever elected to three terms as Illinois governor. During his time in office he has passed consecutive balanced budgets, earned nine credit rating upgrades for the state, raised the minimum wage, legalized recreational marijuana, codified abortion rights, banned assault weapons, and passed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, making Illinois the first state in the Midwest to phase out fossil fuels. A vocal opponent of the Trump administration, Pritzker is running in 2026 to protect reproductive rights, immigrant communities, and working families across Illinois.
Campaign Info
Website: jbpritzker.com
How to Get Involved: action.jbpritzker.com/a/teamjb
Christian Mitchell
Candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
Christian Mitchell is a Chicago's Hyde Park native who was raised by a single mother and went on to serve three terms in the Illinois House of Representatives beginning in 2013, becoming the youngest member of the 98th General Assembly. A graduate of the University of Chicago with a degree in public policy, he later earned his law degree from Loyola University while serving as Deputy Governor under Governor Pritzker from 2019 to 2023, leading key initiatives including the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, the Rebuild Illinois infrastructure plan, and the state's pandemic response. He also became the first Black executive director of the Democratic Party of Illinois, and currently serves in the Illinois Air National Guard, inspired by his grandfather's U.S. Army service. Selected by Governor Pritzker as his 2026 running mate, Mitchell is campaigning to continue delivering for working families, expanding opportunity, and lowering costs across Illinois.
Campaign Info
Website: jbpritzker.com/meet-christian-mitchell
How to Get Involved: action.jbpritzker.com/a/teamjb
Kwame Raoul ● Incumbent
Candidate for Illinois Attorney General
Kwame Raoul was sworn in as Illinois' 42nd Attorney General in January 2019 and is seeking his third term in 2026. Born in Chicago to Haitian immigrant parents and a lifelong Hyde Park/Kenwood resident, he earned his undergraduate degree from DePaul University and his law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law, beginning his legal career as a prosecutor in the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. Before becoming Attorney General he served 14 years in the Illinois Senate, where he famously filled the seat vacated by Barack Obama, and championed landmark legislation including the abolition of the death penalty, mandatory background checks on private gun transfers, and the Illinois Voting Rights Act. As Attorney General he has been elected Co-Chair of the Democratic Attorneys General Association, led the fight against the Trump administration's unconstitutional actions, protected reproductive rights, helped to lead a $7.4 billion national settlement against Purdue Pharma, securing millions for Illinois' opioid recovery efforts, and has been a tireless defender of consumers, workers, and civil rights across Illinois.
Campaign Info
Website: kwameraoul.com
How to Get Involved: kwameraoul.com/get-involved
Alexi Giannoulias ● Incumbent
Candidate for Illinois Secretary of State
Alexi Giannoulias was elected Illinois' 38th Secretary of State in 2022, succeeding his friend and mentor Jesse White. A Chicago native of Greek heritage, he earned his economics degree from Boston University — where he played Division I basketball — and his law degree from Tulane University, before playing professionally in Greece. First elected Illinois State Treasurer in 2006 at just 30 years old, he became the youngest state treasurer in the nation, where he ended pay-to-play politics, helped save hundreds of jobs at Illinois-based Hartmarx, and steered the state through the 2008 financial crisis. As Secretary of State, he has modernized driver services with online tools and self-service kiosks, championed first-in-the-nation legislation banning book bans in public libraries, and prioritized ethics reform and expanding access to state services for all Illinoisans. He is running for re-election in 2026 to continue modernizing government and restoring public trust.
Campaign Info
Website: alexiforus.com
Margaret Croke
Candidate for Illinois State Comptroller
Margaret Croke is a Chicago native who was born in Oak Park and earned her degree in political science and communications from the University of Michigan. Before being elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2020, she worked on Governor Pritzker's 2018 campaign, served on his transition team, and then as a Deputy Chief of Staff at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, overseeing legislative affairs. In the House, she represents the 12th District and chairs the Financial Institutions and Licensing Committee, becoming a key voice on budget and fiscal issues. Endorsed by Governor Pritzker and the Cook County Democratic Party, she won a competitive four-way Democratic primary in March 2026 and is running to succeed retiring Comptroller Susana Mendoza, promising to bring transparency, fiscal accountability, and modern budget tracking tools to the office.
Campaign Info
Website: crokeforillinois.com
How to Get Involved: Get Involved with Margaret's Campaign
Mike Frerichs ● Incumbent
Candidate for Illinois State Treasurer
Mike Frerichs is a downstate Illinois native, born and raised in the small farming community of Gifford, Illinois, the son of a Teamster truck driver and a university secretary. A first-generation college graduate, he earned his degree from Yale University and then spent two years in Taiwan teaching English and learning to speak Mandarin Chinese fluently. He returned home to launch a technology startup and serve as a volunteer firefighter before being elected to the Champaign County Board and later as Champaign County Auditor. He served in the Illinois State Senate from 2007 to 2015 before being elected Illinois State Treasurer in 2014 in one of the closest statewide races in Illinois history. Now seeking a fourth term, Frerichs has earned a national reputation as one of the country's top state treasurers — managing over $60 billion in assets, returning a record-breaking over $2 billion in unclaimed property to Illinois residents, earning Morningstar's top Gold rating for the Bright Start college savings program seven years running, and launching the Illinois Secure Choice retirement savings program for private-sector workers who lack employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Campaign Info
Website: mikeforillinois.com
How to Get Involved: mikeforillinois.com/get-involved
Local Illinois State Legislative Candidates
Illinois State Senate
Nabeela Syed
Candidate for Illinois State Senate — 26th District
Nabeela Syed is a proud Palatine native currently serving her second term as State Representative for the 51st District. Upon her election in 2022, she made history as the youngest woman and one of the first Muslims ever elected to the Illinois General Assembly. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, with degrees in Political Science and Business Administration, she previously worked as a digital strategist for a non-profit focused on civic engagement and voter mobilization. In the House, Syed has successfully passed over 20 laws, including landmark legislation to ban price-gouging on generic drugs, create paid leave for organ donors, and allow 16-year-olds to pre-register to vote. She is running for the Illinois State Senate in the 26th District to continue her advocacy for prescription drug affordability, property tax relief, and expanded access to mental health services for suburban families.
Campaign Info
Website: nabeelasyed.com
How to Get Involved: nabeelasyed.com/volunteer
Carina Santa Maria
Candidate for Illinois State Senate — 27th District
Carina Santa Maria is a first-generation American, a working mother, and a dedicated public servant currently serving as an Arlington Heights Village Trustee. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, she has spent her career advocating for the most vulnerable, notably serving as the CEO of Shelter, Inc., where she expanded crisis services and housing for youth and families. Her policy leadership includes developing Illinois' first DCFS-approved home for child trafficking survivors and serving on the Cook County Child Death Review Committee. She has also consulted internationally with UNICEF to establish foster care systems. Santa Maria is running for the Illinois State Senate in the 27th District to champion affordability, expand mental health access, and ensure suburban families have a compassionate and accountable voice in Springfield.
Campaign Info
Website: carinaforsenate.com
How to Get Involved: carinaforsenate.com/volunteer
Illinois State House
Jenny Levin
Candidate for Illinois State House — 51st District
Jenny Levin is a lifelong resident of the Northwest Suburbs and a dedicated healthcare professional running for the Illinois State House in the 51st District. A graduate of William Fremd High School, she earned degrees from Purdue University and Loyola University Chicago before beginning her career as a nurse. Beyond her work in healthcare, she has been a deeply active leader in her community as a member of the Palatine Jaycees since 2018, serving as a Hometown Fest Co-Chair in 2021, Community Vice President in 2022, and chapter President in 2024. With extensive experience in emergency medical services education and community service, Levin is campaigning to improve healthcare affordability, protect reproductive freedom, and bring a neighbor-focused, evidence-based approach to policy in Springfield.
Campaign Info
Website: jennylevin.com
How to Get Involved: jennylevin.com/contact-us
Nicolle Grasse ● Incumbent
Candidate for Illinois State House — 53rd District
Nicolle Grasse is the State Representative for the 53rd District, serving Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Prospect Heights, and Des Plaines. An ordained United Church of Christ (UCC) minister and hospice chaplain for nearly 30 years, Grasse previously served as an Arlington Heights Village Trustee before being appointed to the General Assembly in 2024. In Springfield, she has utilized her background in healthcare and spiritual care to champion legislation expanding mental health access, protecting senior services, and ensuring safety for home health workers. Grasse is running for a full term in 2026 to continue her work on healthcare affordability, reproductive freedom, and strengthening the social safety net for Illinois families.
Campaign Info
Website: grasseforstaterep.com
How to Get Involved: grasseforstaterep.com/get-involved
Mary Beth Canty ● Incumbent
Candidate for Illinois State House — 54th District
Mary Beth Canty has represented the 54th District since 2023, serving Arlington Heights, Palatine, Prospect Heights, and surrounding communities. An attorney and former Arlington Heights Village Trustee, Canty has focused her legislative work on education, healthcare affordability, and fiscal responsibility. As the daughter of a 24-year Navy veteran, she has been a tireless advocate for veterans' services and currently serves on the Veterans' Affairs Committee. In Springfield, she successfully passed landmark legislation establishing full-day kindergarten across Illinois and has championed measures to lower property taxes and protect reproductive health privacy. Canty is running for re-election in 2026 to continue building a more equitable Illinois and ensuring the Northwest Suburbs remain a vibrant place for families and small businesses.
Campaign Info
Website: marybethcanty.com
How to Get Involved: Get Involved with Mary Beth's Campaign
Cook County Candidates
County-Wide Offices
Toni Preckwinkle ● Incumbent
Candidate for Cook County Board President
Toni Preckwinkle is the 35th President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, the first Black woman elected to the office, and is now seeking a fifth term leading a county government that represents more than 5.2 million residents. Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, she earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Chicago before spending a decade teaching high school history. She served as Alderman of Chicago's 4th Ward from 1991 to 2010, building a record as a progressive voice on the Chicago City Council. Since taking office as Board President she has restored fiscal credibility to county government, solving for nearly $3 billion in budget deficits, made supplemental pension payments of over $2 billion above the required contribution, and expanded healthcare access for over 400,000 residents. She is running for re-election in 2026 to defend Cook County's progress on public health, criminal justice reform, and economic opportunity against threats from the Trump administration.
Campaign Info
Website: tonipreckwinkle.org
Monica Gordon ● Incumbent
Candidate for Cook County Clerk
Monica Gordon became the youngest woman and just the third African American to serve as Cook County Clerk when she was sworn into office on December 2, 2024. Prior to her election as Clerk, she served as Cook County Commissioner for the 5th District, where she focused on healthcare and violence prevention, and previously served as board chair of Prairie State Community College, Government Affairs Director for Chicago State University, and Executive Director of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Foundation. As Clerk, she serves as the Chief Election Authority for suburban Cook County, overseeing vital records, land recordings, veteran services, and the county's property tax system. She is running for re-election in 2026 to continue modernizing the Clerk's office and expanding access to government services for all Cook County residents.
Campaign Info
Tom Dart ● Incumbent
Candidate for Cook County Sheriff
Tom Dart was born in Chicago and earned his undergraduate degree from Providence College and his law degree from Loyola University Chicago. He began his career as a state prosecutor in Cook County before serving in the Illinois General Assembly from 1991 to 2003. He ran for Cook County Sheriff in 2006, promising to bring a reformative vision to the role, and has since rewritten the book on what a Sheriff can accomplish. He instituted extensive programming at the Cook County Jail in the areas of art, chess, construction, cooking, gardening, parenting, and literacy, and after recognizing that much of the jail population needed mental health treatment, developed care and treatment programs that have reduced the jail population and recidivism rates. Now seeking his sixth term, Dart is running in 2026 to continue his progressive, reform-minded approach to public safety, mental health, and criminal justice across Cook County.
Campaign Info
Website: sherifftomdart.com
How to Get Involved: sherifftomdart.com/teamdart
Maria Pappas ● Incumbent
Candidate for Cook County Treasurer
Maria Pappas is the granddaughter of Cretan immigrants, born and raised in Warwood, West Virginia. She earned degrees in sociology from West Liberty University, guidance and counseling from West Virginia University, a doctorate in counseling and psychology from Loyola University Chicago, and a law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law. Her public service began with a grant from the Illinois Attorney General's Office working at Chicago's Altgeld Gardens public housing project, where her work in youth drug prevention led her eventually to law school. She served two terms as a Cook County Commissioner before being elected Cook County Treasurer in 1998 — a position she has held ever since, transforming what was once a low-tech, inefficient office into one of the most technologically sophisticated government offices in Illinois. Today she oversees the second-largest property tax collection and distribution system in the United States, collecting more than $17 billion in taxes and distributing funds to more than 2,200 local units of government, while championing fiscal transparency through her landmark Debt Disclosure Ordinance. She is seeking re-election in 2026 to continue her record of fiscal accountability and modernized government.
Campaign Info
Website: mariapappas.net
Patrick Hynes
Candidate for Cook County Assessor
Pat Hynes grew up in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood, the son of a Chicago firefighter and a Chicago Public Schools teacher. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Real Estate from DePaul University and is a certified Illinois assessment officer and member of the International Association of Assessing Officers. He spent 23 years working in the Cook County Assessor's Office as a residential field inspector before being elected Lyons Township Assessor in 2021. He also serves his community as a volunteer firefighter and EMT with the Western Springs Fire Department, and is the nephew of Thomas Hynes, a former five-term Cook County Assessor and past Illinois Senate President. Hynes defeated incumbent Fritz Kaegi in the March 2026 Democratic primary and is running for Cook County Assessor to restore fairness and accuracy to the property tax assessment system, ensuring every homeowner, renter, and small business can trust that their tax bill is correct.
Campaign Info
Website: assessorhynes.com
How to Get Involved: assessorhynes.com/volunteer
George Cardenas ● Incumbent
Candidate for Cook County Board of Review — 1st District
George Cardenas was born in Santiago Papasquiaro, Durango, Mexico, and moved with his family to Chicago in 1978, settling in the Little Village neighborhood. After graduating from Lane Technical High School in 1984, he joined the United States Navy to help pay for his education, and after earning an honorable discharge, earned an undergraduate degree in accounting and a master's degree in Political Science from Northeastern Illinois University. Before entering government he accumulated over a decade of experience working for Fortune 500 companies. He then served 20 years as Alderman of Chicago's 12th Ward, where he was the Deputy Floor Leader of City Council, Chair of the Environmental Protection and Energy Committee, and Chair of the Chicago City Council Latino Caucus. Since being elected to the Cook County Board of Review's First District in 2022, he has served as its Chairman, overseeing property tax appeals for the southwest and northwest sides of Chicago and the western and northwest suburbs. He is running for re-election in 2026 to continue bringing fairness, transparency, and data-driven accountability to Cook County's property tax appeal system.
Campaign Info
Website: georgecardenas.com
Cook County Board of Commissioners
Maggie Trevor ● Incumbent
Candidate for Cook County Commissioner — 9th District
Maggie Trevor is the Cook County Commissioner for the 9th District, representing the Northwest Suburbs and Chicago's Northwest Side. A Rolling Meadows native with deep roots in the community, Trevor holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Chicago and spent over 30 years in the private sector as a market research professional and business consultant. Since taking office in 2022, she has utilized her data-driven background to champion environmental protection, notably passing a countywide ban on carcinogenic coal tar sealants, and to advocate for the expansion of mental health services. Trevor is running for re-election in 2026 to continue her focus on fiscal transparency, property tax reform, and the preservation of the Cook County Forest Preserves.
Campaign Info
Website: maggietrevor4cook.com
How to Get Involved: maggietrevor4cook.com/volunteer
Scott Britton ● Incumbent
Candidate for Cook County Commissioner — 14th District
Scott Britton has served as the Cook County Commissioner for the 14th District since 2018. A resident of Glenview and a practicing attorney for over 30 years, Britton previously served as a Glenview Village Trustee and a local school board member. On the County Board, he has been a vocal leader for suburban interests, championing the "Cook County Residential Tenant and Landlord Ordinance" to protect renters and leading the push for the county's first-ever paid internship program for suburban youth. Britton serves as the Chair of the Asset Management Committee and is running for re-election in 2026 to continue his work on gun violence prevention, sustainable infrastructure, and expanding property tax assistance for seniors and middle-class homeowners.
Campaign Info
Website: scottrbritton.com
How to Get Involved: scottrbritton.com/get-involved
Ted Mason
Candidate for Cook County Commissioner — 15th District
Ted Mason is a dedicated public servant and lifelong resident of Elk Grove Village running for Cook County Commissioner in the 15th District. With nearly 15 years of experience across federal, state, and county government — including roles as Chief of Staff to a State Senator and Outreach Director for a Member of Congress — Mason has served as Chief of Staff to the current 15th District Commissioner since 2018. An elected Elk Grove Township Democratic Committeeperson since 2014, he has deep roots in the Northwest Suburbs and a proven record of helping constituents navigate government systems. A graduate of Illinois State University with a Master's in Politics and Government, Mason is running to ensure suburban residents have a vocal advocate who understands how to build partnerships across all levels of government.
Campaign Info
Website: tedmason4cookcounty.com
How to Get Involved: tedmason4cookcounty.com/volunteer
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) is a special-purpose government agency that treats wastewater, manages stormwater, and protects the waterways of Cook County. It operates seven water reclamation plants, oversees the Deep Tunnel flood control system, and serves more than 5 million residents across the region. The MWRD Board of Commissioners is made up of nine elected members who set policy, approve budgets, and ensure the District fulfills its environmental mission. Commissioners are elected countywide to either six-year or two-year terms.
6-Year Term — Vote for up to 3 Candidates
Eira Corral Sepulveda ● Incumbent
The first Latina elected to the MWRD Board and the first Commissioner from the Northwest suburbs of Cook County, Corral Sepulveda has served since 2020 and has championed green infrastructure, flood prevention, and environmental justice for underserved communities.
Website: eira4water.com
Precious Brady-Davis ● Incumbent
Appointed by Governor Pritzker in 2023 and elected in 2024, Brady-Davis is the first Black openly transgender 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. A lifelong environmental and social justice advocate, she focuses on clean water, flood prevention, climate resilience, and holding corporate polluters accountable.
Website: preciousformwrd.com
Beth McElroy Kirkwood ● Incumbent
Appointed by Governor Pritzker in December 2024, Kirkwood brings extensive experience in municipal operations and community service to the MWRD Board, where she focuses on the District's core mission of treating wastewater, managing stormwater, and protecting Chicago-area waterways.
Website: kirkwoodformwrd.com
2-Year Term — Vote for 1 Candidate
Cameron "Cam" Davis ● Incumbent
A clean water attorney and advocate for over four decades, Davis served as President Obama's Great Lakes Czar and as president of the Alliance for the Great Lakes before joining the MWRD Board in 2018. He is the only public interest Clean Water Act attorney on the Board and focuses on water quality, invasive species prevention, and climate resilience.
Website: camdavis.org
Judicial Candidates
Cook County elects judges to both the Illinois Appellate Court and the Cook County Circuit Court. The Illinois Appellate Court is the state's intermediate appeals court, sitting between the Circuit Court and the Illinois Supreme Court. When a party believes a trial court made an error in applying the law, they may appeal to the Appellate Court, where a panel of three judges reviews the case. The First District covers all of Cook County, and Appellate Court judges serve 10-year terms.
The Cook County Circuit Court is Illinois' trial court where cases begin. It is one of the largest unified court systems in the world, handling criminal, civil, domestic relations, probate, juvenile justice, and child protection cases. Circuit Court judges serve six-year terms and are elected either countywide or from various residential subcircuits throughout the county.
All of the candidates listed below have been evaluated by the Chicago Bar Association, which rates judicial candidates as Not Recommended, Qualified, or Highly Qualified — the two highest ratings reflecting strong legal ability, integrity, and temperament.
Illinois Appellate Court — First District
Judith Rice
A Cook County Circuit Court judge since 2014, Rice has presided over cases spanning domestic violence, child custody, divorce, and eviction matters, and since 2021 has served as Presiding Judge of the Domestic Violence Division where she implemented after-hours emergency protection orders and expanded services for survivors. Before joining the bench she served as a Cook County prosecutor, Chicago City Treasurer, and the first female commissioner of both the Chicago Department of Water and the Chicago Department of Transportation.
Website: judgerice.com
Cook County Circuit Court
The candidates below are running for countywide vacancies on the Cook County Circuit Court, which means all Cook County voters are eligible to vote for them regardless of where they live in the county.
Steven Q. McKenzie
McKenzie has dedicated his 28-year public interest legal career to advocating for justice and protecting vulnerable communities, including children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and low-to-moderate income families. He has spent most of his career with the City of Chicago Law Department, currently serving as Supervising Assistant Corporation Counsel in housing and building code enforcement litigation, with prior experience in the Housing Division. He is widely considered a skilled practitioner in affordable housing, landlord-tenant relations, and neighborhood stabilization.
Website: stevenqmckenzieforjudge.com
Luz Maria Toledo
Toledo began her legal career in 2007 as an Assistant State's Attorney in the Cook County State's Attorney's Office Appeals Division, where she researched and wrote over 20 appellate briefs. She spent years in high-volume trial courtrooms prosecuting a wide range of crimes including murder, home invasion, domestic violence, and narcotics at courthouses across the county. Since 2018 she has been assigned to the Real Estate and Tax Litigation Division, representing Cook County in civil defense and property tax matters. A first-generation Mexican-American attorney, she is the only Latina judicial candidate endorsed by the Cook County Democratic Party countywide for the 2026 election.
Website: toledoforjudge.com
Ashonta Rice
A family law attorney with 20 years of experience, Rice has built her practice around domestic relations, child protection, and DCFS administrative hearings. She is a Chicago Bar Association approved Child Representative and Guardian ad Litem, routinely appointed by the court to serve in some of the most contentious and complex cases involving children. She has been recognized as one of the 10 Best Attorneys for Exceptional Client Service by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys seven years in a row and was named one of the Best Divorce Lawyers in Chicago by Forbes in 2023. Her grassroots primary campaign defeated the Cook County Democratic Party's endorsed candidate.
Website: ashontaforjudge.com
Ava George Stewart
Stewart began her legal career with the City of Chicago before founding her own criminal defense practice in 2005, where she built a reputation handling complex DUI, felony, and misdemeanor cases across Cook County. From 2021 to 2023 she served as Chief of the Misdemeanor and Traffic Division of the Lake County State's Attorney's Office, before returning to private practice. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, which advocates for people with disabilities and mental illness, and has taught appellate advocacy at UIC Law School since 2018. Before entering law she spent over a decade as Executive Director at nonprofits serving homeless and disenfranchised women and children throughout Chicagoland.
Website: avageorgestewart.com
D'Anthony "Tony" Thedford ● Incumbent
Appointed to the Cook County Circuit Court bench by the Illinois Supreme Court in December 2024, Thedford brings nearly 30 years of legal experience to the bench. He began his career as a Cook County Public Defender representing indigent clients, then spent over a decade in private practice specializing in criminal defense and civil rights. He is well regarded for his knowledge of the law, work ethic, diligence, and fine demeanor. Thedford received a Highly Qualified rating from the Chicago Bar Association — the highest rating awarded among this group of candidates.
Website: judgedanthonythedford.com