Toni Preckwinkle: 2026 Democratic candidate for Cook County Board President

Bio

Party: Democratic

Office sought: Cook County Board President

City: Chicago

Age: 79

Occupation: Cook County Board President

Previous offices held: 4th Ward Alderman

Q&A

If you are an incumbent, please tell us why you're seeking re-election and what makes you the best candidate for this post. If you're a challenger, please tell us how you would improve upon your predecessor's work, and what skills and background make you capable of serving in this role.

I’m running for re-election because the progress we’ve made in Cook County is under threat. Policies from the Trump Administration continue to target our communities, putting healthcare access, public safety investments, and economic opportunity at risk. Proposed Medicaid cuts would jeopardize the health of hundreds of thousands of residents, while reductions in violence prevention funding could reverse historic progress in saving lives.

At a moment of national instability, experienced and steady local leadership matters. I am committed to defending the programs we’ve built, protecting our most vulnerable residents, and ensuring Cook County remains a place where families can live healthy, safe, and economically secure lives. I’m grateful for the support of the Governor of Illinois, who knows that in uncertain times, Cook County needs steady leadership with a proven record of delivering results.

Affordability continues to be an issue for many. What has the county board done, or what can it do, to make living in Cook County more affordable?

Affordability remains a serious challenge for many Cook County families. That’s why we’ve taken direct action to reduce financial strain.

Cook County was the first local government in the nation to use federal relief funds to abolish medical debt. To date, we have erased more than $770 million in medical debt for over 600,000 residents, eliminating burdens that damage credit, limit access to care, and create unnecessary stress for working families.

We launched a guaranteed income pilot providing 3,250 residents with $500 per month for two years, partnering with the University of Chicago to rigorously study the impact. Based on strong evidence, we made the program permanent in our FY2026 budget, now the largest permanent guaranteed income program in the country.

Since 2020, Cook County has delivered $67 million in grants to small businesses with 20 employees or fewer, helping entrepreneurs recover, grow, and remain competitive while keeping jobs in our communities.

Despite falling crime rates, public safety continues to be a top concern for people living in Cook County. What can the county to do address issues surrounding crime and public safety, and how would you go about achieving those measures?

Public safety depends on a justice system that is well-staffed, resourced, and efficient across law enforcement, prosecution, defense, and the courts. Since 2016, the combined budgets of Cook County’s public safety offices have grown from $1 billion to nearly $1.8 billion.

Equally important are prevention and stabilization efforts that reduce strain on the system. Cook County has invested nearly $200 million in violence prevention, including $110 million in Community Violence Intervention, $44 million through Cook County Health’s Stronger Together behavioral health initiative, and $25 million this summer for wraparound services for survivors of gun violence. In neighborhoods where we’ve focused resources, shootings have declined by 60% over the last four years.

These investments reflect a comprehensive approach: strengthening core justice operations while addressing underlying factors that drive crime. The results show that combining enforcement with prevention keeps communities safer and improves public trust in the system.

There have been some high-profile failures of the county’s electronic monitoring program in recent years. What role can the county board play in making the program more efficient and effective?

Electronic monitoring is an overwhelmingly safe and effective alternative to detention, allowing individuals to maintain employment, support their families, and prepare for court, all while protecting public safety. But when a serious violation occurs, it must be addressed swiftly and transparently.

Chief Judge Beach has implemented new protocols to ensure that anyone accused of a major violation is brought back before a judge within 24 hours, regardless of when it is reported. That immediate review strengthens accountability and public confidence.

I am committed to working with the Chief Judge and our justice partners to ensure electronic monitoring remains both effective and responsive, with public safety as our top priority.

What enhancements are needed to improve the services Cook County Health provides, and how can they be achieved in a cost-effective manner?

When I became board president in 2010, about 30% of Cook County Health’s services were funded by property taxes. For nearly a decade, that figure has been under 10%. We achieved that by launching CountyCare, now the highest-rated Medicaid plan in Illinois, and dramatically increasing the number of insured patients.

The most urgent issue is protecting health care access amid federal cuts to ACA subsidies. We are expanding outreach and enrollment assistance at county health centers, hosting Medicaid redetermination events, convening the Cook County Health Medicaid Impact Working Group, and building fiscal resilience with $320 million in reserves and a $65 million grant risk mitigation fund.

By improving care coordination and expanding partnerships with the University of Illinois College of Medicine and UI Health, we are growing services, training providers, and advancing research in a cost-effective, sustainable way that protects residents’ health.

Particularly for our suburban readers, the forest preserves are one of residents' most frequent and noticeable interactions with county government. How would you seek to enhance what the forest district offers residents?

A top priority is expanding ecological restoration to protect native plants and wildlife while providing beautiful spaces for everyone to enjoy. We now have over 18,000 acres under restoration or active management, three times more than when I took office. In January, the board approved expanding Busse Forest Nature Preserve at Busse Woods to more than 1,200 acres.

We are also investing in capital improvements, including four miles of upgrades to the Des Plaines River Trail to address flooding and improve safety and access, in close partnership with local municipalities, with more work planned further south.

Equally important is expanding community connections, nature center programming, and school partnerships, with special outreach to families who may not have visited before. Nature benefits mental and physical health, and we are committed to making the preserves accessible, welcoming, and enjoyable for all residents.