Interestingly, in looking at the total ballots cast in each political party’s primary (Democratic, Libertarian, and Republican), no individual race (state-wide or county-wide) received the same number of votes as were cast in total for that political party. The highly contested U.S. Senate race received the highest number of votes, but even that was several thousand votes shy of the total votes cast for that political party. Voters were picking which races, as well as candidates, to vote for. 

Results of County and MWRD Races

• To see the winners of all the Cook County and MWRD races for the Democratic, Libertarian, and Republican Parties, click HERE. 

• There will be at least 6 new Cook County Commissioners on the Board after the November election out of a total of 17 – a significant turnover. In addition to 4 current Commissioners who did not run in the Primary (Donna Miller, 6^th Dist.; Bridget Degnen, 12^th Dist.; Kevin Morrison, 15^th Dist.; and Sean Morrison, 17^th Dist.), two incumbents were defeated in their Primary races: Bridget Gainer, 10^th Dist., and Frank Aguilar, 16^th Dist. 

• There will also be at least 1 new member of the Board of Review as incumbent Samantha Steele, 2^nd Dist., lost her Primary race. 

• All 4 of the incumbent Commissioners on the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District won their races in the Democratic Party Primary. 

• Of course, it is the November election that will determine how many new office holders there will be.

The LWVCC and the LWV Chicago in partnership with the GCFD launched a pilot program focused on voter registration and voter education prior to the March 17 primary election. The La Grange Area League and the Palatine, Barrington and Schaumburg Areas League each partnered with a food pantry site in their area to have volunteers present during food distribution times to provide clients with information about where and how to vote. We are hopeful that this pilot project can be expanded to more sites throughout Cook County in preparation for the November election. We will keep you posted about upcoming opportunities for partnership.

Photo of La Grange Area League volunteers and Grace Central Outreach volunteers in Westchester ready to distribute voter information.

MWRD Plant Tours in May

 Learn how the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District cleans waste water and then sends it to the river system. Drop off medications that are not needed. Free oak tree saplings and milkwood seeds will be given to visitors.

• Saturday, May 2 from 10 am to 3 pm at the O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant, 3500 Howard Street, Skokie

• Saturday, May 16 from 10 am to 3 pm at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant, 6001 W. Pershing Road, Cicero

• Saturday, May 30 from 10 am to 3 pm, Calumet Water Reclamation Plant, 400 E. 130th Street, Chicago

See the MWRD Website for details.

Earth Day Event

“Restoring Nature, Restoring Ourselves” 

April 22, 7pm In person and via Zoom

Northbrook Public Library, 1201 Cedar Lane, Northbrook, Civic Room, First Floor

In honor of Earth Day, join us to hear what Forest Preserve Restoration is all about. We’ll showcase different participant groups (Forest Preserve Staff, Friends of the Forest Preserves work crews, and Friends of Somme Preserve Community) and discuss the benefits of being in nature. Whether you are a worker or a walker or a neighbor, we all benefit from interacting with nature. Open to all.

Register Here