Which Cook County Races are Getting Spicy?

In a presidential election year, it can be easy to forget about lesser-known positions like clerks, commissioners, and committeepeople. Luckily, the City Cast Chicago team is here to make sure you are informed heading to the polls.

The Spicy Cook County Board of Review Race

If you think your property tax assessment — which is determined by the Cook County Assessor — is too high, you can appeal to the Board of Review.

The bodies are a check and balance against each other, but the election for one board seat has turned into a proxy war, Illinois Answers Project reporter Alex Nitkin told City Cast Chicago.

• Incumbent Larry Rogers Jr. is the longest-serving member of the three-person Board of Review. But he and Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi have been beefing over new processes and old systems, throwing around accusations of incompetence and corruption.

• South suburban assessor Larecia Tucker is the Democratic challenger who is almost entirely backed by the independently wealthy Kaegi. Typically, the assessor’s office hasn’t gotten involved in Board of Review races.

What to Know About Cook County Circuit Court Clerk

The office is tasked with keeping all court records. Largely a managerial role dealing with everything from divorce to traffic tickets, most courts across the country don’t elect their clerks, Nitkin said.

• Incumbent Iris Y. Martinez has brought a case management system online and launched a customer service call center. But under her leadership, a new search portal to look up pending criminal cases also briefly included juvenile records contrary to state law.
• Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Mariyana Spyropoulos is running to professionalize the office. That includes making court documents and information more accessible to the public.