2006 was a midterm election year in the United States. The primaries and general elections for Cook County races coincided with those for congressional and those for state elections.
Voter turnout
Voter turnout in Cook County during the primaries was 31.67%, with 860,941 ballots cast. Among these, 713,040 Democratic, 141,476 Republican, 80 Green, 80 Libertarian, 6 Honesty & Integrity, and 6,256 nonpartisan primary ballots were cast. The city of Chicago saw 38.58% turnout and suburban Cook County saw 25.00% turnout.[4][5][6]
The general election saw 49.85% turnout, with 1,350,918 ballots cast. The city of Chicago saw 49.25% turnout and suburban Cook County saw 50.45% turnout.[4][1][7]
In the 2006 Cook County Assessor election, incumbent Assessor James Houlihan, a Democrat first appointed in 1997 who was reelected in 1998 and 2002, was again reelected.[9]
In the 2006 President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners election, incumbent President Todd Stroger, a Democrat appointed following the resignation of his father John Stroger, was elected to a full term. Originally, then-incumbent John Stroger had been running for reelection, winning the Democratic primary, before backing-out and also resigning from the presidency.
Primaries
Democratic
President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners Democratic primary[2][3]
Suffering health ailments, John Stroger was removed from the ticket in June and replaced by his son Todd Stroger.[11] John Stroger retired in August, and Bobbie L. Steele was appointed to fill out the remainder of his term.[12]
President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners election[1]
The 2006 Cook County Board of Commissioners election saw all seventeen seats of the Cook County Board of Commissioners up for election to four-year terms.
Fifteen members were reelected. One incumbent Democrat withdrew from their election after being renominated, while one incumbent Republican lost his primary. No seat changed parties.
No candidates, ballot-certified or formal write-in, ran in the Republican primary.[2][3] The Republican Party ultimately nominated Henrietta S. Butler.[13]
General election
Cook County Board of Commissioners 1st district election[1][13]
Incumbent commissioner Robert Steele, a Democrat, was reelected. He had been appointed to succeed his mother Bobbie L. Steele, after they were appointed President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
Primaries
Democratic
Cook County Board of Commissioners 2nd district Democratic primary[2][3]
Then-incumbent Commissioner John Stroger originally sought reelection, winning the Democratic primary, but backed-out due to health issues (and also resigned his seat), and was replaced as Democratic nominee by William Beavers, who went to win the general election.
Primaries
Democratic
Cook County Board of Commissioners 4th district Democratic primary[2][3]
No candidates, ballot-certified or formal write-in, ran in the Republican primary.[2][3] Ultimately, the Republican Party nominated Ann Rochelle Hunter.[8]
General election
Cook County Board of Commissioners 4th district election[1][8]
Incumbent second-term Commissioner Gregg Goslin, a Republican, was reelected.
Primaries
Democratic
No candidates, ballot-certified or formal write-in, ran in the Democratic primary.[2] The Democratic Party ultimately nominated Michelene "Mickie" Polk.[14]
Republican
Cook County Board of Commissioners 14th district Republican primary[2]
Incumbent eighth-term[12] Commissioner Carl Hansen, a Republican, sought reelection, but was defeated in the Republican primary by Tim Schneider, who went on to win the general election.
Primaries
Democratic
Cook County Board of Commissioners 15th district Democratic primary[2]
In the 2006 Cook County Board of Review election, two seats, one Democratic-held and one Republican-held, out of its three seats were up for election.
The Cook County Board of Review has its three seats rotate the length of terms. In a staggered fashion (in which no two seats have coinciding two-year terms), the seats rotate between two consecutive four-year terms and a two-year term.[15]
Incumbent second-term member Maureen Murphy, a Republican last reelected in 2002, lost reelection to Democrat Brendan F. Houlihan. This election was to a four-year term.[15]
Primaries
Democratic
No candidates, ballot-certified or formal write-in, ran in the Democratic primary.[2][3] The Democratic Party ultimately nominated Brendan F. Houlihan.[8]
Republican
Cook County Board of Review 1st district Republican primary[2][3]
Incumbent second-term member Joseph Berrios, a Democrat last reelected in 2002, was reelected. Berrios had not only served since the Board of Review was constituted in 1998, but had also served on its predecessor organization, the Cook County Board of (Tax) Appeals, for ten years. This election was to a two-year term.[15]
Primaries
Democratic
Cook County Board of Review 2nd district Democratic primary[2][3]
In the 2006 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago election, three of the nine seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago board were up for election in an at-large race.[2][3][3] Since three six-year seats were up for election, voters could vote for up to three candidates and the top-three finishers would win.
Incumbent commissioner, Democrat Terrence J. O'Brien, was reelected.[16] Winners also included newly-elected Democrats Debra Shore and Patricia Horton.[17][18] The two incumbents who did not seek reelection were James Harris and Harry Yourell.[19]
Primaries
Democratic
Water Reclamation District Board election Democratic primary[2][3]