2002 Cook County, Illinois, elections

2002 Cook County, Illinois, elections

←  2000 November 5, 2002 2004  →
Turnout	52.12%

The Cook County, Illinois, general election was held on November 5, 2002. ^{[1] [2]}

Primaries were held on March 19, 2002. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Elections were held for Assessor, Clerk, Sheriff, Treasurer, President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, all 17 seats of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, all 3 seats of the Cook County Board of Review, three seats on the Water Reclamation District Board, and judgeships on the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Election information

2002 was a midterm election year in the United States. The primaries and general elections for Cook County races coincided with those for federal (Senate and House) and those for state elections.

Voter turnout

Primary election

Voter turnout in Cook County during the primaries was 36.69%. The city of Chicago saw 39.87% turnout and suburban Cook County saw 33.40% turnout. ^{[3] [4] [5] [6]}

Vote totals of primaries ^[5]

Primary	Chicago vote totals	Suburban Cook County vote totals	Total Cook County vote totals
Democratic	512,369	279,236	713,040
Republican	34,272	154,974	189,244
Libertarian	102	15	117
Nonpartisan
Total	548,832	438,846	987,678

General election

The general election saw 52.12% turnout, with 1,423,403 ballots cast. Chicago saw 53.16% turnout and suburban Cook County saw 51.09% turnout. ^{[1] [2] [6]}

Assessor

2002 Cook County Assessor election

←  1998 November 5, 2002 2006  →
Turnout	46.14% [1] [2]
Candidate James Houlihan James P. Pieczonka Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 954,774 305,176 Percentage 75.78% 24.22%
Assessor before election James Houlihan Democratic Elected Assessor James Houlihan Democratic

In the 2002 Cook County Assessor election, incumbent Assessor James Houlihan, a Democrat first appointed in 1997 who was reelected in 1998, was again reelected. ^[7]

Primaries

Democratic

Cook County Assessor Democratic primary ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	James Houlihan (incumbent)	534,407	100
Total votes			534,407	100

Republican

Cook County Assessor Republican primary ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	James P. Pieczonka	135,397	100
Total votes			135,397	100

General election

Cook County Assessor election ^{[1] [2]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	James Houlihan (incumbent)	954,774	75.78
	Republican	James P. Pieczonka	305,176	24.22
Total votes			1,259,950	100

Clerk

2002 Cook County Clerk election

←  1998 November 5, 2002 2006  →
Turnout	47.75% [1] [2]
Candidate David Orr Kathleen A. Thomas Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 992,441 311,552 Percentage 76.11% 23.89%
Clerk before election David Orr Democratic Elected Clerk David Orr Democratic

In the 2002 Cook County Clerk election, incumbent third-term Clerk David Orr, a Democrat, was reelected.

Primaries

Democratic

Cook County Clerk Democratic primary ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	David D. Orr (incumbent)	603,556	100
Total votes			603,556	100

Republican

Cook County Clerk Republican primary ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Kathleen A. Thomas	139,512	100
Total votes			139,512	100

General election

Cook County Clerk election ^{[1] [2]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	David D. Orr (incumbent)	992,441	76.11
	Republican	Kathleen A. Thomas	311,552	23.89
Total votes			1,303,993	100

Sheriff

2002 Cook County Sheriff election

←  1998 November 5, 2002 2006  →
Turnout	46.89% [1] [2]
Candidate Michael F. Sheahan Ronald Swick Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 984,348 296,062 Percentage 76.88% 23.12%
Sheriff before election Michael F. Sheahan Democratic Elected Sheriff Michael F. Sheahan Democratic

In the 2002 Cook County Sheriff election, incumbent third-term Sheriff Michael F. Sheahan, a Democrat, was reelected.

Primaries

Democratic

Cook County Sheriff Democratic primary ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Michael F. Sheahan (incumbent)	558,682	100
Total votes			558,682	100

Republican

Cook County Sheriff Republican primary ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Ronald Swick	135,355	100
Total votes			135,355	100

General election

Cook County Sheriff election ^{[1] [2]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Michael F. Sheahan (incumbent)	984,348	76.88
	Republican	Ronald Swick	296,062	23.12
Total votes			1,280,410	100

Treasurer

2002 Cook County Treasurer election

←  1998 November 5, 2002 2006  →
Turnout	47.98% [1] [2]
Candidate Maria Pappas Richard J. Daniels Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 998,480 311,787 Percentage 76.20% 23.80%
Treasurer before election Maria Pappas Democratic Elected Treasurer Maria Pappas Democratic

In the 2002 Cook County Treasurer election, incumbent first-term Treasurer Maria Pappas, a Democrat, was reelected.

Primaries

Democratic

Cook County Treasurer Democratic primary ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Maria Pappas (incumbent)	586,494	100
Total votes			586,494	100

Republican

Cook County Treasurer Republican primary ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Richard J. Daniels	137,151	100
Total votes			137,151	100

General election

Cook County Treasurer election ^{[1] [2]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Maria Pappas (incumbent)	998,480	76.20
	Republican	Richard J. Daniels	311,787	23.80
Total votes			1,310,267	100

President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners

2002 President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners election

←  1998 November 5, 2002 2006  →
Turnout	48.04% [1] [2]
Candidate John Stroger Christopher A. Bullock Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 901,679 410,155 Percentage 68.73% 31.27
President before election John Stroger Democratic Elected President John Stroger Democratic

In the 2002 President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners election, incumbent second-term President John Stroger, a Democrat, was reelected.

Stroger was only the forth person ever to win three elections for president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. ^[8]

Primaries

Democratic

President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners Democratic primary ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John H. Stroger, Jr. (incumbent)	587,440	100
Total votes			587,440	100

Republican

President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners Republican primary ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Christopher A. Bullock	135,786	100
Total votes			135,786	100

General election

President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners election ^{[1] [2]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John H. Stroger, Jr. (incumbent)	901,679	68.73
	Republican	Christopher A. Bullock	410,155	31.27
Total votes			1,311,834	100

Cook County Board of Commissioners

Main article: 2002 Cook County Board of Commissioners election

2002 Cook County Board of Commissioners election

←  1998 November 5, 2002 2006  →
All 17 seats on the Cook County Board of Commissioners 9 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Party Democratic Republican Seats before 12 5 Seats won 12 5 Seat change Popular vote 877,738 299,652 Percentage 74.55% 25.45% Swing 4.16% 4.16%

The 2002 Cook County Board of Commissioners election saw all seventeen seats of the Cook County Board of Commissioners up for election to four-year terms.

As these were the first elections held following the 2000 United States Census, the seats faced redistricting before this election.

Cook County Board of Review

2002 Cook County Board of Review election

←  1998 November 5, 2002 2004  →
3 of 3 seats on the Cook County Board of Review 2 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Party Democratic Republican Seats before 2 1 Seats after 2 1 Seat change Seats up 2 1 Races won 2 1

In the 2002 Cook County Board of Review election, all three seats, two Democratic-held and one Republican-held, were up for election.

Beginning with the 2002 elections, the Cook County Board of Review has had 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. ^[9]

As this was the first elections held following the 2000 United States Census, the seats faced redistricting before this election.

1st district

See also: Cook County Board of Review 1st district

Incumbent first-term member Maureen Murphy, a Republican, was reelected, being unopposed in both the Republican primary and general election. This election was to a four-year term. ^[9]

Primaries

Democratic

No candidates, ballot-certified or formal write-in, ran in the Democratic primary. ^{[3] [5]} The Democratic Party ultimately nominated Brendan F. Houlihan. ^[1]

Republican

Cook County Board of Review 1st district Republican primary ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Maureen Murphy (incumbent)	102,690	100
Total votes			102,690	100

General election

Cook County Board of Review 1st district election ^{[1] [2]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Maureen Murphy (incumbent)	381,157	100
Total votes			381,157	100

2nd district

See also: Cook County Board of Review 2nd district

Incumbent first-term member Joseph Berrios, a Democrat, was reelected, running unopposed in both the Democratic primary and the general election. 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 four-year term. ^[9]

Primaries

Democratic

Cook County Board of Review 2nd district Democratic primary ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joseph Berrios (incumbent)	86,160	100
Total votes			86,160	100

Republican

No candidates, ballot-certified or formal write-in, ran in the Republican primary. ^{[3] [5]}

General election

Cook County Board of Review 2nd district election ^{[1] [2]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joseph Berrios (incumbent)	303,159	100
Total votes			303,159	100

3rd district

See also: Cook County Board of Review 3rd district

Incumbent first-term member Robert Shaw, a Democrat, was reelected. This election was to a two-year term. ^[9]

Primaries

Democratic

Cook County Board of Review 3rd district Democratic primary ^{[4] [3] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Robert Shaw (incumbent)	143,317	51.71
	Democratic	Steven Burris	133,854	48.29
Total votes			277,171	100

Republican

No candidates, ballot-certified or formal write-in, ran in the Republican primary. ^{[4] [3] [5]}

General election

Cook County Board of Review 3rd district election ^{[2] [1]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Robert Shaw (incumbent)	374,527	100
Total votes			374,527	100

Water Reclamation District Board

2002 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago election

←  2000 November 5, 2002 2004  →
3 of 9 seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago 5 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Party Democratic Republican Seats before 9 0 Seats after 9 0 Seat change Seats up 3 0 Races won 3 0

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. ^{[3] [4]} Since three six-year seats were up for election, voters could vote for up to three candidates and the top-three finishers would win.

Two Democratic incumbents Kathy Meany and Cynthia Santos, won reelection. They were joined in being elected by fellow Democrat Frank Avila. One Democratic incumbent, Martin Sandoval, had withdrawn ahead of the Democratic primary. ^{[1] [2] [10]}

Primaries

Democratic

Water Reclamation District Board election Democratic primary ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Kathleen Therese Meany (incumbent)	304,767	19.97
	Democratic	Cynthia M. Santos (incumbent)	300,142	19.67
	Democratic	Frank Avila	194,061	12.72
	Democratic	James P. Sheehan	191,456	12.54
	Democratic	Jesse J. Evans	185,684	12.17
	Democratic	Derrick David Stinson	120,318	7.88
	Democratic	Lewis W. Powell, III	94,963	6.22
	Democratic	Edward J. Schmit III	86,357	5.66
	Democratic	Turheran "TC" Crawford	48,470	3.18
Total votes			1,526,218	100

Republican

Water Reclamation District Board election Republican primary ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Donald G. Hansen	110,253	35.18
	Republican	Patricia Vazquez	105,953	33.81
	Republican	Eric M. Nickerson	97,197	31.01
Total votes			313,403	100

General election

Water Reclamation District Board election ^{[1] [2]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Kathleen Therese Meany (incumbent)	773,358	23.96
	Democratic	Cynthia M. Stantos (incumbent)	758,842	23.51
	Democratic	Frank Avila	690,043	21.38
	Republican	Donald G. Hansen	383,823	11.89
	Republican	Patricia Vazquez	330,607	10.24
	Republican	Erick M. Nickerson	291,073	9.02
Total votes			3,227,746	100

Judicial elections

Partisan elections were held for judgeships on the Circuit Court of Cook County, due to vacancies. ^{[1] [2]} Other judgeships had retention elections.

Partisan elections were also held for subcircuit courts judgeships due to vacancies. ^{[1] [2]} Other judgeships had retention elections.

Other elections

Coinciding with the primaries, elections were held to elect both the Democratic and Republican committeemen for the suburban townships. ^[4]

See also

• 2002 Illinois elections

References

1. "TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE RETURNS AND PROCLAMATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE CANVASS OF THE ELECTION RETURNS FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION HELD IN EACH OF THE PRECINCTS IN ALL THE WARDS IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2002 A.D." (PDF). Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
2. "SUBURBAN COOK COUNTY RESULTS". voterinfonet.com. Cook County Clerk. Archived from the original on 9 February 2005.
3. "TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE RETURNS AND PROCLAMATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE CANVASS OF THE ELECTION RETURNS FOR THE GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION HELD IN EACH OF THE PRECINCTS IN ALL THE WARDS IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO ON TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2002 A.D." (PDF). Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
4. "SUBURBAN COOK COUNTY RESULTS". voterinfonet.com. Cook County Clerk. Archived from the original on 9 February 2005.
5. "OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS PRIMARY ELECTION TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2002 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY" (PDF). Cook County, Illinois. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
6. "Voter Turnout". www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 30 May 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
7. Cox, Ted (6 August 2009). "Houlihan won't seek reelection as Cook Co. assessor -- Daily Herald". prev.dailyherald.com. Daily Herald. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
8. "African Americans and the Vote: Firsts in Cook County Leadership | CookCountyIL.gov". www.cookcountyil.gov. Government of Cook County. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
9. "35 ILCS 200/5-5". ilga.gov. Government of Illinois. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
10. Stewart, Russ (19 June 2002). "ANOTHER BIZARRE OUTCOME IN MWRD COMMISSIONER RACE". www.russstewart.com. Russ Stewart. Retrieved 23 June 2020.