Democrats Elyse Hoffenberg and Kisha McCaskill were leading their Republican opponents to represent wide swathes of the south suburbs on the Cook County Board, according to unofficial results Tuesday night.
17th District
Democrat and Lyons Township Clerk Elyse Hoffenberg appeared poised to flip the only Republican-held seat on the County Board according to unofficial results Tuesday night, leading former Commissioner Elizabeth Doody Gorman with 58% of the vote with 90% of precincts reporting.
The 17th District stretches along the county’s western border, from the O’Hare and Schaumburg area down to more conservative-leaning areas like Palos Park, Palos Hills and Orland Park farther south. It has been represented by outgoing Republican Commissioner Sean Morrison, who announced late last year that he would not run for re-election, since 2015.
The district has only had Republican commissioners since its inception in 1994. Gorman held the seat before Morrison from 2002 to 2015, when she resigned to accept a job in the private sector.
Democrats have spent heavily attempting to flip the seat. In the race’s closing weeks, the Democratic tab was about $387,000 for in-kind services like postage, digital ads and mailers for Hoffenberg’s campaign.
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Hoffenberg’s campaign also received an unexpected boost when Morrison shared a lengthy post on social media Thursday trashing Gorman and encouraging voters to vote for every Republican candidate besides her.
5th District
Kisha McCaskill, who was appointed to represent the 5th District on the County Board seat last year, was ahead of her Republican opponent, Richard Nolan, with 90% of the vote at 75% of precincts reporting according to unofficial results Tuesday night.
“I’m elated,” McCaskill said Tuesday night. “Glad to be a part of this blue wave, and hopefully just demonstrate good governance and good leadership.”
McCaskill previously fended off Dolton Trustee Kiana Belcher in the March Democratic primary. Nolan was unopposed in his primary.
Nolan congratulated McCaskill on social media Tuesday night, saying he wished her much success.
The 5th District seat, previously held by Monica Gordon, includes parts of the South Side and large sections of the south and southwest suburbs with portions of Bloom, Bremen, Calumet, Lake, Rich, Thornton and Worth townships.
Gordon resigned in 2024 after being elected Cook County clerk, and McCaskill was appointed to fill her seat in January 2025.