Toni Preckwinkle

Toni Preckwinkle
Born	Toni Lynn Reed 3/17/1947
Birthplace	Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Title	President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
Known for	President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners; first woman elected to that position
Education	University of Chicago (BA, MA)
Children	2

Toni Lynn Preckwinkle (née Reed; born March 17, 1947) is an American politician who has served as the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners since December 2010, making her the first woman elected to that position in the history of Cook County, Illinois. Before ascending to the county's executive leadership, Preckwinkle served five terms as alderman of Chicago's 4th Ward, representing the Hyde Park neighborhood in the Chicago City Council from 1991 to 2010. During her nearly two decades on the City Council, she established herself as a prominent advocate for affordable housing and a consistent independent voice willing to challenge mayoral authority. She also serves as Chair of the Cook County Democratic Party, a position she has held since April 2018. In 2019, Preckwinkle was the runner-up in the election for mayor of Chicago. As of 2026, she is seeking a fifth term as Board president, which would equal the tenure of former President George Dunne.

Early Life

Toni Lynn Reed was born on March 17, 1947, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Details about her parents and childhood in Minnesota remain limited in publicly available records. She later moved to Chicago, where she would build her career in both education and politics. Preckwinkle's political awakening was shaped significantly by the progressive political environment of Chicago's South Side, particularly the Hyde Park community surrounding the University of Chicago, where she would both study and eventually settle.

Preckwinkle's political involvement deepened during the movement surrounding Harold Washington's historic 1983 campaign for mayor of Chicago, which galvanized African American political participation across the city. The Washington movement brought together reformers, community activists, and progressive Democrats who sought to challenge the traditional Chicago machine politics. Preckwinkle was among those who became active in this coalition, and the experience helped establish the political relationships and reform-minded orientation that would define her subsequent career.

Education

Preckwinkle attended the University of Chicago, located in the Hyde Park neighborhood that would become her political base. She earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree from the university. Before entering politics full-time, Preckwinkle worked as a high school history teacher, bringing her academic background in the social sciences to the classroom. Her years in education provided her with deep roots in the South Side community and a firsthand understanding of the challenges facing Chicago's public institutions, themes that would recur throughout her political career.

Career

Chicago City Council (1991–2010)

Preckwinkle was first elected as alderman of Chicago's 4th Ward in 1991, succeeding Timothy C. Evans, who had left the seat upon his appointment to the Cook County Circuit Court bench. The 4th Ward, centered on the Hyde Park neighborhood and home to the University of Chicago, had a tradition of independent-minded aldermanic representation, and Preckwinkle continued in that tradition across five consecutive terms.

During her tenure on the City Council, Preckwinkle distinguished herself as one of the council's most independent voices, frequently breaking with the administration of Mayor Richard M. Daley on key votes. She emerged as the council's most prominent defender of affordable housing, advocating for policies to preserve economically diverse neighborhoods in the face of rapid gentrification and development pressures. Her advocacy in this area put her at odds with developers and, at times, with the Daley administration, which generally favored market-driven development approaches.

Preckwinkle was a consistent sponsor of living wage ordinances, pushing for legislation that would require employers—particularly those receiving public subsidies or contracting with the city—to pay workers wages above the federal and state minimums. These efforts reflected her broader concern with economic inequality and workers' rights, issues that remained central to her political identity.

Her independence on the City Council extended to high-profile policy debates. Preckwinkle was among the aldermen who raised concerns about the costs and benefits of Chicago's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics, questioning whether the massive public investment required would serve the interests of ordinary Chicagoans, particularly those in underserved neighborhoods. While the bid ultimately failed when the International Olympic Committee selected Rio de Janeiro, Preckwinkle's skepticism anticipated many of the fiscal concerns that later critics of Olympic hosting would raise.

Preckwinkle also took a strong stance against police brutality and the use of excessive force by the Chicago Police Department, a position that placed her ahead of many of her colleagues on an issue that would later dominate Chicago's political landscape following the release of the Laquan McDonald shooting video in 2015.

Her role as an independent alderman was further defined by her willingness to oppose the council's prevailing culture of deference to the mayor. The Chicago City Council during the Daley era was often characterized by critics as a "rubber stamp" body, with most aldermen routinely voting in line with the mayor's wishes. Preckwinkle was one of a small bloc of reform aldermen who regularly dissented, earning both admiration from good-government advocates and, at times, political isolation from the council's dominant faction.

In 2007, Preckwinkle drew attention for opposing a proposal to name a street or landmark after the novelist Saul Bellow, who had deep ties to Chicago but whose literary depictions of the city's African American communities some residents found objectionable. The episode illustrated Preckwinkle's attentiveness to the concerns of her diverse constituency and her willingness to take controversial positions.

Throughout her time in the City Council, Preckwinkle also served in ward-level Democratic Party roles. The position of ward committeeman (later renamed ward committeeperson) carries significant influence in Chicago's political structure, controlling patronage and party endorsements at the local level. Preckwinkle's involvement in these party structures foreshadowed her later ascent to the chairmanship of the Cook County Democratic Party.

When Preckwinkle left the City Council in December 2010 to assume the Cook County Board presidency, she was succeeded as 4th Ward alderman by Shirley Newsome.

Cook County Board President (2010–present)

Preckwinkle was elected President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners in November 2010, succeeding Todd Stroger, whose single term had been marked by fiscal difficulties and political controversy. Her election made her the first woman to hold the position, which serves as the chief executive of Cook County government—the second-most populous county in the United States, encompassing the city of Chicago and more than 130 suburban municipalities.

Upon taking office on December 6, 2010, Preckwinkle inherited a county government facing significant budgetary challenges in the aftermath of the Great Recession. Her early tenure focused on fiscal stabilization, administrative reform, and efforts to modernize county operations. She brought to the role the same reform orientation that had characterized her City Council career, seeking to professionalize a county government that had long been associated with patronage and inefficiency.

One of the most prominent and controversial policies associated with Preckwinkle's tenure was the Cook County sweetened beverage tax, enacted in 2017. The one-cent-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages was championed by Preckwinkle as a public health measure and a source of revenue for the cash-strapped county. The tax generated intense opposition from the beverage industry, which funded a major advertising campaign against it, as well as from consumers and some county commissioners. After months of contentious debate and public backlash, the Cook County Board voted to repeal the tax in October 2017, dealing Preckwinkle a significant political setback. Nevertheless, the episode demonstrated her willingness to pursue ambitious, if unpopular, policy goals.

Preckwinkle's administration also pursued criminal justice reform, including efforts to reduce the population of Cook County Jail, one of the largest single-site jails in the United States. She supported initiatives to reduce reliance on cash bail and to divert nonviolent offenders from incarceration, working with Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart and Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans on these efforts.

Her tenure has been marked by her management of the county's expansive health system, which includes Stroger Hospital (formerly Cook County Hospital) and a network of community health centers serving primarily low-income and uninsured residents. Preckwinkle has overseen efforts to stabilize the health system's finances while maintaining access to care.

Chair of the Cook County Democratic Party (2018–present)

In April 2018, Preckwinkle was elected Chair of the Cook County Democratic Party, succeeding Joseph Berrios, who had been defeated in his reelection bid for Cook County Assessor amid criticism of inequitable property tax assessments. The party chairmanship gave Preckwinkle significant influence over Democratic endorsements, slating, and political operations across Cook County, making her one of the most powerful figures in Illinois Democratic politics.

Her dual role as Board president and party chair has been a subject of debate. Supporters argue that the combination allows for more effective governance and party coordination, while critics contend that it concentrates too much power in one individual and can create conflicts of interest. The dual role became a focal point in the 2019 mayoral election and has continued to draw scrutiny in subsequent campaigns.

2019 Chicago Mayoral Election

In 2019, Preckwinkle entered the race for mayor of Chicago, seeking to succeed Rahm Emanuel, who announced he would not seek a third term. The crowded primary field included more than a dozen candidates, and Preckwinkle advanced to the runoff election against Lori Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor and president of the Chicago Police Board.

The runoff campaign proved difficult for Preckwinkle. She was linked to the federal corruption investigation surrounding Alderman Edward Burke, who had hosted a fundraiser for her campaign before being charged with attempted extortion. Although Preckwinkle was not accused of any wrongdoing, the association proved politically damaging. Lightfoot, running as an outsider and reform candidate, won the runoff in a landslide, carrying all 50 wards. Preckwinkle returned to her duties as Cook County Board president after the defeat.

2026 Reelection Campaign

As of March 2026, Preckwinkle is seeking a fifth term as Cook County Board president in the Democratic primary. If ultimately successful in a general election, she would equal former President George Dunne as the longest-serving Board president in Cook County history. Her primary challenger is Alderman Brendan Reilly of the 42nd Ward, described as one of the more conservative Democrats on the Chicago City Council.

The race has been characterized as a choice between continuity under Preckwinkle's experienced leadership and a desire for a new direction under Reilly. Preckwinkle has campaigned on her record of fiscal management, criminal justice reform, and public health investments, while Reilly has sought to present himself as a fresh alternative. The two candidates participated in a forum broadcast on PBS's Chicago Tonight program, where they outlined their respective visions for the office.

The campaign has also drawn attention for Preckwinkle's decision not to endorse Mayor Brandon Johnson for a second term, a notable development given that Preckwinkle had previously supported Johnson's political career. Mayor Johnson publicly addressed Preckwinkle's lack of endorsement.

CBS News described the primary as pitting "two political heavyweights" against each other, with Preckwinkle defending her long record in county government against Reilly's challenge.

In a WGN-TV interview, Preckwinkle discussed her political future and her rationale for seeking another term, framing her candidacy around continued reform and institutional knowledge.

Personal Life

Preckwinkle was born Toni Lynn Reed. She has two children. She has been a longtime resident of the Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, the same community she represented as 4th Ward alderman for nearly two decades. Her deep ties to Hyde Park and the University of Chicago community have been a defining feature of both her personal and political life.

Before entering politics, Preckwinkle worked as a high school history teacher, a background that informed her policy interests in education and youth services throughout her career.

Legacy

Preckwinkle's career spans more than three decades in elected office, encompassing roles in both municipal and county government. Her election as the first woman to serve as Cook County Board president in 2010 marked a historic milestone for a county government that had been led exclusively by men since its founding. Her simultaneous role as Chair of the Cook County Democratic Party has made her one of the most influential figures in Illinois Democratic politics.

Her advocacy for affordable housing during her time on the Chicago City Council established her as a leading voice on an issue that has only grown in prominence in subsequent years. Her sponsorship of living wage ordinances and her opposition to police brutality anticipated policy debates that would later dominate municipal and national politics.

As Board president, the sweetened beverage tax episode—though it ended in repeal—illustrated both Preckwinkle's willingness to pursue controversial revenue measures and the political limits of such efforts in the face of organized opposition. Her criminal justice reform initiatives, including efforts to reduce the Cook County Jail population and reform the bail system, have been cited as significant contributions to the broader national conversation about mass incarceration.

The Chicago Reader profiled Preckwinkle as one of the most substantive and independent members of the Chicago City Council during her time in that body, a reputation that carried over into her county-level leadership. As she seeks a potential fifth term in 2026, Preckwinkle's political longevity itself has become a subject of public discourse, with supporters pointing to her institutional knowledge and critics calling for generational change in county leadership.