Michelle Pennington for Cook County

Vote 3 for MWRD now or on November 3rd Michelle Pennington, Timothy E. Rueckert and Jill B. Shestokas Elect three new commissioners who will challenge mismanagement, demand transparency and ensure that MWRD protects the communities affected by its decisions. Visit lnkd.in/gUP3kn-b for more information -Paid for by Citizens to Elect Michelle Pennington-

It’s hard to give a campaign everything you have and come up short. I’m still feeling it. But this was my second run in Cook County, and I came away more hopeful about what we can build in Illinois. I had honest conversations with people who don’t usually hear from a Republican candidate. Showing up for those conversations mattered, and we need to keep doing it between elections. I also want to encourage you to hold steady. We really, really, really wanted to hold the House, and the headlines can make a loss feel like the end of the world. But presidents’ parties have taken big hits in midterms before. Reagan’s Republicans lost 26 House seats in 1982. Clinton’s Democrats lost 54 in 1994. G eorge W. Bush’s Republicans lost about 30 in 2006. Obama’s Democrats lost 63 in 2010 Trump’s Republicans lost about 40 in 2018. Trump’s Republicans lost about 25 so far in 2026. It was a hard loss. There’s plenty of precedent for it, and plenty for us to learn from it. Nationally, I think Vice President Vance was right to take voters’ frustration with the war in Iran seriously. I believe it weighed on some of their decisions. Here in Illinois, we have plenty of obstacles of our own. My belief in the two-party system and in the good people of Illinois is as strong as ever. Voters deserve a real choice, and it’s on us to listen to them and earn their support.

The past months of campaigning have been a whirlwind of exhilaration, exhaustion, and everything in between. But without question, the highlight has been the opportunity to connect with people from across Cook County. Some sought to get to know me, others challenged my views, and many simply wanted to be heard. Every conversation gave me a greater appreciation for our political process and reminded me how fortunate we are to live in a country where we can openly exchange ideas, challenge one another, and participate in democracy. While last night's results weren't what I had hoped for, I'm incredibly proud of the campaign Jill, Tim, and I ran for the MWRD Board of Commissioners. We set out to offer voters a different perspective and bring some much-needed balance to Cook County government. We gave it everything we had, and I have no regrets. To everyone who supported our campaign, whether through your time, financial contributions, encouragement, or simply a kind word along the way, thank you! Your generosity and belief in what we were trying to accomplish meant more than you know. I'm looking forward to returning to my real estate business, spending some much-needed quality time with my family, and figuring out what my next adventure might be. Thank you, Cook County!

What was your experience voting in Chicago yesterday? I spent Election Day visiting polling places campaigning. Here’s what was going on: • At Goethe School, the polling place was out of paper ballots and didn’t have a working electronic voting machine. At Holstein Park, ballots reportedly ran out for about four hours. I also heard that Pulaski School may have run out, but I haven’t confirmed that. • Voters from those locations and from the 1st Ward were directed to the Bucktown–Wicker Park Library, which had also served as an early voting site. Around 6 p.m., someone came outside and told people in line that the site was short on sign-in sheets and might have to turn people away if it ran out. The site was also out of grace-period registration forms, which voters can use to update their address on Election Day. • At Lincoln Park Library, the line wrapped around the block an hour before polls closed. By the librarian’s estimate, about half the people in line needed same-day registration. Downtown at the State and Adams supersite, the line stretched along three sides of a city block. Most of the people looked under 25, and many were there to register and vote the same day. I spoke with one woman who never got to vote yesterday. She walked to Goethe School and couldn’t vote there, so she walked to the Bucktown–Wicker Park Library. She was older and she was tired, and the line was too long for her to stand and wait. She had walked to two polling places and went home without casting a ballot. The 32nd Ward Democratic committeeman estimated that about 125 people were turned away from Holstein Park. We don’t know how many of them were able to vote somewhere else. When I left the Bucktown library at 7 p.m., the line stretched halfway down the park next door. It was dark, and the line wasn’t moving. Most people had already been waiting anywhere from 30 minutes to more than an hour. They were told they’d be able to vote. If you were in that line, or if you were sent from one polling place to another, were you ultimately able to cast your ballot? I’d like to hear what happened. What did you see? Please share your polling place, the approximate time, what you were told, and whether you were ultimately able to vote. If things went smoothly at your site, I’d like to hear that too. ABC 7 News was at Bucktown Library. Did they cover this? blockclubchicago.org/2026/11…