Elections were held for Clerk of the Circuit Court, Recorder of Deeds, State's Attorney, all three seats on the Board of Review, three seats on the Water Reclamation District Board, and judgeships on the Circuit Court of Cook County.
2012 was a presidential election year in the United States. The primaries and general elections for Cook County races coincided with those for federal races (President and House) and those for state elections.
Voter turnout[]
Voter turnout in Cook County during the primaries was 24.03%, with 644,701 ballots cast. Among these, 440,873 Democratic, 200,750 Republican, 112 Green, and 2,966 nonpartisan primary ballots were cast.[3][4] The city of Chicago saw 24.46% turnout, its lowest turnout for a presidential primary on record (with the records dating back to 1942).[3][4][5][6] Suburban Cook County saw 23.63% turnout.[3][4]
The general election saw 70.59% turnout, with 2,030,563 ballots cast. Chicago saw 73.01% turnout and suburban Cook County saw 70.70% turnout.[7][8]
Clerk of the Circuit Court[]
2012 Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County election
In the 2012 Cook County Recorder of Deeds election, incumbent Recorder of Deeds Eugene Moore, a Democrat, did not seek reelection. Moore had served as Recorder of Deeds since 1999.[9]Karen Yarbrough was elected to succeed him.
Primaries[]
Democratic[]
Cook County Recorder of Deeds Democratic primary[2]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Karen A. Yarbrough
343,603
100
Total votes
343,603
100
Republican[]
No candidates, ballot-certified or formal write-in, ran in the Republican primary.[2] The Republican Party ultimately nominated Sherri Griffith.
2 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 2012 Cook County Board of Review election, all three seats, two Democratic-held and one Republican-held, were up for election. All incumbents won reelection.
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.[11] This was the first year since 2002 that all three seats were coincidingly up for election.
As these were the first elections held following the 2010 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 Dan Patlak, a Republican first elected in 2010, was reelected. This election was to a four-year term.[11]
Primaries[]
Democratic[]
Cook County Board of Review 1st district Democratic primary[2]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Casey Thomas Griffin
71,168
100
Total votes
71,168
100
Republican[]
Cook County Board of Review 1st district Republican primary[2]
Cook County Board of Review 1st district election[1]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Dan Patlak (incumbent)
316,190
51.52
Democratic
Casey Thomas Griffin
297,517
48.48
Total votes
613,707
100
2nd district[]
See also: Cook County Board of Review 2nd district
Incumbent member Michael Cabonargi, a Democrat appointed in 2011 after Joseph Berrios resigned to assume office as Cook County Assessor,[12] was reelected to a full term, running unopposed in both the Democratic primary and general election. This election was to a four-year term.
Primaries[]
Democratic[]
Cook County Board of Review 2nd district Democratic primary[2]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Michael Cabonargi (incumbent)
88,990
100
Total votes
88,990
100
Republican[]
No candidates, ballot-certified or formal write-in, ran in the Republican primary.[2]
General election[]
Cook County Board of Review 2nd district election[1]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Michael Cabonargi (incumbent)
404,100
100
Total votes
404,100
100
3rd district[]
See also: Cook County Board of Review 3rd district
Incumbent second-term member Larry Rogers, Jr., a Democrat, was reelected, running unopposed in both the Democratic primary and general election. Rogers had last been reelected in 2008. This election was to a two-year term.
Primaries[]
Democratic[]
Cook County Board of Review 3rd district Democratic primary[2]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Larry Rogers, Jr. (incumbent)
170,821
100
Total votes
170,821
100
Republican[]
No candidates, ballot-certified or formal write-in, ran in the Republican primary.[2]
General election[]
Cook County Board of Review 3rd district election[1]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Larry Rogers, Jr. (incumbent)
584,624
100
Total votes
584,624
100
Water Reclamation District Board[]
2012 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago election
← 2010
November 6, 2012
2014 →
3 of 9 seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago 5 seats needed for a majority
First party
Second party
Third party
Party
Democratic
Republican
Green
Seats before
9
0
0
Seats after
9
0
0
Seat change
Seats up
3
0
0
Races won
3
0
0
In the 2012 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 election.
Incumbent Democrats Debra Shore and Patricia Horton sought reelection.[13][14] Horton failed to garner renomination, thus losing reelection.
Shore won reelection. Joining Shore in winning the general election were Democrats Kari K. Steele[15] and Patrick Daley Thompson.
Primaries[]
Democratic[]
Water Reclamation District Board election Democratic primary[2]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Debra Shore (incumbent)
194,936
21.05
Democratic
Kari K. Steele
182,369
19.70
Democratic
Patrick Daley Thompson
162,329
17.53
Democratic
Patricia Young
129,670
14.01
Democratic
Patricia Horton
128,432
13.87
Democratic
Stella B. Black
125,147
13.52
Write-in
Others
2,968
0.32
Total votes
925,851
100
Republican[]
Water Reclamation District Board election Republican primary[2]
12 judgeships on the Circuit Court of Cook County were up for partisan elections due to vacancies.[1] 56 Circuit Court judgeships were up for retention elections.[16]
23 subcircuit court judgeships were also up for partisan elections due to vacancies.[1] Multiple subcircuit court judgeships were also up for retention elections.[17]
Other elections[]
Coinciding with the primaries, elections were held to elect both the Democratic and Republican committeemen for the wards of Chicago.[18]