Cook County voters will fill four seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The agency treats wastewater and manages stormwater for Chicago and 128 suburban communities across the county, according to a campaign announcement reported by Patch.

Park Ridge and Niles residents will see the race on their ballots. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m., according to NBC Chicago's voter guide.

What's on the ballot

Three regular six-year seats and one two-year unexpired term are up for election. Voters may pick up to three candidates for the six-year seats, and the three who receive the most votes win, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. The race pits three Democratic incumbents against three Republican challengers.

Democratic incumbents: Eira Corral Sepúlveda, Precious Brady-Davis and Beth McElroy Kirkwood.

Republican challengers: Michelle Pennington, Timothy E. Rueckert and Jill B. Shestokas.

The two-year unexpired term is a separate contest. Incumbent Cameron "Cam" Davis is running unopposed, according to the Sun-Times.

Who are the candidates?

Brady-Davis was appointed by Gov. JB Pritzker three years ago, according to the Chicago Tribune's endorsement editorial. Corral Sepúlveda has served since 2020. McElroy Kirkwood was appointed by Pritzker two years ago and left a job in public education to focus on the MWRD role, the Tribune reported.

The three Republicans describe themselves as running mates and coordinated their campaigns, according to the Tribune. An objection to their nominating paperwork was withdrawn before the general election, Patch reported.

Pennington is managing director of Medill Partners, a real estate holding and development company, according to Patch. Rueckert served eight years as Northfield Township highway commissioner, where he worked on flood-control and drainage projects with the MWRD. He has a law-enforcement background with the Illinois Secretary of State, Illinois Gaming Board and Illinois Department of Revenue.

Shestokas served as the MWRD's public affairs manager, working on policy, legislative affairs and public education, according to the campaign announcement.

Cook County Republican Party Chairman Terry Carr said the three candidates "understand how critical MWRD is to protecting our water supply, improving water quality and reducing destructive flooding."

Why it matters locally

The stakes are real. The MWRD is funded primarily through property taxes paid by Park Ridge, Niles and other Cook County homeowners. The district's 2026 budget included $755.7 million in property taxes, and its 2027 budget recommendations project $782.4 million, according to the district's budget dashboard cited by the Sun-Times.

The nine-member board oversees the agency's policies, budget and major decisions. Commissioners serve staggered six-year terms in part-time, salaried positions, according to Patch.

The district operates the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan, known as the Deep Tunnel, which stores excess stormwater during heavy rain. In July, after days of heavy rain, the McCook Reservoir reached between 96% and 100% capacity while the Thornton Reservoir hit 94%, the Sun-Times reported.

The MWRD also broke ground Oct. 8 on a nearly $400 million upgrade at the Terrence J. O'Brien Water Reclamation Plant in Skokie, one of the largest investments in the district's history, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Where to find results

The Cook County Clerk's office archives election results on its website. Three commissioners will be elected to six-year terms, while the separate unexpired-term contest covers two years. State law sets the regular commissioners’ term start for Dec. 8, 2026.