M. Cameron Davis, a Democrat, is running for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District board in the Nov. 3 general election.
The district serves most of Cook County, including Park Ridge and Niles. Three seats are on the ballot for the rest of an unexpired term, and voters choose up to three candidates. Davis is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady.
Candidate information
- Party: Democratic
- Education: Bachelor's degree in international relations, Boston University; J.D., Illinois Institute of Technology (1992); certificate in environmental and energy law, Chicago-Kent College of Law (1992)
- Personal: Davis is, with his wife and two children, an organic blueberry farmer, according to his district biography. He is the author of "Confluence: Genoir® of An American Family, The Better Part of Valor."
Experience and public service
Davis has served as a district commissioner since 2018. He chairs the Industrial Waste & Water Pollution and Public Health & Welfare committees and serves as vice chair of the Judiciary and Real Estate Development committees, according to his district biography.
Before joining the board, Davis served as a senior advisor at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 2009 to 2017, according to BallotReady. The Obama administration appointed him to coordinate the work of 11 federal departments on Great Lakes matters, a role informally known as "Great Lakes Czar," according to his district biography. That role included coordinating more than $2 billion in investments for contaminated sediment cleanups, invasive species prevention, habitat restoration and runoff reduction.
Davis said he co-chaired the Invasive Carp Regional Coordinating Committee from 2009 to 2017, according to his WTTW candidate response. He served as president and CEO of the Alliance for the Great Lakes from 1998 to 2009, according to BallotReady. Under his leadership, the organization established the Adopt-a-Beach® program and won the American Bar Association's Distinguished Award in Environmental Law & Policy, according to his district biography.
Davis helped draft the Great Lakes Water Resources Compact and testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee to pass it, according to his district biography. He also helped draft legislation authorizing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Great Lakes Legacy Act.
He is a vice president at GEI Consultants, Inc. and founder and president of Genoir, according to BallotReady. Earlier in his career, he worked as an attorney and regional executive at the National Wildlife Federation from 1992 to 1998.
On the issues
Davis outlined several priorities in his candidate responses to WTTW and BallotReady.
Water reuse and Lake Michigan protection: Davis said he promotes recycled water as a more cost-effective alternative to withdrawing clean water from Lake Michigan. "Lake Michigan water belongs in Lake Michigan," Davis said in his WTTW candidate response.
Shifting pollution costs to manufacturers: Davis said he has pushed for "polluter pays" mechanisms to shift the financial burden of contaminants such as PFAS and pharmaceuticals from Cook County taxpayers to manufacturers. He said some of these efforts have resulted in bills before the state legislature, including HB 2955. He also said he has led the effort for the district to use drug take-back programs paid for by pharmaceutical manufacturers under Illinois law.
Flood reduction: Davis said he supports reducing flooding, especially in the most vulnerable communities, according to his BallotReady response.
Green infrastructure: Davis said he has led the effort to expand green infrastructure from Chicago schools to suburban schoolyards, according to his WTTW response.
Invasive species: The issue ties to his federal experience. Davis said he supports the district providing technical assistance to keep invasive species from transferring between the Chicago waterway system and the Great Lakes.
Endorsements
Five groups have endorsed Davis. The following endorsements were claimed by the endorsers, according to BallotReady:
- Cook County Democrats
- IUOE Local 150
- Illinois Sierra Club
- Citizen Action Illinois
- Northside Democracy for America
Candidate issue positions are based on responses Davis provided to WTTW's 2026 voters' guide and to BallotReady. Biographical details are drawn from Davis's district commissioner page and BallotReady profile data.
