Elizabeth Nicholson is the Democratic nominee for Cook County Board of Review Commissioner in District 2, appearing on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.

Nicholson won the March 17 Democratic primary, defeating incumbent Samantha Steele with 62.3% of the vote (141,362 votes) to Steele's 37.7% (85,444 votes), according to WBEZ. The Board of Review is the body where Cook County property owners can appeal their assessed property values, a process that directly affects tax bills across the county, including in Park Ridge and Niles.

Candidate information

  • Party: Democratic
  • Age: 58, according to WTTW's voter guide
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in human relations and family studies (1989); master's degree in social service administration from the University of Illinois (1991), according to BallotReady profile data

Experience and public service

Nicholson was a longtime adviser to former Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, according to WBEZ. Her career spans several government and political roles, according to BallotReady profile data:

  • Top aide to Jesse White at the Illinois Secretary of State's office
  • Chief operating officer at the Illinois Department of Central Management Services
  • Deputy director at the Illinois Department of Employment Security
  • Finance director at the Senate Democratic Victory Fund (2009–2019)
  • Owner of Liz Nicholson & Associates (2019–present)
  • Senior adviser at the National Democratic County Officials (2023), according to WTTW's voter guide

On the issues

Nicholson's campaign centers on reforming the property tax appeals process. The following positions are the candidate's own statements, provided through BallotReady questionnaire responses and her campaign website:

Property tax appeals access: Nicholson said she would make appeals more accessible and transparent for working families and small businesses, not just the politically connected.

Public data and equity: She said she would increase public data access to analyze trends in appeals and identify systemic inequities while increasing predictability.

Modernization: Nicholson said she would modernize the appeals process with clearer online tools and multilingual support so residents can understand and advocate for themselves.

Ethics enforcement: She said she would enforce stricter ethical safeguards to limit the influence of property tax lawyers and special interests on the appeals process.

Community outreach: Nicholson said she would create community outreach programs partnering with neighborhood groups, schools and libraries to demystify the appeals process and bring services directly to residents.

Endorsements

The following endorsements were claimed by the endorsers, according to BallotReady profile data:

  • IUOE Local 150
  • Citizen Action Illinois
  • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134
  • Cook County Democrats

Candidate positions were drawn from BallotReady questionnaire responses and the candidate's campaign website. The Park Ridge Wire presents this profile for voter information and does not endorse candidates.