Toni Preckwinkle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Toni Preckwinkle
Preckwinkle in 2021
President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
Incumbent
Assumed office December 6, 2010
Preceded by	Todd Stroger
Chair of the Cook County Democratic Party
Incumbent
Assumed office April 18, 2018
Preceded by	Joseph Berrios
Member of the Chicago City Council from the 4th ward
In office April 2, 1991 – December 6, 2010
Preceded by	Timothy C. Evans
Succeeded by	Shirley Newsome
Personal details
Born	Toni Lynn Reed (1947-03-17) March 17, 1947 (age 78) Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Zeus Preckwinkle ​ ​ (m. 1969; div. 2013)​
Children	2
Education	University of Chicago (BA, MA)

Toni Lynn Preckwinkle (born March 17, 1947) is an American politician. She is currently the County Board president in Cook County, Illinois. She was first elected to this important role in November 2010. This made her the first woman to be elected to lead the Cook County government.

Before becoming County Board president, Preckwinkle served as an alderman in the Chicago City Council. She represented Chicago's 4th ward for five terms. During her time as an alderman, she was a strong supporter of affordable housing. She also ran for mayor of Chicago in 2019 and came in second place.

Preckwinkle is known for supporting a tax on sugary drinks in Cook County. She also backed laws to ensure people earn a living wage. She has also spoken out against police brutality.

Early Life and Education

Toni Preckwinkle was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. She went to school there and graduated from Washington High School in 1965. After high school, she moved to Chicago to attend the University of Chicago. She studied in the Hyde Park area.

She earned her bachelor's degree in 1969. Later, she received her master's degree in 1977.

Career Before Politics

After college, Preckwinkle taught history for ten years. She taught at several high schools in the Chicago metropolitan area. These included Calumet High School, Visitation School, and Aquinas.

She was also active in community groups. She served on the board of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence. She was also the Political Action Director for the Near South Chapter of the Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization.

In the late 1980s, she worked as a planner for the Chicago Department of Economic Development. By 1990, she was the executive director of the Chicago Jobs Council.

Chicago City Council (1991–2010)

Preckwinkle in 2008

Toni Preckwinkle was first sworn into the Chicago City Council in 1991. She was re-elected four more times, serving until 2010.

Working in the City Council

In the City Council, Preckwinkle became known for her progressive ideas. She was often independent from Mayor Richard M. Daley. She disagreed with him more than any other alderman. She also sometimes criticized policies of former Mayor Richard J. Daley.

In 2004, she and another alderman were the only ones to vote against the mayor's city budget. In 2005, she was the only one who disagreed. However, she did support most of the mayor's other plans. This included his annual budget proposals and his plan to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Supporting Affordable Housing

Preckwinkle made affordable housing her main focus. She sponsored city laws in 1993 and 1999 to increase spending on housing for people with low and moderate incomes. This increased city spending on housing by 50 percent.

In 2007, she pushed for changes to the Affordable Requirements Ordinance. This law requires housing developers who buy city land at a discount to set aside at least 10 percent of their homes as "affordable." Or, they can pay money into a fund for affordable housing. Affordable housing is very important for helping to end homelessness in Chicago.

Police Accountability

Preckwinkle strongly supported settling the Jon Burge police torture case. She believed the city should not spend more money fighting it in court. She also worked to get money for victims of police brutality in these cases.

In 2007, Preckwinkle wanted to make public the names of Chicago Police Department officers accused of using excessive force. A court had ruled that these records should be open to the public. However, the city tried to stop this from happening. Preckwinkle's request for this information was denied.

Economic Policies

Preckwinkle helped sponsor laws for a living wage in 1998 and 2002. On July 26, 2006, she voted to approve a law requiring large stores to pay a "living wage." For a short time, Chicago was the largest U.S. city with this rule.

Hyde Park 2006 Independence Day parade (left to right starting at center in light green): Preckwinkle as the Statue of Liberty, Illinois State Representative Barbara Flynn Currie as Uncle Sam, and Chicago City Council Alderman Leslie Hairston as Betsy Ross

Local Ward Issues

In 2007, Preckwinkle opposed naming a landmark in her ward after Saul Bellow. She felt Bellow had made comments that she considered racist.

In 2006, Preckwinkle decided to paint over two old, damaged public murals. These murals were in the 47th Street Metra underpass. New murals were later painted, showing the city and important historical figures from the South Side.

Chicago's Olympic Bid

Chicago wanted to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. The main site for the Olympic Village was planned for Preckwinkle's ward. She had concerns about the plan. She felt her community members had not been asked for their opinions.

She also worried about how the project would be paid for. In March 2007, she voted against a $500 million public guarantee for Chicago's Olympic bid. However, in September 2009, she voted to allow Mayor Richard Daley to sign the contract. This contract put the financial responsibility for the Olympics on taxpayers. Chicago was not chosen to host the Olympics.

Cook County Board President (2010–Present)

Since December 2010, Toni Preckwinkle has been the president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. She has brought a lot of control to the board. This is different from the disagreements seen under the previous president. She has worked to achieve a "progressive agenda."

2010 Election

Preckwinkle announced in January 2009 that she would run for president of the Cook County Board. In February 2010, she won the Democratic Party primary election. She defeated the current president, Todd Stroger, and other challengers.

In the general election, Preckwinkle faced Republican Roger A. Keats. She won with 69.54% of the vote. This made her the first woman elected as president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. She had promised to bring stability and fix the county's finances.

First Term as President

After winning, Preckwinkle resigned as alderman. She suggested that Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley appoint William D. Burns to take her place. However, Mayor Daley appointed Shirley Newsome as a temporary alderman. Burns later won the election for the seat.

When Preckwinkle took office, Cook County had the largest jail population in the U.S. The county government also had a reputation for political corruption.

During her first term, Preckwinkle saw all her plans approved by the county board. The board worked together well, unlike under the previous president. Most votes were not divided. The main disagreements came from a few Democratic members who had been allies of Todd Stroger.

Preckwinkle inherited problems like too many county employees and a pension crisis. Her first three budgets passed with almost no opposing votes. She also supported a 1% decrease in the county's sales tax. At the time, Cook County had the highest sales tax rate in the U.S.

In September 2011, the county board voted to not hold suspects in jail longer for immigration checks. Preckwinkle said she would only do this if the federal government paid the county for the extra time. The federal government refused.

Second Term as President

Preckwinkle (right) with then-state senator Kwame Raoul at the 2015 Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic

Preckwinkle was reelected in November 2014. She did not face any challengers in either the primary or general election. This was unusual for a county board president.

During her second term, most of the laws she supported were passed. By January 2018, only two votes went against her wishes. These included a resolution about "stop and frisk" by the Chicago Police Department and the repeal of the county's "soda tax."

The county reached several goals during this term. Healthcare costs for residents decreased, and more people enrolled in health coverage. The daily inmate population in county jails also decreased. County government debt went down by 11% by early 2018. The county spent less while increasing taxes.

Preckwinkle was often mentioned as a possible challenger for Rahm Emanuel for Chicago mayor. However, she chose not to run in the 2015 Chicago mayoral election. She also did not endorse any candidate in that election.

To help with spending and pension debt, the county board voted in July 2015 to raise the county's sales tax. It went back to the level it was before her earlier decrease.

Preckwinkle (right) at a 2018 protest organized by the Chicago Teachers Union

Preckwinkle supported a "soda tax" of one cent per ounce on sweetened drinks. The county board approved this tax in November 2016. Purchases made with food assistance benefits were not taxed. The "soda tax" was not popular with residents. A poll showed 87% disapproval. Preckwinkle argued it would help public health by reducing sugar intake. She later admitted it was also to raise money for the county. In October 2017, the county board voted to repeal the tax, against Preckwinkle's wishes. This left a $200 million gap in the county's 2018 budget.

Third Term as President

Preckwinkle speaking at the March 2019 "Equal Pay for Women" rally

Preckwinkle was reelected for a third term in 2018. She easily defeated Bob Fioretti, who tried to use the unpopular "soda tax" against her. Preckwinkle also worked to increase the number of Democrats on the Cook County Board. She helped Democrats win two Republican-held seats.

Preckwinkle speaking at a ribbon cutting ceremony for a rain garden at a public park in October 2022

In January 2021, the "Fair Transit South Cook" program started. This program lowers train fares and increases bus service in the southern suburbs of Chicago. Preckwinkle led the effort to launch this program. It aims to make public transportation more affordable and available for people in these areas. A study showed that many residents in Southern Cook County do not own a car and spend a lot on transportation. The program has been successful in improving transit access.

Preckwinkle also supported having one fare system for different public transportation services.

Fourth Term as President

On June 25, 2019, Preckwinkle announced she would seek a fourth term as Cook County Board President in 2022. She was reelected. In the Democratic primary, she won against former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin. She then won the general election against Bob Fioretti and Thea Tsatsos.

For the 2023 Chicago mayoral election, Preckwinkle supported Brandon Johnson, who was elected mayor. Johnson had been an ally of Preckwinkle on the Cook County Board.

In February 2023, Preckwinkle became co-chair of a new group called Counties for Guaranteed Income. This group supports the federal government helping with universal basic income programs. In 2024, Preckwinkle supported Mariyana Spyropoulos's campaign for Cook County clerk of courts.

With Preckwinkle's support, the county board approved a resolution in December 2023. This requires most employers in suburban Cook County to give employees up to 40 hours of paid time off each year. This rule started in January 2024.

2019 Chicago Mayoral Candidacy

Preckwinkle in April 2019

On September 20, 2018, Preckwinkle announced she was running for Mayor of Chicago in the 2019 election.

Preckwinkle faced some challenges during her campaign. She was connected to alderman Edward M. Burke after his arrest. Burke had allegedly tried to get an illegal donation for her campaign. Preckwinkle returned over $100,000 that Burke had raised for her. She also asked Burke to resign from the City Council.

Since no candidate won more than 50% of the vote, Preckwinkle and Lori Lightfoot went to a runoff election. Both the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune supported Lightfoot. Several former candidates also endorsed Lightfoot. Even Chuy García, who had been an ally of Preckwinkle, supported Lightfoot.

In the runoff, Preckwinkle emphasized her many years of government experience. She wanted to show a difference between herself and Lightfoot, who had less experience in elected office.

Lori Lightfoot won the election on April 2, 2019, with over 73% of the vote. She won in every ward of the city. Preckwinkle only won in a small number of voting areas. After the election, Preckwinkle and Lightfoot held a press conference together. They promised to work together.

Democratic Party Roles

Preckwinkle speaking in 2013

Democratic Committeeman for the 4th Ward (1992–2018)

Each of Chicago's 50 wards and Cook County's 30 townships elect a Democratic Committeeman. These committeemen form the main group of the Cook County Democratic Party. They help find and support Democratic candidates for office.

Preckwinkle became the 4th Ward Democratic committeeman in 1992. She was re-elected several times without opposition. In 2004, she had a big say in choosing Kwame Raoul to fill the state senate seat left by Barack Obama.

Preckwinkle leads the Fourth Ward Democratic Organization. In 2005, this organization was part of a complaint. It was accused of using city-funded offices for political campaigns. State law says public funds cannot be used for political purposes. The complaint was eventually dismissed.

Chair of the Cook County Democratic Party (2018–Present)

Preckwinkle was elected Chair of the Cook County Democratic Party on April 18, 2018. She took over after the previous chair, Joseph Berrios, lost his primary election.

Relationship with Barack Obama

Preckwinkle supported Barack Obama in his political career. She endorsed him when he ran for Illinois Senate in 1995–96, U.S. House in 1999–2000, and U.S. Senate in 2004. She was one of the people who encouraged Obama to run for the U.S. Congress in 2000. She also supported him early on when he ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004.

When Obama was elected as a U.S. Senator in 2004, Preckwinkle had a big role in choosing his replacement in the Illinois State Senate. She became Obama's alderman when he moved to South Kenwood in 2005.

Preckwinkle's thoughts on Obama were shared in a 2008 New Yorker story. The article talked about Obama's political beginnings. It mentioned a 1995 meeting where Obama discussed running for the Illinois Senate. Preckwinkle became a loyal supporter of Obama.

In 1997, she successfully challenged the signatures of Obama's opponents in the Democratic Primary. This allowed Obama to run unopposed. The article suggested that Preckwinkle later felt "disenchanted" with Obama. She still served as an Obama delegate at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

Before the 2018 primary election for county board president, Obama endorsed Preckwinkle's re-election campaign. However, the next year, Obama did not endorse any candidate in the 2019 Chicago mayoral election. Preckwinkle had tried to get both Barack and Michelle Obama to support her campaign, but they did not.

Electoral History

• Uncertified results published in the Chicago Tribune on February 25, 1987

Personal Life

Toni Preckwinkle was married to Zeus Preckwinkle from 1969 to 2013. They have two children together.

Images for kids

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  Preckwinkle in 2021

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  Preckwinkle in 2008

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  Hyde Park 2006 Independence Day parade (left to right starting at center in light green): Preckwinkle as the Statue of Liberty, Illinois State Representative Barbara Flynn Currie as Uncle Sam, and Chicago City Council Alderman Leslie Hairston as Betsy Ross

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  Preckwinkle (right) with then-state senator Kwame Raoul at the 2015 Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic

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  Preckwinkle (right) at a 2018 protest organized by the Chicago Teachers Union

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  Preckwinkle speaking at the March 2019 "Equal Pay for Women" rally

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  Preckwinkle speaking at a ribbon cutting ceremony for a rain garden at a public park in October 2022

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  Preckwinkle (left) greets President Joe Biden in May 2022

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  Preckwinkle (left) and Congressman Chuy García greet First Lady Jill Biden in October 2021

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  Preckwinkle in April 2019

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  Preckwinkle speaking in 2013