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Park District Board Commissioner — Your local park district within Cook County (outside Chicago city limits)

Filing Fee: No filing fee — confirm with your district Term: 6-year terms — no term limits Seats: 5-member board typical — usually 1–2 seats up per election cycle Election: April 6, 2027

First confirm your park district. Many suburban Cook neighborhoods fall within an independent park district — but some municipalities run their own parks under city government, meaning there's no separate elected board. Call the Cook County Clerk at (312) 603-0900 or check your property tax bill to identify your district.

Suburban Cook County has dozens of independent park districts — separate government bodies with elected boards of commissioners. The board approves the park district's budget, sets the property tax levy, hires the executive director, and oversees facilities, programming, and capital projects. NOTE: The Chicago Park District is a separate entity; its governance is appointed, not elected. This page covers suburban Cook County park districts only.

✓ Who Can Run

Be at least 18 years old
Be a U.S. citizen and a registered voter in your park district
Reside within the park district

📋 What You Need to File

Identify your park district by calling the Cook County Clerk at (312) 603-0900 or checking cookcountyclerkil.gov.
Contact the park district's board secretary to get the official candidate packet. Signature requirements are based on 5% of votes cast at the last election for that office.
Starting approximately August 2026, collect your signatures. Collect at least 1.5x the minimum as a buffer against challenges.
File your notarized Statement of Candidacy and petition papers with the park district's board secretary during the filing window (estimated November 2026 — confirm exact dates with your district).
File a Statement of Economic Interests.
Register a political committee with the Illinois State Board of Elections if you raise or spend more than $5,000.

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📅 Key Deadlines

Petition circulation begins (estimated) ~August 2026
Filing window (estimated) ~November 2026
Election day April 6, 2027

📍 Where to File

The secretary of your specific park district board. Cook County Clerk (69 W. Washington St., Chicago | (312) 603-0900 | cookcountyclerkil.gov) can help identify your district.

🔗 Helpful Links

Cook County Clerk — Candidate Information → Illinois Park District Code (70 ILCS 1205/) → Illinois Association of Park Districts → Illinois State Board of Elections — Running for Office →

Last updated: 2026-04-18

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