Just under the wire, dozens of hopefuls for county races submitted their nominating papers to earn their spots down ballot on Monday, crowding into races for empty seats, sparing incumbents from any contest at all, and in some cases, running back old rivalries.

Whether they make it to the March 2026 primary ballots will now depend on whether their opponents challenge the validity of the thousands of signatures they submitted.

The 12th District Cook County Board seat being vacated by Commissioner Bridget Degnen is one of the most crowded, attracting five Democrats and a Republican.

Liz Granato, the chief of the county’s Bureau of Asset Management and the daughter of former Ald. Jesse Granato, is in the running. So is Cat Sharp, the chief of staff to Ald. Andre Vasquez. Sharp was one of

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