The Ballot Brief
Kankakee County, Illinois

Kankakee County Sheriff

Downey was on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official Kankakee County election filings. Certified results will appear here once the election office certifies the count. Illinois certifies the general election by December 4, 2026; county canvasses are due November 24. Official results: www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx.

About this race

No Democratic candidate filed. Michael D. Downey is the Republican nominee and is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the county clerk's own master specimen ballot.

What this office does

Sheriff. The sheriff runs the county's law enforcement agency, operates the county jail, provides courthouse security and serves court papers such as warrants, subpoenas and evictions. In many counties the sheriff's office is the primary police force for areas outside city limits. The sheriff hires deputies and manages the office's budget within what the county board approves.

This race. Every voter in Kankakee County votes on this seat. One name is on the ballot for this seat.

This list comes from official election records but may be incomplete. It can miss, for example, late or petition candidates and some city, school and district races. Your official sample ballot is the final word.

We use AI to research and write election information. Errors are possible. Verify important details with official sources.

Illinois › Kankakee County › Kankakee County Sheriff

Who won? The official answer comes December 4.

Illinois makes results final in three steps.
✓
Done · Nov 3
Votes were cast and counted
Election night totals are a first count, not the final one.
2
Happening now · by Nov 24
Kankakee County double-checks its count
The county reviews mail ballots, provisional ballots and any recount, then sends official totals to the state.
3
Next · Dec 4
Illinois makes it official
The State Board of Elections certifies the result. The winner appears on this page that day.

What local news is reporting

Not official yetUpdated November 5, 2026

This report is cited to the outlet that published it. We do not call races. Official running count: Illinois official results.

Kankakee County Sheriff
No report found yet

Reports are checked daily until Illinois certifies on December 4; a certified winner replaces the report on that day.

Michael D. Downey

Republican

Biography

Michael D. Downey is the sitting Kankakee County Sheriff, having led the office since April 2016, per the Illinois Sheriffs' Association. No campaign website was found as of September 22, 2026.

Next on the ballotRegional Superintendent of Schools (Regional Office of Education #32)

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Voting info and more

Voting info and more
Questions about this race

Who is running for Kankakee County Sheriff in 2026?

One candidate was tracked for Kankakee County Sheriff on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Michael D. Downey. Candidate information follows official Kankakee County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Kankakee County Sheriff election in Illinois?

Election Day was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Certified results will appear on this page as the election office certifies them. Illinois certifies the general election by December 4, 2026; county canvasses are due November 24. Official results: https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx. Voting rules for Illinois are on the Illinois election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Kankakee County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Who won the Kankakee County Sheriff race?

Not yet reported by the outlets we checked; Illinois certifies on December 4. We do not call races.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Kankakee County and state election office filings, last verified October 24, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Illinois election office, or see the full Kankakee County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Kankakee County ballot

30 tracked races in Kankakee County, Illinois. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on the November 3 ballot
Kankakee County Board, District 1Kankakee County Board, District 3Kankakee County Board, District 5See all 30 Kankakee County races
Candidate profiles
Michael D. Downey, full profileOfficial Illinois election office