Two Democrats face off in Kane County Clerk primary

Unofficial results show Brenda Rodgers leading Brian Pollock in the Democratic primary

Mar. 18, 2026 at 2:18am

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Two Democratic candidates, Brenda Rodgers and Brian Pollock, are vying to be their party's nominee for Kane County Clerk. The winner of the March 17 primary election will go on to challenge incumbent Republican John 'Jack' Cunningham, who has served as the Kane County Clerk since 2002.

Why it matters

The Kane County Clerk is responsible for overseeing elections, maintaining public records, and providing various administrative services to county residents. The outcome of this primary election will determine the Democratic challenger to the Republican incumbent, which could impact the direction of the Clerk's office in the coming years.

The details

Rodgers, a realtor who previously served on the Elgin City Council, has said she will focus on ensuring residents understand the services available through the Clerk's Office and that funds are used responsibly and transparently. Pollock, who has nine years of experience working in the Kane County Clerk's Office, has said his priorities would be increasing transparency and communication, protecting voting rights, increasing accessibility, and providing excellent customer service while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

  • The primary election was held on March 17, 2026.
  • As of 9:11 p.m. on election night, early unofficial results show Rodgers leading Pollock with 21,627 votes compared to Pollock's 17,510 votes.
  • The final results will not be certified for two weeks after Election Day.

The players

John 'Jack' Cunningham

The incumbent Republican Kane County Clerk who has served in the position since 2002 and previously served as an Aurora City Commissioner.

Brenda Rodgers

A Democratic candidate for Kane County Clerk who is a realtor and previously served on the Elgin City Council.

Brian Pollock

A Democratic candidate for Kane County Clerk who has served nine years within the Kane County Clerk's Office and was previously a Kane County Board Member.

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What they’re saying

“I will focus on ensuring residents understand the services available through the Clerk's Office and that funds are used responsibly and transparently.”

— Brenda Rodgers, Democratic candidate for Kane County Clerk (Shaw Local News)

“I've created budgets which kept the office under budget every year and secured millions in external grants to protect county taxpayers.”

— Brian Pollock, Democratic candidate for Kane County Clerk (Shaw Local News)

“I'm proud to have written language passed by the state legislature to expand voting rights in Illinois.”

— Brian Pollock, Democratic candidate for Kane County Clerk (Shaw Local News)

What’s next

The final results of the Democratic primary election for Kane County Clerk will be certified in two weeks after Election Day.

The takeaway

This primary election will determine the Democratic challenger to the long-serving Republican incumbent, which could impact the future direction of the Kane County Clerk's office in terms of priorities like transparency, voting rights, and customer service.