Idleburg wins third term as Lake County sheriff

John D. Idleburg, the Democratic incumbent, won a third term as Lake County sheriff with 144,848 votes, or 66.7%, to Republican Roman Buchberger's 72,291 votes, or 33.3%, according to unofficial results from Lake County Clerk Elections. All 431 reporting units had reported as of 11:17 p.m. Nov. 3. Idleburg's margin was 72,557 votes out of 217,139 counted.

The Chicago Sun-Times, citing Associated Press data, also tracked the race. The Chicago Tribune reported that Idleburg declared victory on election night.

What the candidate said

"I am very honored that the people of Lake County have selected me to serve a third term," Idleburg said, according to the Tribune. "We've tried to engage the community and put in programs to make the community safe," he said.

What was at stake

The Lake County Sheriff's Office oversees patrol operations, criminal investigations, the county jail and court security, Patch reported. The winner will serve a four-year term leading the county's largest law enforcement agency.

The key issues:

• Jail staffing: The Lake County jail has faced persistent staffing shortages, and the county pays McHenry County to house about 150 inmates, the Chicago Tribune reported in October. Buchberger called understaffing a source of a "toxic environment." Idleburg said his office is always trying to hire correctional officers.
• SAFE-T Act: Idleburg said the law eliminating cash bail has made pretrial detention less dependent on defendants' finances. Buchberger said the law has not been effective, according to questionnaires the candidates submitted to Patch.
• Surveillance cameras: Idleburg defended the sheriff's office use of Flock license-plate-reader cameras. Buchberger raised concerns about potential government surveillance abuse.

Idleburg campaigned on his administration’s record, including its investigative programs and use of license-plate-reader technology.

A little history

Idleburg, a Zion-area resident and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, has served as sheriff since 2018, according to the Tribune. He first won the seat by about 150 votes in 2018 and was re-elected by a wider margin in 2022. Before becoming sheriff, he worked as a Lake County deputy and a federal agent in the U.S. Treasury Department.

Buchberger, also of Zion, served in the Army before joining the Lake County Sheriff's Office in 2003, the Tribune reported. He worked as a deputy for 19 years before retiring in 2022.

What's next

The results remain unofficial. The Lake County Clerk's office will finish the canvass on Nov. 24 at 3 p.m. Outstanding and late-arriving ballot updates will begin posting Nov. 5, according to the clerk's office.

Election results: Lake County Sheriff (Illinois General Election, 2026-11-03)

Source: Lake County Clerk Elections. Results current as of Nov. 3, 2026, 11:17 p.m. CST. Reporting: 431 of 431. Unofficial results; every reporting unit has reported.