Roman Buchberger, a Republican and former Lake County deputy sheriff, is running for Lake County Sheriff in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Democrat John Idleburg.
Buchberger's campaign website says his mother passed away when he was 14, his father was on disability, and by 16 he was working full-time and raising his younger brother while finishing high school. The site says he joined the Army at 18 not out of obligation but because he believed in service.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Office sought: Lake County Sheriff
- Ballot status: Certified for the ballot
Experience and public service
Buchberger's career spans military service and more than two decades in law enforcement, according to his campaign website and BallotReady profile data:
- U.S. Army, E5 (11B20): 1990–1991
- U.S. Army, Opfor Training: 1991–1997
- U.S. Army, Combat Support MP (31B): 2004–2008
- Community service officer, Village of Schaumburg: 1991
- Community service officer, Crystal Lake: 1991–1997
- Police officer (patrol supervisor), Village of Lakewood: 1997–2003
- Deputy sheriff, Lake County: 2003–2022
- Training officer, Lake County Sheriff's Office
- Court security officer, Lake County: 2024–2025
Buchberger also said he served as a special agent during Hurricane Katrina relief operations in New Orleans.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Buchberger's campaign website and his responses on BallotReady. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.
Staffing and morale
Buchberger said he would implement a 90-day recruitment and transition strategy beginning on his first day in office. He said he would develop a leadership pipeline to mentor deputies into command roles and create a hiring initiative to ensure recruits reflect the communities they serve. He said he would work in good faith with the deputies' union, "respecting collective bargaining and valuing deputies as frontline partners, not political pawns."
Community safety
Buchberger said he supports rapid response protocols and what he called smarter deployment across the county. He said he would strengthen patrol presence in unincorporated and vulnerable areas and build partnerships with schools, neighborhoods, faith leaders and businesses. He also said he would strengthen relationships with municipalities to improve service in incorporated areas.
Community outreach and prevention
Buchberger said he helped launch a pilot mentorship program at a local elementary school that brought deputies into classrooms as role models. He said the program resulted in improved academic performance and fewer behavioral incidents. He said he would expand that model countywide.
He also said he supports preventive programs addressing addiction, mental health and youth development, along with after-care programs offering housing and transportation assistance to individuals after release from jail.
Jail programs
Buchberger said he would work with the College of Lake County and other partners to bring life skills training, job readiness programs and education into the jail. He said the goal is to help inmates "reenter society with hope, dignity, and a real shot at success."
Endorsements
Buchberger has received the following endorsement, according to BallotReady profile data:
- Illinois - Lake County GOP
Candidate responses were drawn from Buchberger's campaign website and BallotReady. The Lake Forest Journal did not interview the candidate for this profile. Voters can learn more at romanforlakecounty.com.
