Sheriff Dart Looks To 'Raise Up' Communities After IL Dem Primary Win

COOK COUNTY, IL — In the last two election cycles (2014, 2018), Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart ran unopposed in both the primary and general elections. That all changed Tuesday night as the Democrat faced off against Noland Rivera in Illinois' Primary Election.

With 95 percent of votes accounted for, Dart has received 276,275 votes (86.6 percent), Wednesday morning, according to Chicago Tribune. Rivera was looking at 42,712 votes (13.4 percent).

"Thank you so much for entrusting me with your votes to face the challenges of today and tomorrow," Dart said in a social media post. "We will continue to push the envelope to protect the public while raising up every community in this great county.

Polls closed at 7 p.m. in Illinois. All election results are unofficial. Karen A. Yarbrough, of the Cook County Clerk's Office, is overseeing the vote tabulations.

There were no Republican candidates on the ballot for the four-year seat. Brad Sandefur will run in the general election as a Libertarian. Illinois' general election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Originally, Carmen Navarro Gercone was a candidate for the Democratic nod, but she was tossed off the ballot June 8 for the second time by an Illinois appellate court. Dolton police officer LaTonya Ruffin was also removed from the ballot.

RELATED: IL Primary Election 2022: Cook County Sheriff's Race

The Cook County Sheriff's Office is the principal law enforcement agency that serves Cook County. It is the second-largest sheriff's department in the United States, with over 6,900 members when at full operational strength. The office oversees an annual budget of more than $60 million.

Dart, 60, has been in Illinois politics since 1991, having formerly served as a member of the Illinois Senate from the 14th District, and a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 28th District.

According to his website, Dart is responsible for overseeing a police department that patrols and investigates crimes, while also hunting for fugitives, throughout suburban Cook County. He also oversees more than 10,000 inmates and 3,000 correctional officers at the Cook County Jail — the largest single-site jail in the nation. Additionally, Dart’s deputies are responsible for providing judicial safety in hundreds of courtrooms scattered across Cook County, while they are also responsible for serving thousands of court orders every year.

Rivera, of Chicago, is a sergeant of police with the Chicago Police Department.