Michael Murphy is running as a Libertarian for Cook County Board president in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Toni Preckwinkle, the Democratic candidate.
Murphy, an IT professional who lives in Chicago's Austin neighborhood in Cook County District 1, said on his campaign website that he supports "small, efficient government that sticks to its core responsibilities: public safety, infrastructure, essential services, and does them well."
Candidate information
- Party: Libertarian
- Residence: Austin neighborhood, Chicago (Cook County District 1), according to his campaign website
- Education: Associate degree, Schoolcraft College (2017); bachelor's degree in computer technology/computer systems technology, Wayne State University (2020), according to BallotReady
- Current employment: Information system engineer at Campagna-Turano Bakery Inc. (2021–present), according to BallotReady
Experience
Murphy's professional background is in information technology, according to BallotReady. He worked as a technical support group technician at UPS from 2015 to 2018, then as an IT network/systems administrator at Sorbis Corporation from 2018 to 2019. He served as a system administrator at Diversified Members Credit Union from 2019 to 2021 before taking his current role.
No prior public office or public service record appears in the reviewed candidate materials.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Murphy's responses on his campaign website and through BallotReady. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.
Taxes and budget
Murphy said he supports a 1% property tax rate tied to property value with annual increases capped at inflation or 2%. He said the cap would "provide stability for homeowners and businesses in Cook County." He called for no new taxes without government reform first, saying, "We must cut waste before asking for another penny from taxpayers." He said tax dollars should fund essential services rather than what he called "pet projects or political favors."
Housing
Murphy said he supports by-right zoning reform that would automatically approve housing projects meeting existing safety and zoning standards. He also called for releasing idle county-owned parcels for private or nonprofit housing through open bidding or long-term leases, a proposal he labeled the "County Land Streamlining Act." He said he backs rehabilitation tax incentives for owner-occupied homes to encourage residents to preserve older properties.
Criminal justice and public safety
Murphy said he supports police reform focused on transparency and constitutional protections. He said he favors ending racial profiling and unconstitutional searches. He also called for demilitarizing local police forces, prioritizing violent crime prevention over what he called "revenue-driven enforcement" and respecting Fourth Amendment protections against surveillance without cause. He said the right to keep and bear arms is "fundamental to personal freedom and self-defense."
Education
Murphy said he supports expanding school choice, including public, charter, private, homeschool and virtual options. He called for redirecting resources to classrooms by cutting administrative waste and holding leadership accountable. He said he would work to protect parental rights in curriculum decisions and give teachers more autonomy.
Immigration
Murphy said he supports ending county cooperation with federal deportation efforts and ensuring immigrants can access basic services without fear. He also said he wants to allow immigrant entrepreneurs to operate without bureaucratic hurdles.
Candidate issue responses were collected through BallotReady and the candidate's campaign website. Evanston Wire presents them as reported by the candidate, not as endorsements.
