Lake County, Illinois

Lake County Sheriff

2 candidates are tracked for Lake County Sheriff on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Roman Buchberger and John D. Idleburg. Candidate information follows official Lake County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Roman Buchberger (Republican) and sitting Sheriff John D. Idleburg (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot, per the county's official candidate list.

What this office does

Sheriff. The sheriff runs the county's law enforcement agency, operates the county jail, provides courthouse security and serves court papers such as warrants, subpoenas and evictions. In many counties the sheriff's office is the primary police force for areas outside city limits. The sheriff hires deputies and manages the office's budget within what the county board approves.

This race. Every voter in Lake County votes on this seat. The sitting officeholder, John D. Idleburg, is on the ballot.

Illinois › Lake County › Lake County Sheriff

Roman Buchberger

Republican

Top priorities

Focus on safer communities through prevention, trust-building and outreach
Rebuild staffing and morale and remove politics from promotions
Address the jail staffing crisis with smarter scheduling and support for correctional staff

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Roman Buchberger retired from the Lake County Sheriff's Office after more than 19 years of service, following earlier service as a municipal police officer, per Lake County Gazette / campaign reporting.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

John D. Idleburg

Democratic Incumbent

Biography

John D. Idleburg has served as Lake County Sheriff since 2022, according to the county's official roster of elected officials, per Lake County official Elected Officials page. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for John D. Idleburg.

Next on your ballotLake County Regional Superintendent of Schools

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Lake County Sheriff in 2026?

When is the Lake County Sheriff election in Illinois?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Illinois are on the Illinois election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Lake County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Lake County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Illinois election office, or see the full Lake County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Lake County ballot

32 tracked races in Lake County, Illinois. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Lake County Board Member, District 1 Lake County Board Member, District 3 Lake County Board Member, District 4 See all 32 Lake County races

Candidate profiles

Roman Buchberger, full profile John D. Idleburg, full profile Official Illinois election office