Meet Our Candidates

Brian Vaughn has called Kankakee County home since moving here in the second grade. For most of his adult life, he has been a proud union worker, spending years working swing shifts, nights, weekends, and holidays alongside the hardworking people who keep our community running. He is a Realtor, Eagle Scout, husband, and father who also volunteers with the Let’s Ketchup Food Pantry. Brian believes public service starts with listening to the people you serve.

Brian is the Democratic candidate for Kankakee County Clerk and is committed to making county government more transparent, accessible, and responsive. He believes government should work for everyone, including those whose schedules do not fit the traditional workday, and is focused on expanding access to voting, improving communication with residents, and making county government easier to navigate.

Outside of work and public service, Brian enjoys distance running and raising money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation through Team Fox in honor of family members affected by Parkinson’s disease. He is proud to call Kankakee County home and is committed to helping build a stronger community for future generations.

Joe has lived in Kankakee County all of his life.  He is excited to win his race for the County Board so he can serve his community.  Joe is a veteran of the Air Force in which he proudly served.  He is also retired union member of the United States Post Office.  He is married to Chris and they have beautiful daughters, Katrina and Isabelle.

Judge O’Connell currently serves as the Presiding Judge of the Felony Division in DuPage County, overseeing six felony courtrooms, the first appearance courtroom, and drug court. Since being elected to the bench in 2020, she has built a reputation for thoughtful leadership, fairness, and a deep commitment to justice. Before becoming a judge, Peggy O’Connell had a distinguished legal career in both public service and private practice. She served as a DuPage County State’s Attorney and as a Senior Assistant Attorney General in the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, where she co-authored an amicus brief before the United States Supreme Court and served as the Attorney General’s delegate on issues involving abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of seniors and persons with disabilities. In private practice, she handled family law, criminal defense, juvenile matters, and served as a court-certified Guardian ad Litem innumerous counties. Judge O’Connell also made history in 2020 as the first woman and the first Democrat elected directly from private practice to serve as a Circuit Court Judge in DuPage County. She was recently appointed as an alternate member of the Illinois Courts Commission and is currently the Democrat.