Regional Superintendent of Schools
March 17, 2026 · Lake County, Illinois · County · primary
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 27 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 714,223 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(5,182,090 ÷ 714,223) ÷ ln(5,182,090 ÷ 3,605) = 27.26, comparing counties in IL (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: None · only 1 candidate
One candidate is running unopposed, so votes can't change the outcome.
Low representation + an uncontested race → Very low vote impact.
County Superintendent of Schools is responsible for:
- Supporting and overseeing local school districts at the county level
- Running county-wide education programs and services
- Reviewing district budgets or supporting teacher credentialing, depending on the state
Affected Areas: Government Efficiency, Government Spending Reduction, Public Education Quality, Civil Rights
Candidates
Michael L. Karner
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Lake County Regional Superintendent of Schools and former educator and school administrator.
Election sources
Source: lakecountyil.gov
Source: lakecountyil.gov
Source: results.enr.clarityelections.com