Mariyana Spyropoulos

Mariyana Spyropoulos is an American lawyer and politician currently serving as the clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. She was previously a member of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Board of Commissioners.

Mariyana Spyropoulos
Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County
Incumbent
Assumed office December 4, 2024
Preceded by	Iris Martinez
President of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Board of Commissioners
In office January 2015 – January 2019
Preceded by	Kathleen Therese Meany Barbara J. McGowan (acting)
Succeeded by	Kari K. Steele
Member of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Board of Commissioners
In office August 5, 2009 – December 2024
Personal details
Political party	Democratic Party
Education	Loyola University Chicago (MBA) University of Illinois Chicago School of Law (JD)

Family and early life

Spyropoulos is the daughter of Erika and Ted Spyropoulos. Her father was a notable businessman,^[1] and a prominent member of the Greek American community.^[2] Her mother has served on the Illinois Arts Council.^[3]

Spyropoulos received her Masters in Business Administration from Loyola University Chicago and her Juris Doctor from the John Marshall Law School (now known as the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law) in 1996.^[4][5] She also did graduate work in American government at Georgetown University.^[4]

Legal career

Spyropoulos first practiced law as a prosecutor,^[6] working as san assistant Cook County state's attorney.^[4] She subsequently left this career and in 2005 opened the Chicago law firm of Miriyana Spyropoulos & Associates.^[2][6] Her legal work has involved environmental advocacy.^[4]

Spyropoulos has been a member of the American Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, Hellenic Bar Association, and Women's Bar Association.^[2]

MWRD Board of Commissioners

In 2008, Spyropoulos unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) Board of Commissioners. Her candidacy had been endorsed by then-lieutenant governor Pat Quinn.^[7] On August 5, 2009, Quinn (now the governor) appointed Spyropoulos to a vacant seat on the board.^[6] She was elected to a full term in 2010, and re-elected in 2016 and 2022.

Spyropoulos served as the MWRD chairperson of finance from January 2013 through January 2015.^[8][4] She served as president of the board from January 2015 through 2019.^[4][9] She has served as a trustee of the MWRD Retirement Fund.^[8] She has served chairperson of the judiciary committee; chairperson of the Pension, Human Resources, and Civil Service Committee; chairperson of the finance committee; chairperson of the real estate development committee; vice chairperson of the ethics committee; vice chairperson of the public health and welfare committee.^[4][8] She was also the MWRD representative to the Public Building Commission,^[4] to which she was appointed by the board in January 2011. She was elected to the finance chairmanship in January 2013, and was elected board president January 2015.^[10]

Spyropoulos advocated for decreasing administrative costs and implementing resource recovery involving the conversion of waste into fertilizer.^[11]

In 2018, it was alleged that Spyropoulos had received $60,000 in campaign donations from contractors who did business with the MWRD.^[12]

In 2018, Spyropoulos gave her support to the creation of an inspector general position at the MWRD, instructing the agency's law department to draft a proposal.^[13] This position was ultimately created.^[8]

Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County

Abandonded 2020 candidacy

Further information: 2020 Cook County Clerk of Courts election

Spyropoulos launched a campaign for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 Cook County Clerk of Courts election. Incumbent clerk Dorothy Brown was not seeking re-election, creating an open race. Spyropoulos withdrew from the race in September 2019, citing family reasons.^[14]

2024 election

Further information: 2024 Cook County Clerk of Courts election

Spyropoulos successfully challenged incumbent Cook County Clerk of Courts Iris Martinez in the Democratic primary for the 2024 Cook County Clerk of Courts election.

Ahead of the primary, Spyropoulos was endorsed by the Cook County Democratic Party.^[15] She also received the endorsement of the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune.^[16] Spyropolous' campaign finances benefited from her family's wealth. Ahead of the primary, she personally loaned $1.2 million to her campaign committee. Her mother made an independent expenditure totally $78,000 to purchase billboard advertisements in support of the campaign.^[17]

Spyropolous won the general election in November 2024.^[18]

Tenure

Spyropolous was sworn-in on December 4, 2024.^[19]

Awards and recognition

• 2017 Illinois Water Environment Association "Public Service Award"^[20]

Electoral history

MWRD

2008

2008 MWRD Democratic primary^[21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Frank Avila (incumbent)	367,867	17.01
	Democratic	Kathleen Therese Meany (incumbent)	336,047	15.54
	Democratic	Cynthia M. Santos (incumbent)	334,427	15.47
	Democratic	Mariyana T. Spyropolous	307,067	14.20
	Democratic	Daine Jones	284,623	13.16
	Democratic	Dean T. Maragos	212,967	9.85
	Democratic	Derrick David Stinson	188,506	8.72
	Democratic	Matthew Podgorski	130,748	6.05

2010

2010 MWRD Democratic primary^[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mariyana T. Spyropoulos (incumbent)	180,730	14.78
	Democratic	Barbara McGowan (incumbent)	179,955	14.72
	Democratic	Michael A. Alvarez	158,172	12.94
	Democratic	Kari K. Steele	141,649	11.59
	Democratic	Todd Connor	130,383	10.66
	Democratic	Maureen Kelly	123,590	10.11
	Democratic	Kathleen Mary O'Reilley	110,810	9.06
	Democratic	Wallace Davis, III	98,694	8.07
	Democratic	Stella B. Black	98,588	8.06
Total votes			1,222,571	100

2016 MWRD election^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Michael A. Alvarez	679,058	23.10
	Democratic	Mariyana T. Spyropoulos (incumbent)	669,036	22.76
	Democratic	Barbara McGowan (incumbent)	659,353	22.43
	Republican	Paul Chialdikas	380,787	12.95
	Republican	Jimmy Lee Tillman II	227,549	7.74
	Green	Diana Horton	141,943	4.83
	Green	John "Jack" Ailey	93,301	3.17
	Green	Nadine Bopp	88,834	3.02
Total votes			2,939,861	100

2016

2016 MWRD Democratic primary^[24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Barbara McGowan (incumbent)	517,239	24.42
	Democratic	Mariyana T. Spyropoulos (incumbent)	423,313	19.99
	Democratic	Josina Morita	388,766	18.36
	Democratic	Kevin McDevit	303,170	14.32
	Democratic	Joseph Daniel Cook	321,814	15.20
	Democratic	R. Cary Capparelli	163,482	7.72
Total votes			2,117,784	100

2016 MWRD election^[25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Barara McGowan (incumbent)	1,150,063	28.79
	Democratic	Mariyana T. Spyropoulos (incumbent)	951,773	23.83
	Democratic	Josina Morita	919,714	23.03
	Green	Karen Roothaan	343,930	8.61
	Green	George Milkowski	308,576	7.73
	Green	Michael Smith	320,162	8.02
Total votes			3,994,218	100

2022

2022 MWRD Democratic primary^[26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mariyana T. Spyropoulos (incumbent)	257,580	22.24
	Democratic	Patricia Theresa Flynn	201,003	17.35
	Democratic	Yumeka Brown	185,222	15.99
	Democratic	Sharon Waller	149,165	12.88
	Democratic	Precious W. Brady-Davis	126,672	10.94
	Democratic	Frank Avila	99,815	8.62
	Democratic	Rick Garcia	76,019	6.56
	Democratic	Cristina P. Nonato	62,738	5.42
Total votes			1,158,214	100

2022 MWRD election^[27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mariyana T. Spyropoulos (incumbent)	865,103	29.56
	Democratic	Patricia Theresa Flynn	766,291	26.18
	Democratic	Yumeka Brown	710,037	24.26
	Republican	R. Cary Capparelli	365,671	12.49
	Green	Mark E. Buettner	219,771	7.51
Total votes			2,926,813	100

Clerk of Courts

2024

2024 Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mariyana Spyropoulos
	Democratic	Iris Y. Martinez (incumbent)
Total votes				100

2024 Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mariyana Spyropoulos
	Republican	Lupe Aguirre
	Libertarian	Michael Murphy
Total votes				100

References

1. Quig, A.D. (20 March 2024). "Mariyana Spyropoulos defeats incumbent Iris Martinez for Cook County Circuit Court Clerk". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
2. Bjorkgren, David (18 September 2019). "Like Father, like Daughter: Mariyana Spyropoulos Helps Communities by Protecting Chicago's Precious Water Resources". Hellenic News of America. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
3. "Erika Spyropoulos Appointed Commissioner of the Illinois Arts Council". Neo Magazine. April 16, 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
4. "Sypropoulos Elected as New President of MWRD" (PDF). The Beverly Review. January 14, 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2024 – via legacy.mwrd.org.
5. "Commissioner Mariyana Spyropoulos ('96) Elected Finance Committee Chair for Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago". news.law.uic.edu. University of Illinois Chicago School of Law News. January 7, 2013.
6. "Governor Quinn Appoints Environmentalist to Metropolitan Water Reclamation District; Activist Will Focus on Safe and Clean Water Supplies". Illinois.gov. August 5, 2009. Archived from the original on August 7, 2009. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
7. "Some of Gov. Pat Quinn's appointees have ties to campaign donors". Chicago Tribune. 29 September 2010. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
8. "Mariyana T. Spyropoulos". MWRD.org. Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
9. Harrington, Adam (19 March 2024). "Mariyana Spyropoulos Tops Incumbent Iris Martinez in Primary for Cook County Circuit Court Clerk". CBSNews.com. CBS News Chicago. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
10. "Commissioners Sworn in to Protect Water Environment" (PDF). Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. December 6, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 20, 2024.
11. Riley, Chloe (March 15, 2016). "Primary Coverage: Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Race". WTTW News. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
12. Shaw, Andy (March 9, 2018). "Here's how the water district can mop up its mess". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
13. Posner, Emeline (30 October 2018). "Election Explainer: Metropolitan Water Reclamation District". South Side Weekly. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
14. Sfondeles, Tina (13 September 2019). "Mariyana Spyropoulos drops bid for circuit court clerk". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
15. Quig, A.D. (15 August 2023). "Amid party loyalty questions, Cook County Democrats endorse for state's attorney and go against incumbent for court clerk". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
16. "Editorial: We endorse Mariyana Spyropoulos for Cook County Circuit Court Clerk". Chicago Tribune. 19 February 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
17. Quig, A.D. (20 March 2024). "Mariyana Spyropoulos defeats incumbent Iris Martinez for Cook County Circuit Court Clerk". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
18. Horrall, Femi (6 November 2024). "Mariyana T. Spyropoulos elected Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Mariyana T. Spyropoulos elected Cook County Circuit Court Clerk". The Daily Northwestern. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
19. "Mariyana Spyropoulos sworn in as Cook County's Circuit Court clerk". FOX 32 Chicago. 5 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
20. "Public Official Award - Illinois Water Environment Association". iweasite.org. Illinois Water Environment Association. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
21. "Cook County and Chicago February 5th 2008 Primary Election Combined Summary Report" (PDF). Cook County Clerk's Office. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
22. "Combined Summary Report - Primary Election Cook County Primary February 2, 2010" (PDF). Cook County Clerk's Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
23. "Cook County General Election November 2, 2010 Combined Summary Report" (PDF). Cook County Clerk's Office. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
24. "Primary Election Cook County and The City of Chicago Tuesday, March 15, 2016 Combined Summary" (PDF). Cook County Clerk's Office. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
25. "General Election Cook County and The City of Chicago Tuesday, November 8, 2016 Combined Summary" (PDF). Retrieved 15 March 2020.
26. "Cook County & City of Chicago Primary Election June 28, 2022 Combined Summary" (PDF). Cook County Clerk. 2022.
27. "Tabulated Statement of the Returns and Proclamation of the Results of the Canvass of the Election Returns for the November 8, 2022 Gubernatorial General Election Held in Each of the Precincts in Cook County, Illinois Including the City of Chicago" (PDF). www.cookcountyclerkil.gov. Cook County Clerk. 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.