Former Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department LeRoy Martin won the Republican primary.

Incumbent John H. Stroger, Jr. defeated Cook County commissioner Calvin R. Sutker.

Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Aurelia Pucinski left the Democratic Party and joined the Republican party in December 1997 to run as its nominee for President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners.

In 1996, the Illinois Legislature successfully passed Public Act 89-671, which made it so that, in 1998, the Cook County Board of Appeals would be renamed Cook County Board of Review and be reconstituted as a three-member body.

Democratic incumbents Gloria Alitto Majewski and Patricia Young were reelected in the at-large election.

Since three six-year seats were up for election, voters could vote for up to three candidates, and the top-three finishers would win.

Partisan elections were held for judgeships on the Circuit Court of Cook County, due to vacancies.

An advisory referendum was included on the March primary ballots on the Managed Care Act.