Democrats running for office in 2026

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There are 14 Democratic candidates who have filed to run for the open U.S. Senate seat in the March 17, 2026 primary election. The current U.S. Senator, Dick Durbin, is retiring and not seeking re-election.  Learn about them here 

Stephenson County has TWO US Congressional Districts. If you live roughly, north of the Cedarville Blacktop, then you live in the 16th District. If you live in Freeport or south of the Cedarville Blacktop, you live in the 17th District. Check out the maps here.

Learn about the candidates in your district here

Gov. JB Pritzker is running for his third term as Governor of Illinois as a Democrat with Christian Mitchell as his Lieutenant Governor.

In addition, Patricia Tillman is a Democrat with Joseph Mosley as Lieutenant Governor. Tillman is a former candidate for alderman in Chicago. 

There are also six Republicans running. Voting in the Primary this year will be very important for both parties.

The Attorney General is the state's chief legal officer and is responsible for protecting the public interest of the state and its people.

The job of the Attorney General is to:

• Advocate on behalf of all of the people of Illinois;
• Legislate with members of the General Assembly for new laws; and
• Litigate to ensure state laws are followed and respected.
• The Attorney General provides services that cover a broad range of issues, reaching every corner of Illinois.
• Incumbent Kwame Raoul (D) is running in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Illinois on March 17, 2026. Learn more about Kwame Raoul here.

The Illinois Secretary of State's office handles a wide range of duties, including issuing driver's licenses and vehicle registrations, incorporating businesses, and maintaining official state records. The office also manages senior services, administers the organ donor registry, and supports literacy programs.

Incumbent Alexi Giannoulias is running in the Democratic primary for Illinois Secretary of State on March 17, 2026. Learn more about Alexi Giannoulias here. 

The Illinois Treasurer acts as the state's Chief Investment and Banking Officer, managing and investing state funds, and processing payments for state agencies. Key responsibilities include safeguarding public money, ensuring sufficient funds for state obligations, and managing the state's investment portfolio to benefit taxpayers through earnings and programs. The office also handles programs like the unclaimed property program, which returns lost money to its rightful owners, and administers college savings plans. 

Incumbent Mike Frerichs is running in the Democratic primary for Illinois Treasurer on March 17, 2026. As of November, 2025, there are no Republicans running.

Learn more about Mike Frerichs here. 

The Comptroller of Illinois is the state's chief fiscal control officer, responsible for maintaining central fiscal accounts, ordering payments into and out of state funds, and ensuring legal and efficient government operations. Key duties include signing paychecks, managing the state's internal payments, and overseeing the collection of debts for local governments. The office also regulates cemetery care funds and provides financial transparency reports to the public. 

Learn about the Democrats running for Comptroller here.

A Senate district is made up of two IL Representative districts. Joe Berning is the Democratic candidate in the 45th running against the incumbent Andrew Chesney.

“The reason I'm running is simple: I believe every voice deserves to be heard. Our communities are full of hard-working, thoughtful people, and I want to ensure your voices are represented at every level of government.” Joe Berning
Learn more about Joe Berning here

John Ping (D) is running against the incumbent John Cabello (R). 

You can learn more about John Ping here.

A State Central Committee person in Illinois is a member of their political party's state central committee, which is the governing body of the party at the state level. One man and one woman is elected in each district. Because Stephenson County has two Congressional Districts you first need to know if you live in the 16th district or 17th District. Check the maps here. 

Learn about the candidates in those districts here.

There are 4 County Board districts within Freeport and 4 Rural districts. County Board terms are 4 years and there is two board members that represent each district. They alternate the terms, so that every election one is up for election. Find out who they are here. 

A county clerk is the chief record-keeper for a county, with responsibilities that vary by location but often include issuing vital records like marriage licenses, recording legal documents such as deeds, and administering elections. They also handle financial and administrative tasks like managing county budgets, payroll, and accounts payable.

Suzanne Cook is running as a Democrat against the incumbent Jazmin Wingert (R).