Democrats running for office in 2026

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There are 6 candidates running for Stephenson County Board. Click on their name to learn more about each of them.

District B - Sam Newton

District C - Joe Cardoso (4 year seat). 

District C - Casey Heneghan (2 year seat)

District D - Roxane Rice

District E - Adam Moderow

District I - Ed Klein

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

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).

Our current U.S. Senator, Dick Durbin, is retiring and not seeking re-election. 

Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton won the Primary in March. 

Learn more about Juliana Stratton here.

Stephenson County has TWO US Congressional Districts. The dividing line runs east and west along the Cedarville Blacktop to Fawver Rd, then south to Maize Rd, then west to the edge of the county. If you live north of that line you live in the 16th Congressional District and if you live south of that line, you live in the 17th Congressional District.  Click here to see the maps.

Eric Sorensen: Incumbent, 17th District Congressional Candidate

Paul Nolley: 16th District Congressional Candidate

Learn about both of them by clicking here.

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

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.

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

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 for Illinois Secretary of State. 

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 for Illinois Treasurer.

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. 

Margaret Croke is running for Comptroller. Learn more about her here.