AFSCME Illinois PEOPLE Recommendations: 2026 General Election

What’s on the ballot in the Nov. 3 election? Workers’ rights. Public services. An economy that works for all working people, not just the rich. 

These candidates were endorsed through a democratic process in our union. Local union members from all across the state have scrutinized their records and their positions on the issues that matter most to us.

Here are the candidates they found most qualified. 

AFSCME does not typically endorse in uncontested elections. Legislative candidates’ AFSCME voting records are denoted by a percentage following their names.

Key Election Dates

• Tues., Nov. 3: Election Day
• Tues., Oct. 15: Early voting begins

Click here to find your early voting polling place

Click here to find your Election Day polling place

We all can make a difference in these crucial races. 

Click here to register to be an AFSCME volunteer! 

STATEWIDE

U.S. Senate

Juliana Stratton (D)

Attorney General

Kwame Raoul (D)

Secretary of State

Alexi Giannoulias (D)

Comptroller

Margaret Croke (D)

Treasurer

Michael Frerichs (D)

JUDICIAL

3rd Appellate Court District (McDade vacancy): Margaret “Peggy” O’Connell (D)

CONGRESS

1st District: Jonathan Jackson (100%) (D)          

2nd District: Donna Miller (D)      

3rd District: Delia Ramirez (100%) (D)

4th District: Patty García (D)         

6th District: Sean Casten (100%) (D)       

7th District: LaShawn Ford (D)     

8th District: Melissa Bean (D)       

9th District: Daniel Biss (D)

10th District: Brad Schneider (100%) (D)

11th District: Bill Foster (100%) (D)

12th District: Julie Fortier (D)

13th District: Nikki Budzinski (100%) (D)

14th District: Lauren Underwood (100%) (D)

15th District: Jennifer Todd (D)

16th District: Paul Nolley (D)

17th District: Eric Sorensen (100%) (D)

ILLINOIS SENATE

8th District: Ram Villivalam (100%) (D)

9th District: Patrick Hanley (D)

12th District: Celina Villanueva (100%) (D)

14th District: Emil Jones, III (93%) (D)   

17th District: Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (100%) (D)

18th District: Frances Ann Hurley (D)

21st District: Laura Ellman (100%) (D)

23rd District: Suzanne “Suzy” Glowiak Hilton (88%) (D)

26th District: Nabeela Syed (100%) (D)

27th District: Carina Santa Maria (D)

29th District: Julie Morrison (100%) (D) 

32nd District: Craig Wilcox (76%) (R)     

33rd District: Michele Clark (D)

36th District: Michael Halpin (100%) (D)

38th District: Sue Rezin (64%) (R)

42nd District: Jared Ploger (D)

48th District: Doris Turner (100%) (D)

56th District: Erica Harriss (76%) (R)      

57th District: Christopher Belt (93%) (D)

ILLINOIS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

2nd District: Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez (100%) (D)

9th District: Yolanda Morris (100%) (D)

12th District: Paul Kendrick (D)

13th District: Demerike “Demi” Palecek (D)       

17th District: Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (95%) (D)

18th District: Robyn Gabel (100%) (D)

19th District: Lindsey LaPointe (100%) (D)

21st District: Abdelnasser Rashid (100%) (D)

25th District: Curtis Tarver, II (95%) (D) 

35th District: Mary Gill (100%) (D)

36th District: Rick Ryan (100%) (D)        

39th District: Will Guzzardi (100%) (D)  

41st District: Janet Yang Rohr (100%) (D)

42nd District: Margaret DeLaRosa (100%) (D)

44th District: Fred Crespo (95%) (D)        

45th District: Martha “Marti” Deuter (100%) (D)

46th District: Diane Blair-Sherlock (100%) (D)

47th District: Erica Bray-Parker (D)

49th District: Maura Hirschauer (100%) (D)

51st District: Jenny Levin (D)

52nd District: Maria Peterson (D)

53rd District: Nicolle Grasse (100%) (D)

54th District: Mary Beth Canty (100%) (D)

55th District: Justin Cochran (D)

56th District: Michelle Mussman (100%) (D)

57th District: Tracy Katz Muhl (100%) (D)

61st District: Joyce Mason (100%) (D)

65th District: Ricky Rivard (D)

66th District: Suzanne Ness (100%) (D)

68th District: Dave Vella (95%) (D)          

70th District: Veronica Garcia-Martinez (D)

76th District: Amy “Murri” Briel (100%) (D)

77th District: Norma Hernandez (100%) (D)

78th District: Camille Lilly (100%) (D)

80th District: Anthony DeLuca (95%) (D)

81st District: Anne Stava (100%) (D)

83rd District: Matt Hanson (100%) (D)

84th District: Saba Haider (D)

85th District: Dagmara “Dee” Avelar (100%) (D)

97th District: Jessica Dixon Heitman (D)

98th District: Natalie Manley (100%) (D)

104th District: Brandun Schweizer (95%) (R)

112th District: Katie Stuart (100%) (D)

114th District: Kevin Schmidt (95%) (R)  

118th District: Homer “Chip” Markel (D) 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Champaign County

Sheriff: Dustin Heuerman (D)

Christian County

County Board, District 1: Linda Curtin (D)

Cook County

President: Toni Preckwinkle (D)

Assessor: Pat Hynes (D)

County Board, District 5: Kisha E. McCaskill (D)

County Board, District 8: Jessica Vásquez (D)

County Board, District 9: Maggie Trevor (D)

County Board, District 11: John Daley (D)

County Board, District 12: Elizabeth Granato (D)

County Board, District 13: Josina Morita (D)

County Board, District 15: Ted Mason (D)

County Board, District 17: Elyse Hoffenberg (D)

DuPage County

County Board Chair: Deb Conroy (D)

Sheriff: Peter Joseph Coolidge (D)

County Board, District 1, 2-Year Term: Melissa Villanueva (D)

County Board, District 2, 2-Year Term: Mary Rada Walters (D)

County Board, District 3, 2-Year Term: Ericka Polanco-Webb (D)

County Board, District 4, 2-Year Term: Mary FitzGerald Ozog (D)

County Board, District 5, 4-Year Term: Ian Holzhauer (D)

County Board, District 5, 2-Year Term: Dawn DeSart (D)

Jackson County

County Clerk: Frank Bryd (D)

Sheriff: Bob Burns (D)

Kane County

County Board, District 2: Ellen Nottke (D)

County Board, District 11: Julie Forbes (D)

County Board, District 13: Nicholas G. “Nico” Jimenez

County Board, District 21: Deborah Chabi (D)

County Board, District 23: Christopher W. Kious (D)

Knox County

Treasurer: Robin Davis (D)

Lake County

Treasurer: Sandy Hart (D) 

County Board, District 1: Jose S. Martinez (D)

County Board, District 10: Nicki Sullivan (D)

County Board, District 16: Esiah A. Campos (D)

County Board, District 17: Mary Mesa (D)

County Board, District 19: Marah Altenberg (D)

Peoria County

County Clerk: Rachael Parker (D)

Treasurer: Randy Stevens (D)

Rock Island County

County Clerk: Maggie Crouch (D)

Sheriff: Marcus Herbert (D)

Will County

County Clerk: Annette Parker (R)

Sheriff: Patrick Jones (D)

County Board, District 1: Joe Van Duyne (D)

County Board, District 3: Sherry Newquist (D)

County Board, District 5: Sherry Williams(D)

County Board, District 8: Mica Freeman (D)

County Board, District 8: Michael Crowner (D)

County Board, District 9: Alex Zapien (D)

County Board, District 11: Jacqueline L. Traynere (D)

Winnebago County

Sheriff: Dom Barcellona (I)