Darin LaHood

Key elections in 2026 for Illinois and the Peoria area will take place on March 17 for primaries and Nov. 3 for the general election.

Incumbent Gov. JB Pritzker is seeking reelection against several Republican challengers, including State Sen. Darren Bailey.

U.S. House seats for the 16th and 17th districts, which cover parts of Peoria, are up for election with multiple candidates filing to run.

Several Illinois House seats and two positions on the Peoria Public Schools board will also be on the 2026 ballot.

Two key dates are on the 2026 calendar that could have pivotal impacts on Illinois and the Peoria area.

Primary elections for federal and statewide offices will be held on March 17. General elections will be on Nov. 3.

These are the elections Peorians should keep an eye on in 2026.

Illinois governor's race

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is running for reelection amid a swirl of rumors that he may seek the White House in 2028. Pritzker, who won his previous two elections handily, is once again facing a challenge from Republican Sen. Darren Bailey, among other Republicans.

DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, Lake Forest businessman Joseph Severino and conservative activist Ted Dabrowski are other prominent conservatives vying for the Republican nomination.

In 2022, Pritzker cruised to a victory over Bailey, securing 2.2 million votes to Bailey's 1.7 million.

U.S. House District 16

Peoria Republican Darin LaHood is facing a challenge in the 16th Congressional District from Democrat Paul Nolley. He is LaHood's first Democratic challenger since 2022.

LaHood was first elected to Congress in 2015, serving in the now defunct 18th Congressional District. He was elected to the 16th District in 2022.

Nolley was born in Rockford and graduated from Illinois State University. He is the executive director of Project First Rate, an organization that advocates for unions in northwest Illinois.

LaHood faces a Republican primary challenge from John Kitover of Chicago.

U.S. House District 17

Three people filed to challenge U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, whose 17th District represents most of the city of Peoria.

Sorensen, who has represented the 17th District since 2022, will face a primary challenge from Montez Soliz, a Democrat from Rockford.

Republicans Julie Bickelhaupt, of Mount Carroll, and Dillan Vancil, of Gladstone, will square off in a Republican primary.

Peoria Public Schools board

Two seats are up for grabs on the Peoria Public School Board, one in the Northern District and one in the Central District.

Candidates Douglas Shannon and Sarah Howard will face each other in the Northern District. Andres Diaz and David Daye are competing in the Central District.

Members of the Peoria Public Schools board serve five-year terms.

Illinois House

State representatives Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, and Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, are up for reelection in 2026. Gordon-Booth is running unopposed in the 92nd House District.

Spain faces a challenge in the 73rd District from Democrat Nicole Dopler of Rapids City. She is a trustee for the village of Rapids City. Dopler will likely face an uphill battle in unseating Spain, a prominent Republican in Springfield who has held the 73rd District since 2017.

Pekin Republican Travis Weaver faces a challenge from Democrat Zoey Carter in the 93rd District. Weaver has held the seat since he beat Republican Mark Luft in a primary in 2022.

Carter, who lives in Pekin, describes herself as "pro-choice," "pro-union," pro-freedom," and "pro-Illinois."