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The 2022 midterm elections are less than a month away. And while many across the Chicagoland area have already begun to take advantage of early voting, others are waiting until Election Day on Nov. 8 to cast a ballot.
On the 2022 Illinois ballot this year, voters will will see numerous high-profile races, with the Governor, a U.S. Senate seat and control of the state’s Supreme Court all up for grabs.
Here is a brief breakdown of the offices that will be put up for a vote this fall.
Federal Level
U.S. Senate
As the control of the Senate hangs in the balance, one of Illinois’ two seats will be up for grabs this November.
Democratic incumbent Tammy Duckworth will seek a second term in office, and she’ll be opposed by attorney Kathy Salvi, who won the Republican primary in June.
Libertarian Bill Redpath and National Union Party candidate Connor Vlakancic will also be on the ballot.
U.S. House of Representatives
Illinois lost one seat in the House of Representatives, and all 17 of their seats in the chamber will be up for grabs in this November’s election.
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Currently, Democrats hold 13 of the 18 existing seats, and are hoping to get strong performances in several battleground districts as they try to retain control of the chamber following the midterms.
The website 270towin has a detailed new map of the updated House districts in the state.
Statewide Offices
Governor
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is running for a second term in office, and he’s facing a challenge from Republican State Sen. Darren Bailey, who won a crowded race in the GOP primary over the summer.
After more than a quarter-century of Republican dominance, Illinois Democrats have won four of the last five gubernatorial elections, with Bruce Rauner scoring the only GOP victory since George Ryan left office in 2003.
Attorney General
Incumbent Kwame Raoul will aim for a second term in office after he won the election to replace Lisa Madigan in 2018. He is opposed by attorney Thomas DeVore on the Republican side. Libertarian candidate Dan Robin will also be on the ballot.
Secretary of State
Current Secretary of State Jesse White announced that he would not seek reelection for the first time in nearly a quarter-century, and Democrat Alexi Giannoulias and Republican Dan Brady won hotly-contested primaries to square off in the November election.
Libertarian Jon Stewart is also on the ballot.
Treasurer
Illinois’ statewide offices are currently all controlled by Democrats, and incumbent Treasurer Mike Frerichs will aim to keep his spot this November as he goes up against Republican State Rep. Tom Demmer.
Comptroller
Incumbent Susana Mendoza will seek a second term in the comptroller’s office as she faces off against McHenry County Auditor Shannon Teresi.
State Offices
Supreme Court
The political balance of the state’s Supreme Court will be up for grabs this November, as two seats will be up for election and a third will be up for a retention vote.
In the first district, Justice Mary Jane Theis will seek to keep her seat for another 10 years in a retention vote. She will need to get at least 60% of the vote to be retained.
The second district, comprised of McHenry, Lake, DeKalb, Kane and Kendall counties, will elect a new justice after incumbent Justice Michael Burke’s residence was moved to the third district.
Former Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran, a Republican, is running for the second district seat, and he is facing off against Democratic Judge Elizabeth Rochford.
In the third district, Democrat Robert Carter opted not to stand for a retention vote. Burke will attempt to keep a seat on the Supreme Court when he faces Democratic Appellate Court Judge Mary K. O’Brien.
A full listing of Supreme Court districts can be found HERE.
House
All 118 of Illinois’ House districts are up for election in the 2022 election. Currently there are 73 Democrats and 45 Republicans in the chamber.
Voters looking for their representatives can visit the state's Board of Elections website HERE.
Senate
There are 58 Senate districts in Illinois, and while traditionally the structure of the chamber allowed for only select incumbents to face reelection, newly-drawn maps meant that all 58 seats were up for grabs in 2022.
Even still, less than half of the races in the senate will actually be contested, with Democrats running unopposed in 16 races and Republicans running unopposed in at least nine races.
Voters looking for their senators can visit the state's Board of Elections website HERE.
