Lake County Election 2026: Races, Voting Locations, Ballot Questions

LAKE COUNTY, IL — The Tuesday election is approaching, and Lake County voters will decide several major races, including Illinois governor, U.S. Senate, congressional seats and countywide offices.

Voters will also select representatives for the Illinois General Assembly and Lake County Board, while a countywide school sales tax referendum will also appear on the ballot.

• Illinois 2026 Voter Guide: Pritzker Vs. Bailey Rematch, Other Hot Races To Watch

Here's what Lake County voters should know before heading to the polls.

When Is Election Day?

The 2026 general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. In Lake County, voters can cast their ballot at any polling location in the county.

Lake County residents can also vote early or cast a ballot by mail.

Can I Still Register To Vote?

The regular voter registration deadline has passed, but Illinois residents still have options. Grace-period registration is also underway and continues through Election Day.

If you think that you may already be registered to vote, you can check by using the State Board of Election's Voter Registration Lookup.

Residents registering during the grace period must provide two forms of identification, with at least one showing their current address. Those who register during the grace period must also vote at the time they register.

Can I Vote By Mail?

The deadline to receive applications for vote-by-mail ballots was Thursday, Oct. 29.

Completed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received within the period allowed under Illinois law. Lake County also provides ballot drop boxes for voters who prefer to return their ballots without using the mail.

What Is On My Ballot?

All Lake County voters will have several statewide contests on their ballots.

• U.S. Senate: Democrat Juliana Stratton faces Republican Don Tracy in the race for U.S. Senate.
• Illinois Governor and Lieutenant Governor: Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker is seeking another term, facing off against Republican Darren Bailey.
• Illinois Attorney General: Democratic Attorney General Kwame Raoul faces Republican Bob Fioretti.
• Illinois Secretary of State: Democratic Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias faces Republican Diane Harris.
• Illinois Comptroller: Democrat Margaret Croke faces Republican Bryan Drew.
• Illinois Treasurer: Democratic Treasurer Michael Frerichs faces Republican Max Solomon.

Other independent or minor-party candidates may appear in some statewide contests. Voters should consult their sample ballot for the complete candidate list.

Voters in Grayslake, Libertyville and surrounding communities will also choose representatives in Congress and the Illinois General Assembly in the Nov. 3 election.

The races appearing on individual ballots depend on legislative district boundaries, which can divide communities.

U.S. House Of Representatives

10th Congressional District

• Brad Schneider, Democrat (incumbent)
• Carl Lambrecht, Republican

The 10th Congressional District includes Grayslake, Libertyville and several other communities in Lake County. Schneider is seeking another term against Lambrecht, a Highland Park businessman.

11th Congressional District

• Bill Foster, Democrat (incumbent)
• Jeff Walter, Republican

The 11th Congressional District includes portions of western Lake County and neighboring counties. Foster is seeking reelection against Walter.

Illinois Senate

30th Senate District

- Adriane Johnson, Democrat (incumbent)

Johnson is running unopposed for another term. The district includes portions of central Lake County, including the Libertyville area.

32nd Senate District

• Karen Battaglia, Democrat
• Craig Wilcox, Republican (incumbent)

Wilcox is seeking reelection against Battaglia. The district includes portions of northern and western Lake County and neighboring McHenry County.

Illinois House Of Representatives

59th House District

- Daniel Didech, Democrat (incumbent)

Didech is running unopposed for another term. The district includes portions of central Lake County, including the Buffalo Grove and Vernon Township areas.

61st House District

• Joyce Mason, Democrat (incumbent)
• Tina Marie Durrant, Republican

Mason is seeking reelection against Durrant. The district includes portions of northeastern Lake County, including Gurnee, Gages Lake and Lindenhurst.

62nd House District

- Laura Faver Dias, Democrat (incumbent)

Faver Dias, a former Grayslake village trustee who has represented the 62nd District since January 2023, is running unopposed for another term.

The district includes Grayslake, Hainesville, parts of Libertyville, Green Oaks and several Round Lake-area communities. Faver Dias maintains a district office in downtown Grayslake.

Because congressional and legislative district boundaries can divide communities, not every race listed above will appear on every voter's ballot. Residents can confirm their districts and view a personalized sample ballot through the Lake County Clerk's election website

Lake County Races

Several countywide offices are on the ballot this November.

Lake County Sheriff: Democratic incumbent John Idleburg faces Republican Roman Buchberger.

• Lake County Treasurer: Democrat Sandy Hart faces Republican David Penaherrera. Lake County School Sales Tax Referendum

Not every race will appear on every ballot. Residents can view the candidates specific to their voting address through the Lake County Clerk's election website.

Lake County School Sale Tax Referendum

Lake County voters will also consider a countywide referendum asking whether to approve a 1 percent sales tax to support school facilities and other authorized school-related expenses. Revenue from the proposed tax could be used for school construction and renovations, certain school safety expenses, mental health professionals and other eligible purposes.

• Lake County Voters To Decide On 1% School Sales Tax

A yes vote would authorize the tax, while a no vote would reject it. The tax would apply to certain retail purchases in Lake County, with exemptions for some categories of goods.

School districts could also use the revenue to pay certain existing building debts, potentially reducing reliance on property taxes. However, any property tax savings would depend on decisions made by individual school districts.

For full coverage of the 2026 election in Illinois, go here.