Illinois 10th Congressional District Election Results 2026: Schneider Vs. Lambrecht [Live Updates]

ACROSS ILLINOIS — Voters in Illinois' 10th Congressional District headed to the polls Tuesday to decide whether to reelect Democratic U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider or send Republican challenger Carl Lambrecht to Washington to represent portions of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties.

Polls closed at 7 p.m., and election officials began tallying ballots. No results in the congressional race were available as of 7 p.m. Check back throughout the evening for updates as vote totals are released.

Election results:

• Brad Schneider (D):
• Carl Lambrecht (R):

Schneider, 65, of Highland Park, has represented the district since 2017 after previously serving from 2013 to 2015. Lambrecht, 93, also of Highland Park, is an optical engineer who unsuccessfully ran for the Illinois House in 2024.

Lambrecht maintained a limited public campaign presence ahead of Tuesday's election, according to an Oct. 28 Daily Herald report. The newspaper reported that Lambrecht had no campaign website or campaign social media pages, had not promoted public appearances and had not responded to media inquiries. The Daily Herald also reported that Lambrecht had not disclosed campaign fundraising or spending to the Federal Election Commission or filed a standard statement of candidacy.

Patch invited both candidates to complete questionnaires ahead of the general election. Schneider submitted detailed responses outlining his positions on several issues, while Lambrecht did not respond.

In his Patch questionnaire, Schneider identified affordability as the district's most pressing issue, pointing to rising costs for groceries, housing, utilities, childcare and healthcare.

"Affordability is the most pressing issue in the 10th District because it reaches into every part of daily life," Schneider said.

Schneider advocated expanding affordable housing, lowering healthcare costs and investing in infrastructure, American manufacturing and workforce development. He also criticized President Donald Trump's tariff policies, arguing that Congress should reclaim its authority over international trade.

On immigration, Schneider called for comprehensive reform combining border security with improvements to the legal immigration system and a pathway to citizenship for certain longtime immigrants.

"I do not support the Trump Administration’s extreme, aggressive deportation campaign," Schneider said in his questionnaire.

Schneider also supported greater federal oversight of artificial intelligence and safeguards to prevent data center development from increasing electricity costs for surrounding communities.

Less information was available about Lambrecht's current policy positions. During his unsuccessful 2024 Illinois House campaign, Lambrecht raised concerns about fentanyl trafficking, criminal cartels and sex trafficking in an October 2024 Daily Herald questionnaire.

Lambrecht previously ran unsuccessfully for the Highland Park-Deerfield High School District 113 board in 2011 and won a seat on the Lake County Regional School Board in 2013, according to the Daily Herald.

Illinois' 10th Congressional District includes portions of several communities covered by Patch, including Libertyville, Grayslake, Gurnee, Mundelein, Highland Park, Deerfield, Lake Forest, Waukegan and surrounding areas.

The winner will serve a two-year term in the U.S. House beginning in January 2027.

Read Schneider's complete Patch questionnaire and the Daily Herald's report on Lambrecht's campaign for more information about the candidates.

For more election results and coverage, visit Patch's 2026 Illinois Election Guide.

Election results are unofficial until certified by election authorities. This story will be updated as additional vote totals become available.