Mokena 2026 Voter Guide: Everything You Need To Know

MOKENA, IL — The Nov. 3 General Election is less than a month away, and will include the gubernatorial race, as well as various county races, sheriff, assessor and more.

Early voting has already kicked off across the Chicago area, with additional early voting locations set to open Oct. 19 in some places. In Mokena, Village Hall serves as an early voting site beginning Oct. 19.

Take a look at what's on the ballot in the Mokena area for the Nov. 3 General Election. Here's everything you need to know to cast your vote, from voter registration to polling places to mail-in voting cutoffs.

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

U.S. Representative 1st Congressional District

Incumbent Democrat Jonathan Jackson beat write-in candidate Jerico Brown to face off against Republican Christian Maxwell Nov. 3. Maxwell won the Republican nod over Marcus Lewis.

Jackson is in his second term. He is the son of civil rights leaders Rev. Jesse Jackson and Jacqueline Jackson. He served as the national spokesman for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, where he spotlighted issues related to innocence and juvenile justice. He has worked to address cases of false confessions by the Chicago Police Department. He has also pushed to expand educational opportunities for families of all income levels. Find out more about Jackson.

Republican Maxwell is a conservative businesswoman, marketing strategist and mother of four. She describes herself as a marketing professional who has worked with brands to drive measurable growth, develop strategy, and connect with everyday people.

She's a homeschooling mother who "understands firsthand the challenges families face when it comes to education, safety, affordability, and opportunity," according to her website. She wants to lower taxes, make neighborhoods safer, improve schools and make housing affordable. Find out more.

Will County Board, District 4

Four candidates are vying for two spots representing Will County Board District 4.

Incumbent Republicans Stephen Balich of Homer Glen and Jim Richmond of Mokena will seek to keep their seats. They're running against Democrats Sheri Boniecki-Cooling of Lockport and William Pratt, of Mokena. Richmond has been on the board since 2022, and Balich since 2012.

Balich and Richmond beat Homer Glen Trustee Michael Lepore in the March 2026 primary.

The district includes areas of Mokena, Homer Glen, New Lenox and Lockport. Voters will select two candidates to serve four-year terms.

Referendum Question

FRANKFORT TOWNSHIP: SHALL THE STATE OF ILLINOIS ADOPT A LAW TO REQUIRE PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP TO VOTE: Shall the State of Illinois enact a law to require a person to present a valid government-issued photo identification card or passport establishing proof of their United States citizenship before allowing that person to vote in any Illinois election?

Voters Will Elect New Sheriff For First Time In Years

Back in the spring, Democrat and three-term Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley urged the voters of Will County to follow his recommendation and make newly appointed Undersheriff Dan Jungles the next sheriff. The majority of the voters in the Democratic Party ignored Kelley's endorsement and decided it was time to bring an end to the Kelley administration.

Road Patrol Sgt. Patrick Jones had 59 percent of the Democratic primary vote, compared to Jungles at 40 percent. In February 2025, Jones had announced his candidacy for Will County Sheriff and plans to compete against Jungles.

"I currently have 24 years of experience between the jail and being a police officer with the Will County Sheriff's Office," Jones announced in his introductory YouTube video. "I hold the rank of sergeant, patrol division, right now. The reason for me running is that I believe that the squad car has become a barrier to the community, and we need more interaction with the community. I want to build trust through transparency."

On Nov. 3, Jones will go up against well-known Will County Sheriff's Deputy James "Jim" Reilly, who is making his third bid to become the sheriff as a Republican.

In 2022, Reilly was ahead against Kelley in the last general election on election night, only to lose after all the mail-in ballots were counted afterward.

Will County Government Contested Races

There are several more Will County offices that face contested races on Nov. 3.

Incumbent Will County Treasurer Tim Brophy, a Democrat, faces Republican challenger Carmen Maurella III, while incumbent Regional Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth Caparelli-Ruff, the Republican, is vying against retiring Joliet School District 86 Superintendent Theresa Rouse, who is a Democrat.

Incumbent Will County Clerk Annette Parker, a Republican, faces Democrat challenger Michelle Stiff.

Will County Judges Up For Retention, 1 Contested Race

Several of Will County's longtime judges, including Amy Bertani-Tomczak, who has served on the bench for 32 years, are up for retention. Of the judges up for retention, they must receive at least 60 percent of the yes vote from the Will County voters to remain on the bench for another six years. The last Will County Circuit Judge who was kicked off the bench by the voters was Judge Edward "Ned" Masters in the 1990s.

In addition to Amy Bertani-Tomczak, Chief Judge Daniel Kennedy, along with Daniel Rippy and Sarah Jones, is up for retention. As for the open circuit court judge positions, Associate Will County Judge Amy Christiansen, a Democrat, is running against Plainfield criminal defense lawyer JohnPaul Ivec, a Republican, to fill the vacancy of Dave Carlson, who left the bench to return to being a private practice attorney in Will and Grundy Counties.

Other Races To Watch

All Mokena 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.

Registering To Vote

If you're not sure if you're registered to vote, you can check online. To register to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen who is at least 18 years old — or will be 18 by Election Day — and you must have lived in your precinct for at least 30 days prior to the election.

Online voter registration is available until Oct. 18 on the Illinois Board of Elections website. To register online, residents must have a driver's license or state ID, or a Social Security number.

Even if you miss that deadline, you can take advantage of grace period in-person voter registration at your county clerk's office or permanent early voting locations. You can also register at your polling place on Election Day.

To register in person, you'll need to bring two forms of ID, with at least one showing your current address.

Where To Vote

Early voting locations are open now, with additional locations opening in some counties on Oct. 19.

For New Lenox residents, early voting locations include:

• Will County Clerk's Office, 302 N. Chicago St.
  • Oct. 12–16: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Oct. 19–23: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Oct. 24: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • Oct. 25: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Oct. 26–30: 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Oct. 31: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Nov. 1: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Nov. 2: 8:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
• Mokena Village Hall, 11004 Carpenter St.
  • Oct. 19–23: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Oct. 26–30: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

If you plan to vote on Election Day and don't know your polling place, you can find it here. The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Voting By Mail

If you want to vote by mail, you must apply online or in person by Oct. 29 through your county's election authority. Find vote-by-mail ballot applications here:

• Will County

Ballots must be postmarked or placed in a dropbox by Election Day, Nov. 3, to count.

Find your local mail-in voting drop boxes here.

Find Your Sample Ballot

If you want to take a look at your local election ballot, you can do so here:

• Will County

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