With the polls closed for the 2026 Primary Election, all that’s left is the counting.

Here’s what we’re looking for tonight.

Both parties have contested elections in the race. Republicans Crystal Loughran of Peru and Liz Bishop of La Salle face off in a rematch of their 2024 primary. In that race, Bishop went on to lose to Amy “Murri” Briel of Ottawa in the General Election.

On the Democrat side, incumbent Briel is facing a write-in campaign from Tyler Thompson of La Salle. In 2025, Thompson launched an unsuccessful bid for mayor of La Salle and announced a run for Illinois governor this past summer.

[ Here are Illinois Valley’s March 2026 primary election results ]

Bureau County voters are taking the first step to picking their next sheriff. Sheriff James Reed is not running for reelection in November, leaving an open seat, and both Republicans and Democrats have contested races on Tuesday.

Joseph Flanagan of LaMoille and Michael Wittig of Princeton are facing off for the Democratic nomination, while Edward Jauch of Spring Valley and Tom Kammerer of Princeton are facing off to be the Republican nominee.

Candidates have met at several forums this season, and while they often recognize the same problems in the area, they offer different solutions.

We will also be watching for referendums across the region. LaMoille will decide on whether to deactivate its high school in a non-binding vote, while Leonore will vote on creating the Leonore Rural Fire Protection District.