2026 election cycle begins with candidate nominating petitions available for McHenry County offices

People interested in running in the March 17 primary for McHenry County Board, countywide office and precinct committeepersons can get their packets from the privacy of their own homes.

McHenry County Clerk Joe Tirio said Friday that his office doesn’t really print out packets for candidates, but people can find the packets on the clerk’s website or the Illinois State Board of Elections website.

Tuesday is the first day that prospective candidates can circulate petitions, while candidates can file their paperwork from Oct. 27 through Nov. 3.

In addition to filing their packets in person at the clerk’s office, people can mail them in or have an agent drop them off. Tirio said he can’t recall a single candidate who’s ever mailed in their packet.

As far as ballot positioning goes, “mailing is not a smart option,” Tirio said.

In next year’s election, the regional superintendent, sheriff, treasurer, clerk-recorder as well as nine of the 18 County Board seats are up.

Incumbents in the countywide offices – Regional Superintendent Diana Hartmann, Sheriff Robb Tadelman, Treasurer Donna Kurtz and Tirio – have all confirmed that they plan to seek another term. All of them are Republicans, and the GOP currently has a 15-3 supermajority on the County Board.

Kurtz has a Democratic challenger: Amin Karim. Kurtz defeated Karim in 2022.

The forms on the clerk’s website cover the county offices. Those seeking state and federal offices file in Springfield, Tirio said.

Forms are available at bit.ly/45hbVQP under the 2026 election section.