This St. Patrick’s Day, McHenry County voters can head to the polls in addition to sampling a green beer.

March 17 marks the 2026 primary, where voters can pull a Democratic or Republican ballot to pick who appears on the ballot come November. All voters, partisan or not, can weigh in on referendum questions.

The deadline for candidates to file was Nov. 3.

Who is running?

McHenry County Sheriff: Incumbent Robb Tadelman, a Republican, filed to run for reelection Oct. 27. No one else has filed.

McHenry County Treasurer: Incumbent Donna Kurtz, a Republican, filed to run for reelection Oct. 27. Democrat Amin Karim, who lost to Kurtz in 2022, filed to run for the office again Oct. 27.

Regional Superintendent: Incumbent Diana Hartmann, a Republican, filed to run for reelection Oct. 27. No one else has filed.

McHenry County Clerk/Recorder: Incumbent Joe Tirio, a Republican, filed Oct. 31. Democrat Bill McNesse filed to run for the office Oct. 29.

McHenry County Board, District 1: The district is based in southeastern McHenry County. Incumbent Matt Kunkle, an Algonquin Republican, plans to run for the seat but hasn’t yet filed. Democrat Dee Darling filed to run Oct. 30.

McHenry County Board, District 2: The district is based in southeastern McHenry County. Incumbent Gloria Van Hof, a Crystal Lake Democrat, filed to run for reelection Oct. 27. No one else has filed.

McHenry County Board, District 3: The district is based in south-central McHenry County. Incumbent Carolyn Campbell, a Crystal Lake Democrat, filed to run for reelection Oct. 28. Republican Robert Reining filed to run Oct. 27.

McHenry County Board, District 4: The district is based in central McHenry County. Incumbent Joe Gottemoller, a Crystal Lake Republican, filed to run for reelection Oct. 27. Democrat Edward “Bud” Bowie Jr. filed to run Oct. 29.

McHenry County Board, District 5: The district is based in eastern McHenry County. Incumbent Terri Greeno, a Crystal Lake Republican, filed to run for reelection Oct. 27. Democrat Austin May filed to run Oct. 27.

McHenry County Board, District 6: The district is based in northeastern McHenry County. Incumbent Pamela Althoff, a McHenry Republican, filed to run for reelection Oct. 27. Democrat Sheryl Lindenbaum filed to run Oct. 29.

McHenry County Board, District 7: The district is based in central McHenry County. Incumbent Brian Sager, a Woodstock Republican, filed to run for reelection Oct. 29. He faces a primary challenge from Jeff Schwartz, who filed Oct. 31. Democrat Patrick J. Shea filed to run Oct. 27.

McHenry County Board, District 8: The district covers much of north and western McHenry County. Incumbent Larry Smith, a Harvard Republican, faces a primary challenge from Marengo Park Board President and Planning and Zoning Commission Chair Marty Mohr. Democrat Christy “Chris” Stevens filed to run Oct. 29.

McHenry County Board, District 9: The district is based in southwestern McHenry County. Incumbent Michael Skala, a Huntley Republican, plans to run for reelection but hasn’t filed. Former Huntley trustee Niko Kanakaris has filed for the GOP nomination. Democrat Christine B. Hamm filed to run Oct. 30.

Illinois governor and lieutenant governor: Incumbent JB Pritzker, a Democrat, has filed to run for reelection. He has named Christian Mitchell as his running mate after Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton announced her intention to run for the U.S. Senate.

Conservative research group Wirepoints president Ted Dabrowski, DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, former state Sen. Darren Bailey, Gregg Moore of Broadview, Gold Rush Gaming owner Rick Heidner of Barrington Hills, Max Solomon of Hazel Crest and Joseph Severino of Lake Forest have filed as Republicans. Patricia L. Tillman of Chicago has filed as a Democrat.

Illinois attorney general: Incumbent Kwame Raoul, a Democrat, has filed to run for another term. Former Chicago alderman Bob Fioretti and Andy Williams Jr. of Darien have filed to run as Republicans.

Illinois secretary of state: Alexi Giannoulias, an incumbent Democrat, has filed to run for reelection. Walter Adamczyk of Chicago and Joliet Junior College Trustee Diane M. Harris filed to run as Republicans.

Illinois comptroller: Incumbent Susana Mendoza, a Democrat, is not running again. State Sen. Karina Villa of West Chicago, Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim of Mundelein, state Rep. Margaret Croke of Chicago, state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego and Champaign County Auditor George Danos have filed to run as Democrats and and Bryan Drew of Benton as a Republican. Former state Sen. Rickey Hendon has also said he is running as a Democrat.

Illinois treasurer: Incumbent Michael Frerichs, a Democrat, has filed to run for a fourth term.

U.S. Senate: Incumbent Dick Durbin, a Democrat, is not seeking reelection.

Casey Chlebek, former Illinois Republican Party Chair Don Tracy, R. Cary Capparelli of Chicago, CaSándra Claiborne of Chicago, Pamela Denise Long of Edwardsville, Jimmy Lee Tillman II of Chicago, Jeannie Evans of Chicago and John Goodman of Des Plaines have filed to run as Republicans.

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton of Chicago, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg, Kevin Ryan of Chicago, U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Lynwood, Steve Botsford Jr. of Chicago, Jump Shepherd of North Riverside, Jonathan Dean of Chicago, Sean Brown of Orland Park, Bryan Maxwell of Urbana, Adam Delgado of Chicago, Anthony W. Williams of Dolton, Awisi A. Bustos of Springfield, Robert Palmer of Chicago and Christopher A. Swann of Chicago as Democrats. Independents Tyrone Muhammad and Austin J. Mink have also said they are running.

U.S. House of Representatives: All 17 members of Congress representing Illinois are up in 2026. To find what district you live in, go to congress.gov/members/find-your-member.

• District 9: Jan Schakowsky, a Democrat representing parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry, is not seeking reelection after being in office since 1999. The candidates who filed as Democrats so far include: Phil Andrew of Wilmette, Kat Abughazaleh of Chicago, Mike Simmons of Chicago, Laura Fine of Glenview, Bruce Leon of Chicago, Sam Polan of Wilmette, Nick Pyati of Evanston, Bushra Amiwala of Skokie, Justin Ford of Chicago, Daniel Biss of Evanston, Bethany Johnson of Evanston, Jeff Cohen of Evanston, Howard Rosenblum of Skokie and Hoan Huynh of Chicago. On the Republican side, John Elleson of Arlington Heights, Paul Friedman of Chicago and Dongbo Mark Su of Chicago filed.
• District 10: Brad Schneider, a Democrat representing parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry, has filed to run for reelection. Thomas Rudd of Lake Forest, John Minarcik of Zion and Morgan Coghill of Mundelein have also filed as Democrats and Carl Lambrecht of Highland Park has filed as a Republican.
• District 11: Bill Foster, a Democrat representing parts of Boone, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will, has filed to run for reelection. Jeff Walter of Elburn, Michael Pierce of Naperville, Charlie Kim of Aurora and Tedora Brown of Palos Park have filed as Republicans.
• District 16: Darin LaHood, a Republican representing Boone, Bureau, DeKalb, Grundy, La Salle, Lee, Livingston, McHenry, Ogle and Putnam counties in addition to other counties in north-central Illinois, has filed to run for reelection. Paul Nolley of Roscoe has filed to run as a Democrat.

Illinois Senate: Like its federal counterpart, only some of its members are up for reelection this year. In McHenry County, that includes:

• District 26: Darby A. Hills, a Republican representing Cook, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties, has filed to run for reelection. Hills was appointed in February 2025 to fill out the remainder of Dan McConchie’s term. Nabeela Syed of Inverness has filed as a Democrat.
• District 32: Craig Wilcox, a Republican representing Lake and McHenry counties, has filed to run for reelection. Karen Battaglia of Antioch has filed to run as a Democrat.
• District 33: Don DeWitte, a Republican representing Kane, DuPage and McHenry counties, is not running for reelection. Michele Clark of Algonquin and Satnaam Singh Mago of Wayne have filed to run as Democrats and Danielle Penman of St. Charles, Jessica Breugelmans of Geneva and Cody Holt of Elgin have filed as Republicans.
• District 35: Dave Syverson, a Republican representing Boone, DeKalb, Kane, McHenry and Winnebago counties, has filed to run for reelection. Sarah B. Mertens of Crystal Lake filed as a Democrat.

Illinois House of Representatives: All state representative seats are up every two years. The races in McHenry County include:

• District 52: Martin McLaughlin, a Republican representing Cook, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties, has filed to run for reelection. Erin Chan Ding of South Barrington and Maria Peterson of North Barrington have filed to run as Democrats.
• District 63: Steven Reick, a Republican representing McHenry County, has filed to run for reelection. Brian D. Meyers of Crystal Lake filed to run as a Democrat.
• District 64: Tom Weber, a Republican representing McHenry and Lake counties, has filed to run for reelection. AJ Johnson of Lake Villa has filed as a Democrat.
• District 66: Suzanne M. Ness, a Democrat representing Kane and McHenry counties, has filed to run for reelection. Laurie Parman of Sleepy Hollow filed as a Republican.
• District 69: Joe C. Sosnowski, a Republican representing Boone, McHenry and Winnebago counties, has filed to run for reelection. Peter Janko of Marengo has filed as a Democrat.
• District 70: Jeff Keicher, a Republican representing DeKalb, Kane and McHenry counties, has filed to run for reelection. Veronica Garcia-Martinez of Cortland has filed to run as a Democrat.

What judicial races will I get to vote on?

Three vacancies are up at the Illinois appellate court level, although none in the district that includes McHenry County, according to an Illinois State Board of Elections list as of Sept. 3. Voters also will get to vote on retentions.

Important dates

Oct. 27 to Nov. 3: Candidates in established parties can file the necessary documents either at the Springfield office for state-level candidates or at the county clerk’s office in the county where they’re running.

Among the paperwork required is a statement of candidacy and petitions signed by registered voters. The number of signatures required varies by office.

Nov. 10: Last day to file objections challenging whether candidates can appear on the ballot.

Nov. 17 to 24: Filing period for candidates seeking to fill judicial vacancies.

Dec. 3: Deadline to file objections in judicial vacancy races.

Dec. 15: Deadline to file petitions for referenda to appear on the March ballot. This does not include referendum questions authorized by local governments, just ones submitted through voter-signed petitions.

Dec. 17: First day to apply for a mail-in ballot.

Dec. 22: Deadline to file objections on referendum questions.

Dec. 29: Deadline for local government boards – such as school boards and city councils – to adopt a resolution or ordinance for a binding referendum.

Jan. 8: Last day for a candidate to withdraw from the race.

Jan. 15: Last day for a candidate to file as a write-in.

Feb. 5: Early voting starts, and county clerks begin mailing ballots.

March 1: Last day to register to vote online through the Illinois State Board of Elections website. Grace period registration and voting continues through election day.

March 17: Election day for the 2026 primary. Polls close at 7 p.m. Voters can request a partisan ballot with either Democratic or Republican candidates listed or a nonpartisan ballot, which includes any referenda.