Candidates on Monday began to hand in petitions to run in the March 17 primary election, a prelude to the November 2026 election that could shape the future of Congress.

The mid-term election on the federal level gets attention mainly because of its capacity to reshape party control of Congress.

Locally, the election is notable for its potential to reshape party control of the Will County Board.

Candidates have until this coming Monday to file petitions to run for election.

The county board is equally divided between Democrats and Republicans with Democrats having a tie-breaking edge in County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant.

Sixteen of 22 county board seats are up for election in November 2026.

Candidates have until Nov. 3 to file petitions to run for election.

As of Monday, the county board candidate filings are:

• Joe Van Duyne, D-Wilmington, was the only candidate to file in District 1

• Incumbents Judy Ogalla, R-Monee, and Frankie Pretzel, R-Frankfort, filed for re-election in District 2

• Daniel Buler, R-Frankfort, filed for re-election in District 3, while incumbent Sherrie Newquist, D-Steger and Marc McKidrie filed on the Democratic side

• Republican incumbents Stephen Balich of Homer Glen and James Richmond of Mokena filed for re-election in District 4, while another Republican, Michael Lepore and Democrats William Pratt and Sharon Boniecki-Cooling filed

• In District 5, Democrat Sherry Williams filed for re-election with incumbent Republican David G. Oxley and newcomer Democrat Karen Johnson in the race,

• In District 8, Mark Revis, R-Plainfield, and Mica Freeman, D-Plainfield, are running for re-election

• In District 9, board Member Destinee Ortiz, D-Romeoville, along with incumbent Raquel Mitchell, R-Bolingbrook are seeking re-election. Democrat Alex Zapein also filed for the election

• In District 11, incumbent a Jacqueline Traymere, D-Bolingbrook, filed to run for election along with Democrats Tyler Giacalone and Sheldon Watts