With early voting already surpassing forecasts, Governor JB Pritzker hit the road to rally Illinois Democrats for a decisive midterm showdown in Washington.
Key points
- Early voting in Illinois is higher than officials anticipated, signaling strong voter engagement ahead of the 2026 midterms.
- Gov. JB Pritzker campaigned statewide, urging a Democratic sweep to advance policies such as a higher minimum wage and price reductions.
- Senate candidate Julianna Stratton called for party unity and framed the election as a fight against former President Donald Trump.
- Chicago voters will elect the entire Chicago Public Schools board for the first time, highlighting local stakes alongside federal contests.
Midterm elections in Illinois are seeing early‑voting and vote‑by‑mail participation that exceeds the expectations of local election officials, according to reports from the state’s election office.
Governor JB Pritzker spent the weekend traveling to several Illinois communities, urging voters to “send a message to Washington” by supporting Democratic candidates across the ballot.
Early voting outpaces expectations
Pritzker addressed congregants at the Apostolic Church of God in Woodlawn and later spoke at a Democratic Party gathering in Lincoln Square. In Cicero, he joined a Día de los Muertos celebration with the Latino community, recalling intensified immigration enforcement by federal agents in the Chicago area a year earlier and warning that voters can respond on Election Day.
He told supporters that a Democratic majority in Congress would allow a agenda focused on raising the minimum wage, lowering prices and protecting people’s rights against former President Donald Trump.
Pritzker's campaign stops
U.S. Senate hopeful Julianna Stratton used a campaign event to hand out awards to volunteers and appealed for unity, asking whether Illinois voters would elect Democrats “up and down the ticket” to counter what she called the most corrupt president in U.S. history.
Chicago’s school‑board election also drew attention, with candidate Jessica Biggs speaking at Bright Star Church on the South Side and noting that voters are choosing the entire Chicago Public Schools board – including its president – for the first time.
Chicago school board race
The ballot this year includes 17 congressional races, a U.S. Senate seat and a slate of city, county and statewide offices, making the weekend’s campaign push a critical moment for Illinois Democrats seeking to shape policy both locally and in the nation’s capital.
Reader questions
What positions are Illinois voters deciding in the 2026 midterm elections?
Voters will choose candidates in 17 U.S. House races, a U.S. Senate seat, as well as city, county and statewide offices, including the full Chicago Public Schools board.
What specific policy goals did Gov. Pritzker say Democrats should pursue if they control Congress?
He said Democrats should work to raise the minimum wage, lower prices and protect people’s rights, positioning these goals against former President Donald Trump.
Source: fox32chicago.com
