The 2018 elections for the Illinois Senate took place on November 6, 2018, to elect senators from 39 of the state's 59 Senate districts to serve in the 101st General Assembly, with seats apportioned among the states based on the 2010 United States census. Under the Illinois Constitution of 1970, senators are divided into three groups, each group having a two-year term at a different part of the decade between censuses, with the rest of the decade being taken up by two four-year terms. The Democratic Party had held a majority in the Senate since 2003, and gained a net of three seats.
The elections for Illinois's 18 congressional districts, governor, statewide constitutional officers, and all 118 seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were also held on this date.
The Republicans needed to win eight seats in order to become the majority party. However, the Democratic Party picked up three additional seats and increased the party's supermajority to 40 seats.
Overview 2018 Illinois State Senate electionsPartyVotesPercentage % change Previous SenateTotal seatsafter election+/– Seatsheld overSeatsupTotal seatsbefore election Democratic1,613,38057.45% 2.00%16213740 3 Republican1,162,38541.390.84%4182219 3 Downstate United32,5491.16%N/A0000 0 Write-Ins1630.00%N/A0000 0 Totals 2,808,477 100.00% N/A 20 39 59 59 —
Predictions SourceRankingAs of Governing | October 8, 2018
Elections by district District 2 • District 3 • District 5 • District 6 • District 8 • District 9 • District 11 • District 12 • District 14 • District 15 • District 17 • District 18 • District 20 • District 21 • District 23 • District 24 • District 26 • District 27 • District 29 • District 30 • District 32 • District 33 • District 35 • District 36 • District 38 • District 39 • District 41 • District 42 • District 44 • District 45 • District 47 • District 48 • District 50 • District 51 • District 53 • District 54 • District 56 • District 57 • District 59 __NOTOC__
District 2 Democrat Omar Aquino had represented the 2nd district since 2016. The 2nd district includes all or parts of Belmont Cragin, Dunning, Hermosa, Humboldt Park, Logan Square, and West Town. On November 27, 2017, Aquino filed to run for reelection.
District 3 Democrat Mattie Hunter had represented the 3rd district since 2003. The 3rd includes Armour Square, Bridgeport, Bronzeville, Chicago Lawn, Douglas, Englewood, Fuller Park, Gage Park, McKinley Park, Near North Side, New City, Washington Park, West Englewood, and Woodlawn On November 27, 2017, Hunter filed to run for reelection.
District 5 Democrat Patricia Van Pelt had represented the 5th district since 2013. The 5th is located in Chicago. On November 30, 2017, Van Pelt filed to run for reelection.
District 6 Democrat John Cullerton, the president of the Illinois Senate, had represented the 6th district since his 1991 appointment to succeed Dawn Clark Netsch who had been elected Illinois Comptroller. The 6th district is centered on Lakeview and Lincoln Park in Chicago. On November 27, 2017, Cullerton filed to run for reelection.
District 8 Democrat Ira Silverstein had represented the 8th district since 1999. The 8th Senate District consists of Forest Glen, North Park, and West Ridge in the City of Chicago, and its surrounding suburbs of Park Ridge, Morton Grove, Niles, Lincolnwood, and Skokie. Silverstein filed to run for reelection on November 27, 2017.
In November 2017, lobbyist and victims' rights advocate Denise Rotheimer testified that Silverstein had sexually harassed her while she was lobbying for a bill's passage through Silverstein's committee. Afterwards, several Democratic challengers emerged to run against Silverstein. Ram Villivalam, former political director for Brad Schneider, filed on November 27, 2017. Zehra Quadri, David Zulkey, and Caroline Mcateer-Fournier also filed to run in the Democratic primary. Villivalam was endorsed by Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Congressman Brad Schneider, State Senator Laura Murphy, and Alderman Ameya Pawar.
On December 29, 2017, it was reported that Senator Silverstein was 45 signatures short of the 1,000 required to be eligible for ballot access in the Democratic primary. Silverstein was ultimately found to have sufficient signatures, and remained on the ballot. Villivalam defeated Silverstein in the Democratic primary on March 20, 2018.
District 9 Democrat Daniel Biss had represented the 9th district since January 2013. The 9th district includes all or parts of Evanston, Glencoe, Glenview, Golf, Morton Grove, Northbrook, Northfield, Skokie, Wilmette, and Winnetka. Biss vacated his Senate seat to run for the Democratic nomination in the 2018 gubernatorial election.
On July 28, 2017, State Representative Laura Fine announced her intention to run for the 9th Senate District. On December 4, 2017, both Fine and her Republican opponent, 2016 congressional candidate Joan McCarthy Lasonde, filed petitions.
District 11 Democrat Martin Sandoval had been a member of the Illinois Senate since 2003. He represented the 11th district, which includes all or parts of the Chicago neighborhoods of Brighton Park, Clearing, Gage Park, Garfield Ridge, Little Village, and West Lawn; and the suburbs of Bedford Park, Burbank, Cicero, Forest View, Lyons, McCook, Stickney, Illinois, Summit, and Riverside. On November 27, 2017, Sandoval filed to run for reelection. No other candidates filed to run.
District 12 Democrat Steven Landek had been a member of the Illinois Senate since his appointment in 2011. He represented the 12th district, which includes all or parts of Bridgeview, Burbank, Bedford Park, McCook, Brookfield, Riverside, Berwyn, and Cicero.
Landek filed to run for reelection on November 27, 2017. No other candidates filed to run.
District 14 Democrat Emil Jones III had represented the 14th district since 2009. The district includes Washington Heights, Morgan Park, and West Pullman in Chicago as well as the suburbs of Oak Forest, Crestwood, Alsip, Blue Island, Calumet Park, and Tinley Park. On November 30, 2017, Emil Jones III filed to run for reelection. No other candidates filed to run.
District 15 Democrat Napoleon Harris had represented the 15th district since 2013. The 15th district stretches from Blue Island in the north, Calumet City in the east, Homewood in the west, Steger in the south, and includes all or parts of Crete-Monee, Dolton, Flossmoor, Glenwood, Thornton, Markham, Midlothian, Oak Forest, Harvey, Riverdale, and South Holland. On December 4, 2017, Harris filed to run for reelection. Terry Brown, a Phoenix resident, filed to challenge Harris in the Democratic primary. No Republican candidates filed to run. Terry Brown was removed from the ballot due to an insufficient number of signatures.
District 17 Democrat Donne Trotter had been a member of the Illinois Senate since 1993. The 17th district includes Burnside, Chatham, Pullman, and South Deering in Chicago and the suburbs of Burnham, Calumet City, Lansing, Ford Heights, Lynwood, Sauk Village, Willowbrook, Beecher, Manteno, and Grant Park. On November 27, 2017, Trotter filed to run for reelection. No other candidates filed to run.
Donne Trotter would go on to win his primary not before announcing his retirement on January 19, 2018. Elgie R. Sims Jr., previously serving the Illinois 34th State House district, was appointed as State Senator on January 26, 2018.
District 18 Democrat Bill Cunningham had represented the 18th district since 2013. The 18th district is split between Chicago and its suburbs. It includes the Beverly, Mount Greenwood, and Auburn-Gresham neighborhoods in Chicago, as well as the all or parts of the surrounding suburbs of Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park, Chicago Ridge, Hometown, and Palos Hills. Orland Park, Orland Hills, Palos Heights, Palos Park, Worth, Oak Lawn, Alsip, Merrionette Park, and Evergreen Park.
On November 27, 2017, Cunningham filed to run for reelection. No other candidates filed to run.
District 20 Democrat Iris Martinez had represented the 20th district since 2003. The 20th includes all or parts of Albany Park, Avondale, Belmont Cragin, Hermosa, Old Irving Park, Portage Park, and Logan Square. On November 27, 2017, Martinez filed to run for reelection. She faced a primary challenge from Chicago resident Bart Goldberg.
District 21 Republican Michael Connelly had represented the 21st district since 2013. The 21st district Carol Stream, Lisle, Warrenville, Wheaton, Winfield, West Chicago, and Naperville. On November 27, 2017, Connelly filed to run for reelection. Naperville resident Laura Ellman was the sole Democratic candidate.
District 23 The 23rd district spans northern DuPage County and includes all or parts of Addison, Bloomingdale, Bartlett, Carol Stream, Glendale Heights, Hanover Park, Itasca, Villa Park, West Chicago, Wayne, and Wood Dale. Democrat Tom Cullerton had represented the district since was he first elected to the Illinois Senate in 2012. The 23rd district was the third most Republican seat held by a Democrat. Cullerton filed to run for reelection. Republican Seth Lewis, Cullerton's 2016 opponent, filed for a rematch.
District 24 Republican Chris Nybo had represented the 24th district since August 2014. The 47th district includes all or parts of Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Lombard, Elmhurst, Oak Brook, Western Springs, Clarendon Hills, Westmont, Hinsdale, Downers Grove, and Lisle. The 24th was the fourth most Democratic seat held by a Republican. On November 27, 2017, Nybo filed to run for reelection. Nybo's 2014 opponent, Suzy Glowiak, filed to run as the Democratic nominee.
District 26 Republican Dan McConchie had represented the 26th district since his appointment in April 2016. The 26th district includes Algonquin, Barrington, Cary, Deer Park, Fox River Grove, Hawthorn Woods, Island Lake, Kildeer, Lake Zurich, Libertyville, Long Grove, Mundelein, and Wauconda. On November 27, 2017, McConchie filed to run for reelection. Mundelein resident Tom Georges was the sole Democratic candidate.
District 27 Tom Rooney had represented the 27th district since his September 2016 appointment to replace outgoing senator Matt Murphy. The 27th district includes parts of Arlington Heights, Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Inverness, Palatine, Wheeling, Prospect Heights, and South Barrington. The 27th was the third most Democratic seat held by a Republican.
On November 27, 2017, Rooney filed to run for retention. Democrats Joe Sonnefeldt and Ann Gillespie filed to run for the Democratic nomination.
District 29 Democrat Julie Morrison had represented the 29th district since 2013. The 29th district includes all or parts of Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Bannockburn, Deerfield, Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Lincolnshire, Northbrook, and North Chicago. On November 27, 2017, Morrison filed to run for reelection. Republican Barrett Davie also filed.
District 30 Democrat Terry Link had represented the 30th district since 1997. The 30th district includes all or part of the municipalities of Beach Park, Buffalo Grove, Green Oaks, Lincolnshire, Mundelein, North Chicago, Riverwoods, Wheeling, Vernon Hills, and Waukegan. On November 27, 2017, Link filed to run for reelection. Republican candidate Soojae Lee also filed.
District 32 Republican Pamela Althoff had represented the 32nd District since her appointment in March 2003. The 32nd district includes all or parts of Harvard, Marengo, Woodstock, Bull Valley, Wonder Lake, Illinois, Greenwood, McHenry, Fox Lake, Spring Grove, Johnsburg, and Lakemoor.
Althoff chose to run for the McHenry County Board instead of seeking reelection to the Illinois Senate. Craig Wilcox and John Reinert, both members of the McHenry County Board, filed to run for the Republican nomination, but Reinert withdrew. Mary Mahaday, McHenry Township Assessor, was the sole Democratic candidate.
District 33