Cook County, Illinois

Illinois House District 53

2 candidates are tracked for Illinois House District 53 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Nicolle Grasse and Elizabeth Bauer. Candidate information follows official Cook County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Nicolle Grasse (Democratic), Elizabeth Bauer (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Nicolle Grasse is the sitting member, per the General Assembly's roster. Party nominees were chosen at the March 17 primary (plurality, no runoffs); independent and new-party candidates qualified by petition. The field is the State Board of Elections' 2026 General Election candidate list (status Active, read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, Nicolle Grasse, is on the ballot.

Illinois › Cook County › Illinois House District 53

Nicolle Grasse

Democratic Incumbent

Biography

Nicolle Grasse is the Democratic candidate for Illinois House District 53 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. Nicolle Grasse is the sitting member, per the General Assembly's roster. Grasse is a full-time legislator who previously worked as a hospice chaplain and served as an elected Arlington Heights Village Trustee, per her ilga.gov legislative profile. She has represented the 53rd District since June 2024 and is ordained United Church of Christ clergy. She holds degrees from Elmhurst College and Chicago Theological Seminary. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.

Elizabeth Bauer

Republican

Top priorities

Fiscal responsibility and accountability
Organic job growth through fair tax and regulatory policy
Restoring public trust and public safety

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Bauer is an actuary who has worked in pension consulting and more recently in healthcare, and she holds a master's degree in applied economics from the University of Illinois at Chicago, per the campaign site. She has written on retirement and fiscal policy as a senior writer at Forbes and on her own blog, with occasional op-eds in the Chicago Tribune, per the campaign site. She has lived in House District 53 for 29 years, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotIllinois House District 54

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Illinois House District 53 in 2026?

When is the Illinois House District 53 election in Illinois?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Illinois are on the Illinois election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Cook County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Cook County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Illinois election office, or see the full Cook County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

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135 tracked races in Cook County, Illinois. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Illinois House District 55 Illinois House District 56 Illinois House District 57 See all 135 Cook County races

Candidate profiles

Nicolle Grasse, full profile Elizabeth Bauer, full profile Official Illinois election office