Cook County, Illinois

Illinois Senate District 12

One candidate is tracked for Illinois Senate District 12 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Celina Villanueva. Candidate information follows official Cook County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Celina Villanueva (Democratic) is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot; Celina Villanueva 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, Celina Villanueva, is on the ballot. One name is on the ballot for this seat.

Illinois › Cook County › Illinois Senate District 12

Celina Villanueva

Democratic Incumbent

Top priorities

Supports expanding access to health services and programs for working families

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Celina Villanueva is the Democratic candidate for Illinois Senate District 12 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. Celina Villanueva is the sitting member, per the General Assembly's roster. Villanueva is a full-time legislator and community organizer who previously worked as Civic & Youth Engagement Manager at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, per her ilga.gov legislative profile. She served in the Illinois House in 2019 and 2020 before moving to the Senate, where she has represented the 12th District since 2020 and chairs the Revenue Committee. She holds a Latino/a Studies degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Illinois Senate District 12 in 2026?

When is the Illinois Senate District 12 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 Senate District 15 Illinois Senate District 17 Illinois Senate District 18 See all 135 Cook County races

Candidate profiles

Celina Villanueva, full profile Official Illinois election office