Hardin County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
7 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 6 Hardin County races, led by the Illinois Senate District 59 contest.
School board
Regional Superintendent of Schools (Regional Office of Education #20)Sarah E Emery (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Sarah E Emery Republican
No campaign website or other verifiable biographical source was found for Sarah E. Emery as of September 25, 2026. The sitting Regional Superintendent of Regional Office of Education #20 is Dr. Beth Rister, per the ROE #20 website.
Sarah E Emery is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Regional Superintendent of Schools, Regional Office of Education #20 (Edwards, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Pope, Saline, Wabash, Wayne and White counties), per the Illinois State Board of Elections' certified 2026 general election candidate list. Illinois elects a regional superintendent countywide across the whole region every four years. The name still appears on the ballot; the race is uncontested.
Full race pageJudges
Circuit Court, 2nd Judicial Circuit, Vacancy of Hon. MoltMatthew E. Vaughn (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Matthew E. Vaughn Republican
No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Matthew E. Vaughn is on the November 3, 2026 ballot to fill a vacancy on the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court (the seat vacated by the Hon. Molt). The 2nd Judicial Circuit covers Crawford, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne and White counties; every voter there votes on this seat. Illinois circuit judgeships are decided in contested partisan elections, unlike judicial retention questions. Listed from the Illinois State Board of Elections' certified 2026 general election candidate list.
Full race pageCircuit Court, 2nd Judicial Circuit, Vacancy of Hon. ValentineBrian T Shinkle (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Brian T Shinkle Republican
No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Brian T Shinkle is on the November 3, 2026 ballot to fill a vacancy on the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court (the seat vacated by the Hon. Valentine). The 2nd Judicial Circuit covers Crawford, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne and White counties; every voter there votes on this seat. Illinois circuit judgeships are decided in contested partisan elections, unlike judicial retention questions. Listed from the Illinois State Board of Elections' certified 2026 general election candidate list.
Full race pageCircuit Court, 2nd Judicial Circuit, Vacancy of Hon. VaughnChelsey E. Clark (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Chelsey E. Clark Republican
No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Chelsey E. Clark is on the November 3, 2026 ballot to fill a vacancy on the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court (the seat vacated by the Hon. Vaughn). The 2nd Judicial Circuit covers Crawford, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne and White counties; every voter there votes on this seat. Illinois circuit judgeships are decided in contested partisan elections, unlike judicial retention questions. Listed from the Illinois State Board of Elections' certified 2026 general election candidate list.
Full race pageBy address
These seats are elected by district; only the district covering your address is on your ballot.
Find your districts by addressIllinois Senate District 59Tamiko "T.C." Mueller (D) · Paul Jacobs (R)
Tamiko "T.C." Mueller Democratic
- Wants to support job creation and economic development in Southern Illinois
- Supports investment in education and healthcare access
Per the campaign site.
About Tamiko "T.C." Mueller
Tamiko "T.C." Mueller is a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve with more than 25 years of service, including two tours of duty in Kuwait and Egypt, per her campaign site. She is a member of the Jackson County Board and the Broker/Owner of a real estate firm, and holds a B.A. in Political Science from Southern Illinois University Carbondale along with master's degrees in Workforce Education and Public Administration, per the same source. Mueller is the Democratic nominee for the open Illinois Senate District 59 seat on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
Paul Jacobs Republican
Paul Jacobs is in his third term as an Illinois state representative and is running for the 59th District State Senate seat, per his campaign site. The new senate district combines his current representative district with that of Representative Patrick Windhorst, per his campaign site. He is running for Illinois Senate District 59.
Tamiko "T.C." Mueller (Democratic), Paul Jacobs (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot. The seat is open: Sen. Dale Fowler (Republican), the sitting member per the General Assembly's roster, is not on the November ballot. 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.
Full race pageIllinois House District 117Patrick Windhorst (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Patrick Windhorst Republican Incumbent
- Support law enforcement and oppose defunding police
- Reduce taxes and government spending
- Make Illinois more business friendly through regulatory reform
Per the campaign site.
About Patrick Windhorst
Windhorst served as Massac County State's Attorney before election to the Illinois House, and is now serving a third term representing the 117th District, per the campaign site.
Patrick Windhorst (Republican) is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot; Patrick Windhorst 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.
Full race pageSee your full ballot
Voting info and more
Voting info and more
Verify your ballot with the official election office.
Cross-check every race and candidate with the official election office. Official sources are the final word.
Illinois nominated by plurality at the March 17 primary (no runoffs); unopposed nominees still print, and independent and new-party candidates who filed petitions by June 22 join the November 3 ballot once the State Board of Elections rules on objections, per the Board's certified candidate list.
Who is on the ballot in Hardin County, Illinois on November 3, 2026?
Hardin County sample ballot 2026: who is running for regional superintendent of schools and circuit court, with bios, priorities and campaign sites. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.
When is the 2026 general election in Illinois?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Illinois are listed on the Illinois election hub. Illinois election hub →
How do I see my exact Hardin County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup for the statewide and congressional races on every ballot in the county, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location. Look up your ballot →
Illinois statewide racesEvery Illinois race on this county's ballot.Ballot measures and judges131 tracked judges on the retention ballotIllinois judges131 tracked judges on the retention ballot