Jackson County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
8 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 5 Jackson County races, led by the Illinois Senate District 59 contest.
School board
Regional Superintendent of Schools (Regional Office of Education #30)Matthew Hickam (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Matthew Hickam Republican Incumbent
Matthew Hickam is the Regional Superintendent of Regional Office of Education #30, which covers Alexander, Jackson, Perry, Pulaski and Union counties from an office in Murphysboro, per an Illinois Auditor General report. No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Matthew Hickam is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Regional Superintendent of Schools, Regional Office of Education #30 (Alexander, Jackson, Perry, Pulaski and Union 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, 1st Judicial Circuit, Vacancy of Hon. SolversonBenjamin W. Reed (D) · Lenoard "Jamie" Snyder (R)
Benjamin W. Reed Democratic
No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Lenoard "Jamie" Snyder Republican
No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Benjamin W. Reed and Lenoard "Jamie" Snyder are on the November 3, 2026 ballot to fill a vacancy on the 1st Judicial Circuit Court (the seat vacated by the Hon. Solverson). The 1st Judicial Circuit covers Alexander, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union and Williamson 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.
Jackson County is split across 2 Illinois House districts.
Find your districts by addressIllinois House: 2 districtsDistricts 115, 118
Illinois House District 115David H. Friess (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
David H. Friess Republican Incumbent
David H. Friess was born and raised in Southern Illinois, graduated from Chester High School, and enlisted in the Air Force before joining the reserves, including service during Desert Storm, per his Illinois House of Representatives biography. He later worked for Delta Airlines, earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Mercer University, and a Juris Doctorate from John Marshall Law School, per the same source. Friess has served as Representative since 2021. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.
David H. Friess (Republican) is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot; David H. Friess 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 pageIllinois House District 118Homer "Chip" Markel (D) · Scott Doody (R)
Homer "Chip" Markel Democratic
Homer "Chip" Markel is a Navy veteran with no prior experience in political office, per The Southern Illinoisan. He worked in corrections for decades, serving as a union president at Menard Correctional Center for seven years, per the same source. Markel is the Democratic nominee for Illinois House District 118 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.
Scott Doody Republican
Scott Doody is a longtime resident of the 118th district, a grandfather, longtime radio host, and author, per his Illinois House of Representatives biography. He owns a business specializing in classic car restoration and local media production, per the same source. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.
Homer "Chip" Markel (Democratic), Scott Doody (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot. The seat is open: Rep. Paul Jacobs (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 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 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 Jackson County, Illinois on November 3, 2026?
Jackson County sample ballot 2026: who is running for circuit court and regional superintendent of schools, 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 Jackson 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 →