The Ballot Brief
Jackson County, Illinois

Illinois Senate District 59

2 candidates are tracked for Illinois Senate District 59 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Tamiko "T.C." Mueller and Paul Jacobs. Candidate information follows official Jackson County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

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.

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.

Illinois › Jackson County › Illinois Senate District 59

Tamiko "T.C." Mueller

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Wants to support job creation and economic development in Southern Illinois
  • Supports investment in education and healthcare access

Per the campaign site.

Biography

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.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Paul Jacobs

Republican

Biography

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.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
Next on your ballotIllinois House District 115

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Voting info and more

Voting info and more
Questions about this race

Who is running for Illinois Senate District 59 in 2026?

2 candidates are tracked for Illinois Senate District 59 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Tamiko "T.C." Mueller and Paul Jacobs. Candidate information follows official Jackson County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Illinois Senate District 59 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 Jackson 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 Jackson County and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your Jackson County ballot

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

Also on your ballot
Illinois House District 118Regional Superintendent of Schools (Regional Office of Education #30)Circuit Court, 1st Judicial Circuit, Vacancy of Hon. SolversonSee all 5 Jackson County races
Candidate profiles
Tamiko "T.C." Mueller, full profilePaul Jacobs, full profileOfficial Illinois election office