Madison County, Illinois

Illinois Senate District 56

2 candidates are tracked for Illinois Senate District 56 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Marsia Geldert-Murphey and Erica Harriss. Candidate information follows official Madison County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Marsia Geldert-Murphey (Democratic), Erica Harriss (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Erica Harriss 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, Erica Harriss, is on the ballot.

Illinois › Madison County › Illinois Senate District 56

Marsia Geldert-Murphey

Democratic

Top priorities

Expand job creation through infrastructure and emerging industries like clean energy and manufacturing
Expand early childhood education access and fully fund school nutrition programs
Protect Medicaid coverage and strengthen the health care workforce

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Marsia Geldert-Murphey is the Democratic candidate for Illinois Senate District 56 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. Geldert-Murphey is a civil engineer with more than 30 years of infrastructure experience in the Midwest and is the Democratic nominee for the 56th District, per her campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Erica Harriss

Republican Incumbent

Biography

Erica Harriss previously served six years on the Madison County Board, including as chair of its Personnel Committee, and is a small business owner, per the Illinois General Assembly. She has represented the 56th District since 2023. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.

Next on your ballotIllinois Senate District 57

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Illinois Senate District 56 in 2026?

When is the Illinois Senate District 56 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 Madison 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 Madison County and state election office filings, last verified October 1, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your Madison County ballot

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

Also on your ballot

Illinois House District 100 Illinois House District 109 Illinois House District 111 See all 34 Madison County races

Candidate profiles

Marsia Geldert-Murphey, full profile Erica Harriss, full profile Official Illinois election office