Marshall County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
6 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 4 Marshall County races, led by the Illinois Senate District 53 contest.
Judges
Circuit Court, 10th Judicial Circuit, Vacancy of Hon. VespaMichael P. Vespa (D) · Timothy J. Cusack (R)
Michael P. Vespa Democratic
No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Timothy J. Cusack Republican
No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Michael P. Vespa and Timothy J. Cusack are on the November 3, 2026 ballot to fill a vacancy on the 10th Judicial Circuit Court (the seat vacated by the Hon. Vespa). The 10th Judicial Circuit covers Marshall, Peoria, Putnam, Stark and Tazewell 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.
Marshall County is split across 2 Illinois House districts.
Find your districts by addressIllinois House: 2 districtsDistricts 73, 105
Illinois House District 73Nicole Dopler (D) · Ryan Spain (R)
Nicole Dopler Democratic
- Wants to protect access to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security
- Supports lowering utility costs for residents
Per the campaign site.
About Nicole Dopler
Nicole Dopler has worked in the medical field since 1996 and is a mother of five, per her campaign site. She is a lifelong Illinois resident from a union family who graduated from Riverdale Senior High and received an associate's degree from Black Hawk College, per OurQuadCities. Dopler is the Democratic nominee for Illinois House District 73 on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
Ryan Spain Republican Incumbent
Ryan Spain is a Bronze Tablet Scholar graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with an MBA from Bradley University, per his Illinois House of Representatives biography. He is a former Peoria City Council member and board member for the Peoria Downtown Development Corporation and Greater Peoria Economic Development Council, per the same source. Spain serves as Deputy Minority Leader in the Illinois House. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.
Nicole Dopler (Democratic), Ryan Spain (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Ryan Spain 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 105Tim Ruestman (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Tim Ruestman Republican
- Supports preserving Illinois farmland
- Backs legislation to roll back the SAFE-T Act and supports law enforcement
- Wants to reduce regulation on small businesses and prioritize balanced state budgets
Per the campaign site.
About Tim Ruestman
Tim Ruestman has served as Woodford County Coroner for more than 30 years and is chairman of the Woodford County Republican Central Committee, per his campaign site. He entered the race after state Rep. Dennis Tipsword decided not to seek re-election to the seat and instead ran for Woodford County sheriff, per WGLT. Ruestman is the Republican nominee for Illinois House District 105 on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
Tim Ruestman (Republican) is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot. The seat is open: Rep. Dennis Tipsword (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 53Chris Balkema (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Chris Balkema Republican Incumbent
- Address illegal immigration and declared Grundy County a non-sanctuary county
- Protect the unborn at all stages
- Pursue new funding mechanisms to relieve property tax burdens, citing four consecutive years of reduced Grundy County property taxes
Per the campaign site.
About Chris Balkema
Balkema spent 30 years in the private sector at Caterpillar and served 13 years on the Grundy County Board, including six years as chairman, per the campaign site.
Chris Balkema (Republican) is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot; Chris Balkema 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.
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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 Marshall County, Illinois on November 3, 2026?
Marshall County sample ballot 2026: who is running for circuit court, illinois house and illinois senate, 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 Marshall 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