Peoria County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026

Unopposed: still on your ballot.

Neil Anderson Republican Incumbent

Neil Anderson is a professional firefighter and paramedic for the City of Moline, first elected to the Senate in 2015, per his Illinois Senate biography. He was raised in the Quad Cities, worked in his family's flooring business, and joined the Moline Fire Department in 2006, per the same source. Anderson was appointed Senate Republican Caucus Chair in 2023 and lives in Andalusia with his wife, Brandi, and their two children. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.

Neil Anderson (Republican) is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot; Neil Anderson 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.

Unopposed: still on your ballot.

Chris Balkema Republican Incumbent

Top priorities

• 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.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

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.

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.

Unopposed: still on your ballot.

Sharon Chung Democratic Incumbent

Sharon Chung is a teacher and professional musician and a member of the American Federation of Musicians Local 301, per her Illinois House of Representatives biography. She holds a Bachelor of Music from Illinois Wesleyan University and a Master of Music from Northwestern University, and is a former member of the McLean County Board, per the same source. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.

Sharon Chung (Democratic) is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot; Sharon Chung 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.

Unopposed: still on your ballot.

Jehan Gordon-Booth Democratic Incumbent

Jehan Gordon-Booth is a full-time state legislator with a B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, per her Illinois House of Representatives biography. She is a former local school board member and former staff member at Illinois Central College, and serves as Assistant Majority Leader, per the same source. Gordon-Booth resides in Peoria with her husband, Derrick, and daughter, Jianna. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.

Jehan Gordon-Booth (Democratic) is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot; Jehan Gordon-Booth 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.

Unopposed: still on your ballot.

Travis Weaver Republican Incumbent

Travis Weaver is the incumbent Illinois House member for the 93rd District, per his official representative website. He previously worked in finance and strategy roles at Caterpillar and is a Business Professor at Bradley University, per his official representative website. Weaver holds a BA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Alabama and an MBA from Northwestern University. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.

Travis Weaver (Republican) is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot; Travis Weaver 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.

Unopposed: still on your ballot.

Joshua S. Higgins (Republican) is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot. The seat is open: Rep. Norine K. Hammond (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.

Unopposed: still on your 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.