Will County, Illinois

Illinois Senate District 21

2 candidates are tracked for Illinois Senate District 21 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Laura Ellman and Julie Berkowicz. Candidate information follows official Will County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Laura Ellman (Democratic), Julie Berkowicz (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Laura Ellman 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, Laura Ellman, is on the ballot.

Illinois › Will County › Illinois Senate District 21

Laura Ellman

Democratic Incumbent

Biography

Laura Ellman is the Democratic candidate for Illinois Senate District 21 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. Laura Ellman is the sitting member, per the General Assembly's roster. Ellman works as an assessor at a national laboratory and has more than 25 years of experience in manufacturing and engineering regulation, per her ilga.gov legislative profile. She has represented the 21st District since 2019 and chairs the Environment and Conservation Committee. She holds degrees from Grinnell College and the University of Iowa. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.

Julie Berkowicz

Republican

Top priorities

Reduce taxes and regulations and repeal tollway fee hikes
Lower electric and gas costs for families
Repeal cashless bail and address public safety concerns

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Julie Berkowicz is a Will County Board and Forest Preserve Commissioner, per her campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotIllinois Senate District 41

See your full ballot

Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Illinois Senate District 21 in 2026?

When is the Illinois Senate District 21 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 Will 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 Will County and state election office filings, last verified September 29, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your Will County ballot

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

Also on your ballot

Illinois Senate District 42 Illinois House District 27 Illinois House District 29 See all 37 Will County races

Candidate profiles

Laura Ellman, full profile Julie Berkowicz, full profile Official Illinois election office