Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his running mate Christian Mitchell will face no challengers in the upcoming Democratic primary, solidifying their path to the general election as the Illinois State Board of Elections ruled to remove their only intraparty opponents from the ballot.
During a hearing on Tuesday, the Board of Elections upheld an objection to the candidacy of Patricia Tillman and her running mate Joseph Mosley, citing insufficient valid petition signatures. Tillman, who appeared in person, claimed she was assaulted and intimidated during the objection process, submitting an affidavit that alleged physical and procedural misconduct. Despite her emotional appeal, the board unanimously accepted the hearing officer’s recommendation to disqualify her from the ballot.
This leaves Pritzker and Mitchell unchallenged in the March 17 Democratic primary.
Meanwhile, the Republican gubernatorial primary remains more competitive. Five GOP candidate pairs — including Darren Bailey with Aaron Del Mar and DuPage County Sheriff Jim Mendrick with Robert Renteria — will appear on the ballot without pending challenges. Additional candidates, Gregg Moore and Joseph Severino, still face objections that have not yet been resolved.
In the race for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by longtime Democrat Dick Durbin, 10 Democrats remain in the running after four were either removed or withdrew. High-profile names such as Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, U.S. Rep. Robyn Kelly, and U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi survived objections and will appear on the ballot.
On the Republican side, seven candidates have secured ballot access without pending objections, including Jeannie Evans and Don Tracy. One objection remains active against CaSándra Clairborne, with a final decision expected during the board’s next hearing on January 8.
In addition to ballot decisions, the Board of Elections reviewed its proposed $54.8 million budget for fiscal year 2027 — a 13.4% increase over the previous year. The hike is largely due to anticipated costs from three election cycles, requiring more funding for election judges, contractual services, and staff compensation.
The final ballot lineup for the March primary will be certified after the board rules on all remaining objections in early January.
