Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.

Illinois State Senate elections

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge.png
State legislative elections by chamber
See also
State Legislatures
State legislative elections, 2025
Poll opening and closing times

This page displays election information for the Illinois State Senate.

Elections

Under the Illinois Constitution of 1970, senators are divided into three groups, each group having a two-year term at a different part of the decade between censuses, with the rest of the decade being taken up by two four-year terms. Depending on the election year, roughly ⅓, ⅔, or all of the senate seats may have terms ending.[1] Illinois holds elections for its legislature in even years.

2026

See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2026

Elections for the Illinois State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026. The primary is March 17, 2026. The filing deadline is November 3, 2025.

2024

See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2024

Elections for the Illinois State Senate took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was March 19, 2024. The filing deadline was December 4, 2023.

In the 2024 election, the partisan breakdown did not change. Democrats maintained their majority of 40-19.


Illinois State Senate
Party As of November 5, 2024 After November 6, 2024
     Democratic Party 40 40
     Republican Party 19 18
     Vacancy 0 1
Total 59 59

2022

See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2022

Elections for the Illinois State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for June 28, 2022. The filing deadline was March 14, 2022.

In the 2022 elections, Democrats lost one net seat, decreasing their majority to 40-19. On December 9, 2022, former State Sen. Scott Bennett, who won his former seat, died due to complications of a brain tumor. In January 2023, State Sen. Jason Barickman resigned. These vacancies are not reflected on the chart below.

Illinois State Senate
Party As of November 8, 2022 After November 9, 2022
     Democratic Party 41 40
     Republican Party 18 19
Total 59 59

2020

See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2020

Elections for the office of Illinois State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for March 17, 2020. The filing deadline was December 2, 2019.

In the 2020 elections, Democrats increased their majority in the Illinois State Senate from 40–19 to 41–18.

Illinois State Senate
Party As of November 3, 2020 After November 4, 2020
     Democratic Party 40 41
     Republican Party 19 18
Total 59 59

2018

See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2018

Elections for the Illinois State Senate took place in 2018. An open primary election took place on March 20, 2018. The general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was December 4, 2017.[2]

In the 2018 elections, Democrats increased their majority in the Illinois State Senate from 37-22 to 40-19.

Illinois State Senate
Party As of November 6, 2018 After November 7, 2018
     Democratic Party 37 40
     Republican Party 22 19
Total 59 59

2016

See also: Illinois State Senate elections, 2016

Elections for the Illinois State Senate were held in 2016. The primary election was held on March 15, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was November 30, 2015.[3] A total of 40 seats out of the 59 seats in the Illinois State Senate were up for election in 2016.

Heading into the election, Democrats held a 39-20 majority. Democrats lost two seats in the election, giving them a 37-22 majority.

Illinois State Senate
Party As of November 7, 2016 After November 8, 2016
     Democratic Party 39 37
     Republican Party 20 22
Total 59 59


Historical party control

Democrats won control of the Illinois State Senate in 2002. In 2024, they won a 40-19 majority.

The table below shows the partisan history of the Illinois Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2024. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

Illinois State Senate election results: 1992-2024

Year '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '06 '08 '10 '12 '14 '16 '18 '20 '22 '24
Democrats 27 26 28 27 27 32 31 37 37 35 40 39 37 40 41 40 40
Republicans 32 33 31 32 32 27 27 22 22 23 19 20 22 19 18 19 19

Before 1992

From 1900 to 2022, the Illinois State Senate switched partisan control nine times.


Trifecta history

A state government trifecta is a term that describes single party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Between 1992 and 2023, Illinois was under the following types of trifecta control:

  • Democratic trifecta: 2003-2014, 2019-2023
  • Republican trifecta: 1995-1996
  • Divided government: 1992-1994, 1997-2002, 2015-2018

Illinois Party Control: 1992-2025
Nineteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  Two years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R D D D D D D D
Senate D R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
House D D D R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Illinois General Assembly, "Policies and Procedures," accessed February 4, 2021
  2. ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election and campaign finance calendar 2018," accessed August 16, 2017
  3. ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election and Campaign Finance Calendar," accessed November 30, 2015
  4. ↑ Follow the Money, "Illinois Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions," accessed May 26, 2015
  5. ↑ Follow the Money, "Illinois 2008 Candidates," accessed July 18, 2013
  6. ↑ Follow the Money, "Illinois 2006 Candidates," accessed July 18, 2013
  7. ↑ Follow the Money, "Illinois 2004 Candidates," accessed July 18, 2013
  8. ↑ Follow the Money, "Illinois 2002 Candidates," accessed July 18, 2013
  9. ↑ Follow the Money, "Illinois 2000 Candidates," accessed July 18, 2013
Flag of Illinois
v • e
State of Illinois
Springfield (capital)
Elections

What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures

Government

Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy

v • e
State legislatures
Legislatures
Alabama (H, S) · Alaska (H, S) · Arizona (H, S) · Arkansas (H, S) · California (A, S) · Colorado (H, S) · Connecticut (H, S) · Delaware (H, S) · Florida (H, S) · Georgia (H, S) · Hawaii (H, S) · Idaho (H, S) · Illinois (H, S) · Indiana (H, S) · Iowa (H, S) · Kansas (H, S) · Kentucky (H, S) · Louisiana (H, S) · Maine (H, S) · Maryland (H, S) · Massachusetts (H, S) · Michigan (H, S) · Minnesota (H, S) · Mississippi (H, S) · Missouri (H, S) · Montana (H, S) · Nebraska · Nevada (A, S) · New Hampshire (H, S) · New Jersey (GA, S) · New Mexico (H, S) · New York (A, S) · North Carolina (H, S) · North Dakota (H, S) · Ohio (H, S) · Oklahoma (H, S) · Oregon (H, S) · Pennsylvania (H, S) · Rhode Island (H, S) · South Carolina (H, S) · South Dakota (H, S) · Tennessee (H, S) · Texas (H, S) · Utah (H, S) · Vermont (H, S) · Virginia (H, S) · Washington (H, S) · West Virginia (H, S) · Wisconsin (A, S) · Wyoming (H, S)
SLP badge.png
2025
2024
2023
Historical elections
2022 •  2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000
Features of
state legislatures
State senates
State houses
Leadership positions
Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Illinois_State_Senate_elections&oldid=10364861"