Deerfield Election Guide 2026: Candidates, Early Voting Locations, Key Dates

DEERFIELD, IL — From the governor's race to a countywide school sales tax referendum, Lake County voters will have plenty to consider in the Nov. 3 general election.

The ballot also includes races for U.S. Senate, congressional seats, the Illinois General Assembly, Lake County Board and countywide offices.

Early voting is underway at the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan, with additional locations across the county scheduled to open Oct. 19.

RELATED: Illinois 2026 Voter Guide — Pritzker Vs. Bailey Rematch, Other Hot Races To Watch

Here's what Lake County voters should know before heading to the polls.

When Is Election Day?

The 2026 general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. In Lake County, voters can cast their ballot at any polling location in the county.

Lake County residents can also vote early or cast a ballot by mail.

Can I Still Register To Vote?

The regular voter registration deadline has passed, but Illinois residents still have options. Online voter registration continues through Sunday, Oct. 18. And grace-period registration is also underway and continues through Election Day.

If you think that you may already be registered to vote, you can check by using the State Board of Election's Voter Registration Lookup.

Residents registering during the grace period must provide two forms of identification, with at least one showing their current address. Those who register during the grace period must also vote at the time they register.

When Does Early Voting Begin?

Early voting began Sept. 24 at the Lake County Main Courthouse, 18 N. County St. in Waukegan. Through Oct. 16, residents can vote at the courthouse Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Additional early-voting locations throughout Lake County will open Monday, Oct. 19. Nearby locations include:

• Deerspring Pool — 200 Deerfield Rd., Deerfield
• Highwood Library & Community Center — 102 Highwood Ave., Highwood
• History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff — 509 E. Deerpath Road, Lake Forest
• William E. Peterson Park — 16652 N. Buffalo Grove Road, Prairie View
• The Landing on Diamond Lake — 1016 N. Diamond Lake Road, Mundelein
• Lake County Central Permit Facility — 500 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville

Residents should confirm individual site schedules before visiting.

A complete list of locations and hours is available on the Lake County Clerk's early-voting website.

Can I Vote By Mail?

Illinois voters do not need an excuse or specific reason to vote by mail, and the deadline for election officials to receive applications for vote-by-mail ballots is Thursday, Oct. 29. You can find the applications for all counties in Illinois here.

Completed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received within the period allowed under Illinois law. McHenry County also provides ballot drop boxes for voters who prefer to return their ballots without using the mail.

What Is On My Ballot?

All Lake County voters will have several statewide contests on their ballots.

• U.S. Senate: Democrat Juliana Stratton faces Republican Don Tracy in the race for U.S. Senate.
• Illinois Governor and Lieutenant Governor: Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker is seeking another term, facing off against Republican Darren Bailey.
• Illinois Attorney General: Democratic Attorney General Kwame Raoul faces Republican Bob Fioretti.
• Illinois Secretary of State: Democratic Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias faces Republican Diane Harris.
• Illinois Comptroller: Democrat Margaret Croke faces Republican Bryan Drew.
• Illinois Treasurer: Democratic Treasurer Michael Frerichs faces Republican Max Solomon.

Other independent or minor-party candidates may appear in some statewide contests. Voters should consult their sample ballot for the complete candidate list.

Voters in Deerfield will also choose representatives in Congress and the Illinois General Assembly in the Nov. 3 election.

The races appearing on individual ballots depend on legislative district boundaries, which can divide communities.

U.S. House Of Representatives

10th Congressional District

• Brad Schneider, Democrat (incumbent)
• Carl Lambrecht, Republican

Illinois Senate

29th Senate District

• Julie A. Morrison, Democrat (incumbent)
• Kate McGrath, Republican

Illinois House Of Representatives

58th House District

• Bob Morgan, Democrat (incumbent)

Morgan is running unopposed.

Residents can confirm their districts and view a personalized sample ballot through the Lake County Clerk’s election website.

Lake County Races

Several countywide offices are on the ballot this November.

• Lake County Sheriff: Democratic incumbent John Idleburg faces Republican Roman Buchberger.
• Lake County Treasurer: Democrat Sandy Hart faces Republican David Penaherrera.

Not every race will appear on every ballot. Residents can view the candidates specific to their voting address through the Lake County Clerk's election website.

Lake County School Sales Tax Referendum

Lake County voters will also consider a countywide referendum asking whether to approve a 1 percent sales tax to support school facilities and other authorized school-related expenses. Revenue from the proposed tax could be used for school construction and renovations, certain school safety expenses, mental health professionals and other eligible purposes.

• Lake County Voters To Decide On 1% School Sales Tax

A yes vote would authorize the tax, while a no vote would reject it. The tax would apply to certain retail purchases in Lake County, with exemptions for some categories of goods.

School districts could also use the revenue to pay certain existing building debts, potentially reducing reliance on property taxes. However, any property tax savings would depend on decisions made by individual school districts.

For full coverage of the 2026 election in Illinois, go here.