Meet your State & LOCAL Candidates

JB Pritzker

GOVERNOR OF ILLINOIS

JB Pritzker was first elected Governor of Illinois in 2018, and was re-elected in 2022. During his tenure as Governor, JB has led the effort to turn things around in Illinois. Under his leadership, Illinois has achieved higher credit ratings, balanced budgets, better-funded pensions, higher educational test scores, and a record number of jobs.

  • JB has fought for economic and social justice. He is proud to have enacted the Reproductive Health Act in his first year as governor. He’s worked with survivors to help build the Illinois Holocaust Museum to educate generations to fight bigotry, hatred, and intolerance. He raised the minimum wage to lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty. Working with the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, he enacted historic reforms in the fight for justice, education, economic opportunity, and health care.

    JB Pritzker has made Illinois a firewall against Donald Trump’s attacks. From reproductive freedom to voting rights, civil rights, and LGBTQ+ equality – Illinois is now a beacon of hope and freedom for the entire nation.Description text goes here

Christian Mitchell

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF ILLINOIS

Christian Mitchell has spent his life fighting for Illinoisans as a State Representative and Deputy Governor. Now he’s running for Lieutenant Governor to keep Illinois moving forward.

Christian Mitchell was born and raised by a single mother who taught him the values of hard work and standing up for what’s right.

  • After being elected as a State Representative, he fought for a fairer and more equitable Illinois by standing up for a woman’s right to choose, opposing right to work laws and fighting for a new education funding system to ensure every child has access to quality schools.

    In 2019, he was proud to join JB’s administration as a Deputy Governor to put Illinois back on the side of working families. He led the efforts to make Illinois a national leader in clean energy, ban assault weapons and create and support thousands of jobs by rebuilding our roads, bridges and schools.

    Inspired by his grandfather’s service in the U.S. Army, he joined the Illinois Air National Guard in 2023 to continue giving back to this state and this country.

Alexi Giannoulias

ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE

Restoring public trust in government and its elected leaders is Alexi’s top priority. He believes that government has prioritized the interests of the powerful and wealthy over that of the majority, resulting in a lack of trust and confidence in our elected officials, especially among those with less means and people of color who have been left out and alienated by the status quo.

  • A dedicated public servant, Alexi was elected as Illinois State Treasurer at 30, the youngest State Treasurer in the nation. In 2022, he was elected to succeed his friend and inspiration Jesse White as Illinois Secretary of State. He is now seeking your vote for a second term.

    As an independent Democrat, Alexi has pursued a progressive, reform agenda that focuses on innovative initiatives and policies designed to curb ethical abuses, create jobs, safely invest taxpayer dollars and improve the financial futures of all Illinoisans.

    Alexi is proud to be supported by a broad coalition of labor leaders, elected officials and advocacy organizations.

Kwame Raoul

ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL

Attorney General Kwame Raoul is the 42nd Attorney General of Illinois. He is now seeking re-election to that office. Kwame brings a lifetime of legal experience and public service to his work as the people’s champion. Kwame’s fellow Democratic Attorneys General elected him Co-Chair of their coalition in November of 2024 to lead their coordinated effort against President Trump’s unconstitutional actions.

  • As a cancer survivor, he benefitted from early detection and excellent medical care, solidifying his commitment to protect and defend everyone’s ability to access health care.

    The right to reproductive freedom is part of that critical work. Kwame has led the Illinois legislature to enact laws that expand and protect comprehensive access to reproductive health care, including emergency and medication abortion, miscarriage management, and fertility treatment. Planned Parenthood of Illinois honored him with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his critical work to protect access to reproductive health care.

Margaret Croke

ILLINOIS COMPTROLLER

Margaret Croke is the Democratic nominee for Illinois State Comptroller. A public servant with more than a decade of experience in government, she currently serves as State Representative for the 12th District, where she chairs the House Financial Institutions & Licensing Committee and serves on the Revenue and Finance Committee.

  • Margaret also serves as Democratic State Central Committeeperson for the 5th Congressional District.

    Throughout her career, Margaret has championed consumer protections, expanded access to health care, supported responsible economic growth, and advocated for fiscally responsible budgets.

    Before joining the General Assembly, she served as Deputy Chief of Staff at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and held roles in Governor JB Pritzker’s 2018 campaign, the Office of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, and the Office of Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer.

    A University of Michigan graduate and Oak Park native, Margaret lives in Lincoln Park with her husband, Patrick, and their three children.

Mike Frerichs

ILLINOIS TREASURER

Michael W. Frerichs was first elected Illinois State Treasurer in November 2014. He has been re-elected twice and began his third term in January 2023. He now seeks your vote for a fourth term.

Frerichs believes in providing individuals with financial tools to invest in themselves.

  • He does this by encouraging college and trade school savings plans, increasing financial education across all ages, removing barriers to a secure retirement, and reuniting Illinois residents with their unclaimed property.

    Since taking office, Frerichs has made significant strides for consumers by ensuring that Illinois residents receive what is owed to them through the Unclaimed Property Program. A record-breaking $2.6 billion in forgotten cash and stock has been returned to individuals, employers, and nonprofit organizations under his watch. Illinois is a now national leader in the unclaimed property space and is frequently consulted by other states' leaders seeking to reform their unclaimed property laws, rules, and procedures.

Amy “Murri” Briel

ILLINOIS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DISTRICT 76

Amy “Murri” Briel was born in LaSalle County, Illinois and now lives in the Illinois Valley near Ottawa, Illinois. She identifies as "proudly neurodivergent.” She was elected to the Illinois House in 2024 and is now seeking re-election.

  • Murri believes that workers should have the unobstructed right to organize and that the state should further Labor’s strength by legislation protecting and incentivizing organized Labor.

    Women’s rights are under attack nationwide and Murri believes we must take steps to further fortify reproductive rights at the state level.

    In her work as State Representative, Murri prioritizes access to affordable childcare, the growth of rural communities, criminal justice reform and innovation in the face of climate change. She strongly supports protecting LGBTQ+ and disability rights through legislation and funding.Description text goes here

Ernie Marcelain

ILLINOIS STATE SENATE
DISTRICT 38

Ernie Marcelain is running for the Illinois senate in the 38th district. Ernie is a former and proud Union member of the textile and machinist unions for nearly 10 years. Ernie is also a former firefighter/EMT for the Montgomery fire department for 4 years.

  • Ernie’s main goals if elected are to give some much needed relief from the financial burden we all have been suffering through. Install strict regulations to any and all data centers and utility companies.

    Restore and strengthen the local healthcare infrastructure while holding for profit hospitals to their commitment to the community.

    Ernie also wants to give our small businesses stability and opportunities to grow without bending a knee to the highly profitable corporations.

    It’s time we raise our middle class to where they belong and not let all of us be buried and ignored any longer.

nicole dopler

ILLINOIS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DISTRICT 73

Nicole Dopler is running for State Representative of House District 73 because she believes in fiercely defending the essential resources that our families rely on. She is stepping up because she understands exactly what is at stake for our residents.

  • Access to quality healthcare is a fundamental right, and Nicole firmly believes that anyone willing to cut healthcare is not on the side of everyday people — a standard that unites voters across the political aisle.

    With a career in the medical field spanning back 30 years to 1996 and as a mother of five who has personally navigated systems like Medicaid, she know firsthand how vital Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security are to our communities. Nicole’s experience finding every available resource to help her family thrive gives her the practical perspective needed to govern and protect these life-saving programs.

    Throughout her life, she has never backed down from doing what is right, whether that means standing up to hospital systems to protect strict patient privacy or pushing back against corporate interests. Driven by a lifelong protective instinct and a refusal to stay silent in the face of injustice, Dopler will always speak up when she sees wrongdoing or someone being taken advantage of. This dedication to advocacy has motivated her years of service on community boards and committees, and it fuels her grassroots campaign today.

mike wittig

BUREAU COUNTY SHERIFF

Mike Wittig is a lifelong Princeton resident and 16-year law enforcement veteran. A proud US Army veteran, he began his police career in 2003 and returned home in 2017 to serve with the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office.

  • Wittig has experience in patrol, investigations, and specialized SWAT units, and has been recognized with multiple commendations, including a Meritorious Service Medal and awards for DUI enforcement.

    Mike puts community first, prioritizing safety, accountability and trust through reform and transparency. His vision for the Sheriff’s Office includes engaging young people by expanding mentorship programs, neighborhood patrols, and community education.

    He believes the Sheriff’s Office can better serve our diverse communities via officer training to enhance de-escalation and cultural competency, and partnering with crisis teams to improve support for citizens in need of mental health services.