Illinois voters weigh open Senate seat amid 36-state governor sweepstakes

Residents in Waukegan, Buffalo Grove, and Wheeling are casting ballots in what is described as a pivotal midterm election. Polls in Illinois remain open from 6 a.m. To 7 p.m. Local time today. Voters in the state are deciding the outcome of an open U.S. Senate race and a gubernatorial contest where incumbent Democratic Governor JB Pritzker is running for re-election. The ballot also includes every U.S. House seat in the state, along with various state and local offices that vary by county. The parties on the ballot for governor include the Democratic, Republican, Green, and Independent parties.

The national landscape features 36 governor races that will determine the balance of power in state executive offices. Heading into Election Day, Republicans hold 26 governor's offices and Democrats hold 24. Of the 36 offices on the ballot, each party holds 18. This creates a precise 18 to 18 split among the contested seats. Democrats would need a net gain of two governorships to achieve a nationwide majority, a position Republicans have held since 2010. The Associated Press notes that Democrats hope to hold a majority of governorships for the first time in two decades.

Nineteen of the 36 governor races have no incumbent on the ballot, creating significant uncertainty for voters. Fifteen governors are term-limited and cannot run again. Three others chose not to run: Iowa's Kim Reynolds, Minnesota's Tim Walz, and Wisconsin's Tony Evers. Rhode Island's Daniel McKee is also not on the ballot after losing his primary. These open seats contribute to the competitive nature of the races, as Ballotpedia has identified nine specific battlegrounds for governor: Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

In the governor races, Democrats are defending five seats in states that Trump won in 2024. These include Arizona, where Katie Hobbs is running; Kansas; Michigan; Pennsylvania, where Josh Shapiro is the incumbent; and Wisconsin. Republicans are defending two seats in states that Harris won in 2024: New Hampshire, where Kelly Ayotte is the incumbent, and Vermont, where Phil Scott is the incumbent. The Associated Press and PBS NewsHour have named several key matchups, including Georgia, where Republican health care executive Rick Jackson faces Democratic former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to succeed Brian Kemp.

Other named matchups include Nevada, where Republican Governor Joe Lombardo faces Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford. In Ohio, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy faces Democrat Amy Acton. Ramaswamy's campaign recently faced backlash over an ad featuring Acton's estranged mother. The Associated Press also calls Texas, Florida, and Iowa competitive governor races. In these contests, voters are weighing local economic concerns against national political trends. The AP describes the election as a referendum on Trump's second term, with voters struggling with high prices and angry over an unpopular war with Iran.

The U.S. Senate race in Illinois is an open seat with no incumbent running. 13 Senate races have been identified as battlegrounds. In Michigan, an open seat is being contested after Gary Peters retired. The race is between Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. In New Hampshire, Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas faces former Republican Sen. John E. Sununu for the seat vacated by Jeanne Shaheen. In Minnesota, four candidates are vying for the seat vacated by retiring Sen. Tina Smith, including Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Republican Michele Tafoya.

Polling data indicates that 35% of U.S. Adults approve of Trump's job performance, while 25% approve of his handling of the economy. About seven in 10 say the country is heading in the wrong direction. More than 57 million people had already voted as of Monday, surpassing the early vote of four years ago in many closely watched states. The Associated Press notes that Republicans were bracing to lose the House and fighting to hold the Senate, while Democrats were cautiously optimistic. One or two seats could tip either chamber, making every vote in Lake County and across the state significant.

The 2026 elections are likely to be the most expensive in history. Republican committees outraised and outspent Democratic committees, helped by Trump-affiliated groups and Elon Musk. However, at the candidate level, Democrats outraised their opponents. An analysis of AdImpact data shows that 88.1% of Republican general election TV ad spending went to states and districts Trump won in 2024. This includes more than $850 million in states where he won by 10 points or more. RNC Chairman Joe Gruters stated that everything depends on turnout, while DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene said the American people are angry and want change.

Voters in Lake County are also making decisions on local measures and municipal government offices. The U.S. Postal Service added hours, staff, and special lines to ensure mail ballots are counted on time. A federal judge on Monday temporarily barred the Trump administration from carrying out a plan it says would prevent noncitizen voting. Critics say the plan risks disenfranchising eligible voters and infringes on states' authority over elections. The Justice Department is threatening to prosecute local election officials, a move that Democrats fear could lead to interference and intimidation.

In Salina, Kansas, President Trump held a rally on Sunday, telling voters, "I really want you to pretend I'm on the ballot." His schedule included stops in Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. Many Republican candidates kept their distance from the president during the final days of the campaign. Trump has continued to make false claims about voting fraud, including that noncitizens vote in large numbers. His administration sued in Alaska and California, adding a legal dimension to the election administration. The results of these races will determine who controls Congress for the final two years of Trump's term.