Election 2026

Your Lombard voter guide

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3, and early voting is already open. This guide covers how to vote, shows you the exact ballot for your address, and ends with the paper’s own recommendations, which are clearly marked as opinion.

How to vote

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, and polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can also vote early in person or vote by mail. Here’s what you need to know, straight from the county and the state.

Vote early in person

Early voting runs from Oct. 19 through Nov. 2 at 24 sites around DuPage County. Sites are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. The closest one for most of us is Yorktown Center, 350 Yorktown Shopping Center in Lombard. Others nearby include the Glen Ellyn Civic Center at 535 Duane St., the Villa Park Public Library at 305 S. Ardmore Ave., and Elmhurst City Hall at 209 N. York.

Sources: DuPage early voting locations; DuPage County Election Division

Vote by mail

Any registered voter can vote by mail. Your application has to reach the county by Oct. 29. Your ballot counts if it’s postmarked by Election Day and arrives within 14 days, and you can follow it at dupage.ballottrax.net. You can also skip the stamp and use a drop box. There’s one at the Election Division, 421 N. County Farm Rd. in Wheaton, and the county keeps a map of every drop box and vote center.

Sources: DuPage vote by mail; Illinois State Board of Elections: 2026 ballot entitlement chart

Not registered yet?

Regular and online registration have closed, but you can still register and vote in the same visit through Election Day. This is called grace-period registration. You can do it at the county election office, at early-voting sites, and at some polling places on Election Day. Bring two forms of ID, and make sure one of them shows your current address.

Sources: Illinois State Board of Elections: grace-period registration; Illinois State Board of Elections: 2026 ballot entitlement chart

On Election Day

Each precinct has its own polling place, so check yours before you go. Polling places in Lombard include the Helen Plum Library, the Lagoon Center, the Community Building on St. Charles Road, Madison Meadow, Sunset Knoll, the Log Cabin, Yorktown Center, and several churches. The county’s polling place map shows where your precinct votes.

Sources: DuPage 2026 polling places by city and village; DuPage polling place map

Questions about registration or your ballot are best answered by the DuPage County Election Division, which runs elections for the county.

Find your ballot

Type your street address, and we’ll show the races on your ballot in the order they appear, with our picks beside them. This works for addresses in and around the Village of Lombard.

Your address is used only to find your precinct. It’s checked against DuPage County’s public address map (or the free U.S. Census geocoder if the county has no match), and we don’t save it or log it.

Already know your precinct and ballot style?

Precinct and style (printed at the top of your sample ballot):

Opinion · The paper’s recommendations

Our view: the Lilac Post slate

Everything in this section is opinion. The Lilac Post is an independent local paper, and these endorsements are the paper’s own. No campaign, party or outside group asked for them, saw them ahead of time, or paid for them. Our news coverage and the voting information above are written to serve every reader, whatever you decide.

Here is how we weigh a race, in this order. First come life and family: protecting unborn children, supporting the traditional family, and defending parents’ freedom to homeschool or choose a private school. Next comes limited government and lower taxes. After that, we lean toward Republicans and independents, and especially toward American Solidarity Party candidates and those working to make America healthy again.

Endorsed means we know enough about a candidate’s record and stated positions on those first questions to back them with confidence. Preferred means we favor the candidate, but their public record on life and family is thin, so the pick leans on fiscal positions or party. We don’t endorse Democrats unless they are clearly pro-life, and we found none on Lombard ballots this year.

Federal and statewide

U.S. Senator
Endorsed
Don Tracy. Says an unborn child is a developing human life, opposes federal funding of abortion except for rape, incest or the life of the mother, and backs school choice.
We want to be candid: Tracy says abortion law should be left to the states rather than set by Congress, and he has said he has no interest in legislating on same-sex marriage. He is endorsed by Illinois Family Action, and the Illinois Family Institute shows him on the pro-life, pro-family side of all 11 federal questions in its guide. Against an opponent on the other side of every one of those questions, he is the clear choice.
Sources: Shaw Local questionnaire: Don Tracy (Feb. 8, 2026); Illinois Family Action 2026 general election endorsements; Illinois Family Institute 2026 general election voter guide
Governor and Lieutenant Governor
Endorsed
Darren Bailey / Aaron B. Del Mar. A homeschool and private-school champion who would cap property-tax increases at 1% and opt Illinois into federal scholarships.
Bailey and his wife founded a Christian school, and he opposed bills that would have added state scrutiny of homeschooling families. He has proposed capping property-tax increases at 1% and says he would opt Illinois into the federal scholarship program for low-income families. One caveat matters to us: his 2026 campaign says it is “not seeking to legislate or restrict access to abortion in Illinois.” Illinois Family Action lists him as recommended rather than fully endorsed. The ticket still stands far closer to our values than the alternative.
Honorable mention: Mike Vick / Gary Pierce, write-in
Mike Vick and Gary Pierce, the American Solidarity Party’s ticket, are certified write-in candidates for governor in DuPage County. Vick says every human being deserves dignity “from conception to natural death,” and his platform backs the Make Birth Free initiative, less pesticide exposure, and parents’ voice in their children’s medical care. It also includes a land value tax and state-backed social housing, which run against our view of limited government, and we found nothing from him on homeschooling or school choice. That’s why Bailey remains our pick. If you would rather write in Vick, darken the box beside the blank write-in line under governor and write “Mike Vick / Gary Pierce” on the line. A write-in vote only counts if you mark the box too.
Sources: Vick for Governor: values; Vick for Governor: priorities; DuPage 2026 write-in candidate listing
Sources: Shaw Local questionnaire: Darren Bailey (Oct. 19, 2026); Illinois Christian Home Educators: Bailey's homeschool record; WBEZ: Del Mar, Bailey and abortion (Aug. 7, 2026); Illinois Family Action 2026 general election endorsements; Illinois Family Institute 2026 general election voter guide
Attorney General
Preferred
Robert W. Fioretti. Shown opposing the assisted-suicide and abortion bills in the Illinois Family Institute guide, and running on cleaning up corruption.
The Illinois Family Institute shows Fioretti on the conservative side of all ten state questions, though IFI fills in answers for candidates who skip its survey. He was not on Illinois Family Action’s list, so we rate this pick Preferred.
Sources: Illinois Family Institute 2026 general election voter guide; Axios Chicago: the statewide races (Oct. 6, 2026)
Secretary of State
Endorsed
Diane M. Harris. Endorsed by Illinois Family Action and shown opposing every progressive bill in the Illinois Family Institute guide.
Sources: Illinois Family Action 2026 general election endorsements; Illinois Family Institute 2026 general election voter guide
Comptroller
Preferred
Bryan Drew. Running as a fiscal watchdog; we found no public statement from him on life or family, so this is a lighter pick.
Sources: Chicago Tribune: the statewide races (Oct. 15, 2026); Illinois Family Institute 2026 general election voter guide
Treasurer
Endorsed
Max Solomon. Pro-life from conception, backs school choice and education tax credits, and is endorsed by Illinois Family Action.
Sources: Ballotpedia: Max Solomon; Illinois Family Action 2026 general election endorsements; Illinois Family Institute 2026 general election voter guide

Congress

Most of Lombard votes in the 6th District. A few northern precincts vote in the 3rd.

U.S. Representative, 6th District
Endorsed
Niki Conforti. Pro-life, endorsed by Illinois Family Action, opposes tax and fee hikes, and wants healthier food for kids.
Conforti describes herself as “proudly Pro-Life with exception (Rape, Incest and the Life of the Mother).” We would prefer no exceptions, but she is far closer to our view than the incumbent.
Sources: Niki Conforti campaign: issues; Illinois Family Action 2026 general election endorsements; Illinois Family Institute 2026 general election voter guide
U.S. Representative, 3rd District
Preferred
Angel Oakley. A self-described moderate Republican who wants to confront the food, chemical and drug industries to make Americans healthier.
Oakley didn’t return the Illinois Family Institute survey, and we found nothing from her on abortion, family or school choice, so this is a Preferred pick. Her opponent is a member of the Squad who backs Medicare for All.
Sources: Daily Herald: Ramirez and Oakley on health care (Oct. 9, 2026); Chicago Tribune editorial: Oakley in District 3 (Oct. 4, 2026); Illinois Family Institute 2026 general election voter guide

Springfield

You’ll see one Senate race and one House race, depending on where you live.

State Senator, 21st District
Endorsed
Julie Berkowicz. Wants school funding to follow each child to public, private, charter or home school, and a 1% cap on property-tax levies.
Sources: Daily Herald Q&A: Julie Berkowicz (Oct. 19, 2026); Illinois Family Action 2026 general election endorsements; Illinois Family Institute 2026 general election voter guide
State Senator, 23rd District
Preferred
Linda Z. Polacek. A Lombard Marine Corps veteran running on tax relief, responsible budgets and ethics; we found nothing from her on life or family.
Sources: Daily Herald endorsements: Senate 23, House 45 and 46 (Oct. 16, 2026); Ballotpedia: Linda Polacek; Illinois Family Institute 2026 general election voter guide
State Representative, 42nd District
Endorsed
Stephanie W. Trussell. Endorsed by Illinois Family Action, on the pro-family side of all ten Illinois Family Institute questions, and wants a property-tax cap.
Sources: Daily Herald Q&A: Stephanie Trussell (Oct. 19, 2026); Illinois Family Action 2026 general election endorsements; Illinois Family Institute 2026 general election voter guide
State Representative, 45th District
Endorsed
Gina Parrilli. Endorsed by Illinois Family Action, on the pro-family side of all ten Illinois Family Institute questions, and running on parental rights in education.
Sources: Illinois Family Action 2026 general election endorsements; Illinois Family Institute 2026 general election voter guide; Daily Herald endorsements: Senate 23, House 45 and 46 (Oct. 16, 2026)
State Representative, 46th District
Preferred
Pedro Jovany Mendoza. Wants to end property taxes for residents over 65; he has run a quiet campaign, so this is a lighter pick.
Sources: Daily Herald endorsements: Senate 23, House 45 and 46 (Oct. 16, 2026); Illinois Family Institute 2026 general election voter guide

DuPage County

County Board and Forest Preserve district races depend on your address.

Chair of the County Board
Preferred
Gary Grasso. Would rein in county spending, give up the chair’s raise, and use surplus funds to lower property taxes.
Grasso has also floated a half-cent countywide sales tax to replace some property-tax reliance, which we would want to see carefully before supporting.
Sources: Daily Herald: Conroy vs. Grasso for County Board chair (Oct. 16, 2026)
Sheriff
Preferred
Sean T. Noonan. A Republican with little public record on the issues we weigh most, so this is a lighter, party-based pick.
Sources: DuPage 2026 General Election candidate listing
County Clerk
Preferred
Patricia Kladis-Schiappa. A Republican with little public record on the issues we weigh most, so this is a lighter, party-based pick.
Sources: DuPage 2026 General Election candidate listing
County Treasurer
Preferred
Gwen Henry. A Republican with little public record on the issues we weigh most, so this is a lighter, party-based pick.
Sources: DuPage 2026 General Election candidate listing
County Board, District 2 · Full 4-year term
Preferred
Robert “Rusty” Stevens. Says he would not add another utility or service tax and would scrutinize every county payment.
Sources: Daily Herald Q&A: Robert “Rusty” Stevens (Oct. 19, 2026)
County Board, District 2 · Full 2-year term
Preferred
Theresa McClear. A Republican with little public record on the issues we weigh most, so this is a lighter, party-based pick.
Sources: DuPage 2026 General Election candidate listing
County Board, District 4 · Full 4-year term
Preferred
Grant Eckhoff. A Republican with little public record on the issues we weigh most, so this is a lighter, party-based pick.
Sources: DuPage 2026 General Election candidate listing
County Board, District 4 · Full 2-year term
Preferred
Isobel Michaud. A Republican with little public record on the issues we weigh most, so this is a lighter, party-based pick.
Sources: DuPage 2026 General Election candidate listing
County Board, District 1 · Full 4-year term
Preferred
Eric Poplonski. A Republican with little public record on the issues we weigh most, so this is a lighter, party-based pick.
Sources: DuPage 2026 General Election candidate listing
County Board, District 1 · Full 2-year term
Preferred
Paula Pezza. A Republican with little public record on the issues we weigh most, so this is a lighter, party-based pick.
Sources: DuPage 2026 General Election candidate listing
President of the Forest Preserve
Preferred
Carl Schultz. A Republican with little public record on the issues we weigh most, so this is a lighter, party-based pick.
Sources: DuPage 2026 General Election candidate listing
Forest Preserve Commissioner, District 2
Preferred
William “Bill” Wehrle. A Republican with little public record on the issues we weigh most, so this is a lighter, party-based pick.
Sources: DuPage 2026 General Election candidate listing
Forest Preserve Commissioner, District 1
Preferred
Carolyn Ubriaco. A Republican with little public record on the issues we weigh most, so this is a lighter, party-based pick.
Sources: DuPage 2026 General Election candidate listing
Regional Superintendent of Schools
Preferred
Amber M. Quirk. The Republican incumbent, seeking re-election.
Sources: Naper Today: Quirk seeks re-election

Courts

Appellate Court, 3rd District · To fill the vacancy of Justice Mary W. McDade
Preferred
Jason A. Helland. Both candidates are rated Recommended by the state bar; we lean to the Republican.
Sources: Illinois State Bar Association judicial evaluations; DuPage 2026 General Election candidate listing
Circuit Judge, 18th Circuit, 5th Subcircuit · To fill the vacancy of Judge Paul M. Fullerton
No endorsement
Terra Costa Howard, a Democrat, is running unopposed, and we don’t endorse Democrats unless they are clearly pro-life.
Sources: DuPage 2026 General Election candidate listing
Retain circuit judges, 18th Circuit
No recommendation
We found no record on the issues we weigh, so we leave these four to you. Judge O’Connell is also the Democratic nominee for the appellate seat.
The four judges are Ann Celine Walsh, Monique O’Toole, Richard D. Felice and Margaret “Peggy” O’Connell. The Illinois State Bar Association recommends retaining all four.
Sources: Illinois State Bar Association judicial evaluations

Referendums

These appear only on ballots in parts of east and north Lombard.

School District 45: raise the limiting rate
Vote No
Vote No. A permanent tax-rate increase of about $89 a year for every $100,000 of a home’s value.
The question would raise District 45’s limiting rate by 0.2670 percentage points, to 3.2229% for levy year 2026. The district says a No vote would mean more cuts and larger classes, and we take that seriously. But this is a permanent increase on families already carrying some of the highest property taxes in the country.
Sources: DuPage 2026 proposition listing; School District 45: frequently asked questions
High School District 88: $118 million in building bonds
Vote No
Vote No. If it fails, the old debt is paid off and that part of your tax bill goes away; a Yes keeps it for about 20 more years.
District 88 wants to borrow $118 million over about 20 years for safety, accessibility, roofs, heating and cooling, and career-education spaces at Willowbrook and Addison Trail. The district says there is “no net tax rate increase” because the new bonds replace referendum debt that is paid off after levy year 2026. That is true as far as it goes, but it also means a No vote lets that debt tax expire, so the high school’s share of your bill would go down.
Sources: District 88: 2026 bond referendum; DuPage 2026 proposition listing