Illinois 2026 election recap: Who won and lost after day of polling problems, controversy

Illinois Election 2026 Live Blog Ended Nov 4, 2026 Illinois 2026 election recap: Who won and lost after day of polling problems, controversy Download the NBC Chicago app for push notifications as major races are called and big moments happen. By Izzy Stroobandt , NBC Chicago Staff and James Neveau • Published November 3, 2026 • Updated on November 4, 2026 at 4:55 am What to know Several statewide offices were on the ballot, including the race for governor , comptroller, attorney general, treasurer and secretary of state. Some districts also voted for their representative in Congress after five sitting members opted not to run for reelection. Voters will also decide on several referendums, including potential school construction, new term limits and other items up for debate among residents in the Chicago area, like a "millionaire tax." Polls closed at 7 p.m. CT in Illinois and results began populating shortly after. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird wins reelection in 4th Congressional District, NBC News projects It’s another Republican hold in the state of Indiana, as incumbent Rep. Jim Baird is expected to win his reelection bid against Democratic nominee Drew Cox in the 4th District, NBC News is projecting. Baird has served in Congress since 2019, and serves on the House Committees on Agriculture and Foreign Affairs. His district includes parts of western Indiana, including Newton and Jasper counties. Beau Bayh captures Indiana Secretary of State race, NBC News projects For the first time since 2012 an Indiana Democrat has won a statewide race, as Beau Bayh is projected to win the Secretary of State’s race. According to NBC News, Bayh will defeat Republican contender Max Engling in the hotly contested race to replace Secretary of State Diego Morales, who lost his bid for the Republican nomination earlier this year. Bayh is the son of former Indiana Gov. Evan Bayh and the grandson of former Sen. Birch Bayh. He is a Marine Corps veteran and has been serving as a judicial clerk in Bloomington after graduating from law school, according to his website. In an election cycle that saw Democrats pressing Republicans in traditionally red strongholds, the race drew a lot of interest from the national press, and Bayh is projected to deliver with a victory in the tightly contested battle. Bayh was critical of Engling’s push to motivate Republicans to turn out to the ballot box, saying the race should have been about the vision for the office instead. “He views it in terms of tribal politics, back your team no matter what. I view it in terms of public service,” he told Ahern. “Do what’s right for the people of Indiana regardless of the pressures put on me by a political party.” He also emphasized concerns of Indiana residents about finances in this year’s election cycle. “Hoosiers are very skeptical about wars without ends in sight in the Middle East. And we currently are in one of those, and it’s had the added negative effect of increasing costs for everybody. The cost of diesel and fertilizers is through the roof. This is an agricultural state,” he said. As for his famous lineage, Bayh says that he is proud to be the son and grandson of Indiana political royalty, but that the most important lesson he’s gleaned from that experience has been about the value of public service. “I will tell you, growing up, when you can see the impact of public service firsthand, that influences you, and I’ve been very lucky in my life. I’ve had a lot of great opportunities available to me. I want to make the most of them,” he said. Illinois to be first US state with 2 women of color in Senate at once With Juliana Stratton projected to defeat Don Tracy, Illinois will become the first state in the US to have two women of color in the Senate at once. After she's sworn in on January 3, Juliana Stratton will join Senator Tammy Duckworth and the two will make history. Speaking after her projected win, Stratton said, "when I became a state representative in 2017, people told me, 'Don't ruffle too many feathers. Don't make too many waves. You're a freshman. Sit back. Just learn.' Well, I ignored that advice then, and I certainly won't be sitting back and listening quietly when I get to Washington, D.C." Duckworth -- who has previously marked several historic firsts in her time as an elected official, including being the first Thai American woman elected to Congress and first female double amputee in the Senate -- addressed Stratton's win in a conversation with NBC Chicago. "I'm super proud of Illinois, and I'm really looking forward to having Juliana Stratton as my partner in Washington," Duckworth said. "It's the first time any state has sent two women of color in our nation's entire history. What it tells me is that representation matters." Stratton defeated several high-profile candidates including Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi in the March primary before knocking off former Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy in the general election on Tuesday. She spent the past eight years as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s lieutenant governor, and the governor later backed her effort to run for Senate, giving her one of her highest-profile endorsements in the lead-up to the primary. Democrats take control of the US Senate, NBC News projects The Democratic party will take control of the U.S. Senate, NBC News projects. This comes shortly after Democrats were projected to take control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Darin LaHood wins reelection of Illinois' 16th Congressional District, NBC News projects Republicans entered Tuesday holding three seats in Illinois’ Congressional delegation, and it is expected incumbent Rep. Darin LaHood will win reelection to his seat in the 16th District, NBC News projects. LaHood entered Congress in 2015, and was facing a challenge from Democratic nominee Paul Nolley in this year’s election. This article tagged under: Illinois Election 2026