HOI Needs You for Our Political Committee! Please Volunteer.

By Joyce Blumenshine

There is a lot ahead for all of us in 2026 elections. Please help do your part by getting informed regarding your local, state, and federal elections! Join the HOI Political Committee to work on candidate research; interviews; endorsement considerations; and helping get Sierra endorsed candidates elected: more on this at end of article.

Be sure you are registered to vote. Contact your local county board of elections office for voter registration dates. Nature can’t vote but you can! 2026 voting dates are:

Primary Election Day:  March 17, 2026
General Election Day:  November 3, 2026

Every level of our local, state and federal government matters for upcoming elections. You can check your local county board of elections for a current listing of individuals who filed to run for offices. Key state contested races include one Illinois U.S. Senate seat, which has numerous candidates in the running; Illinois Governor and other state officials including state representatives; county clerks and other county officials; local school boards; city council and other local positions. More listings are on the state League of Women Voters website.

Examples of contested area positions include:

• U.S. House District 16, where incumbent Darin LaHood has one Democratic and one Republican running for the seat
• U.S. House District 17, where incumbent Eric Sorensen has one Democratic and three Republican challengers
• IL state House incumbent Ryan Spain has a challenger
• IL House Rep. Travis Weaver and Democrat Zoey Carter of Pekin are running
• Peoria County Clerk incumbent Rachel Parker and one other person running
• Peoria School Board Northern and Central District seats have several people running

Look for your area contested seats by checking your county board of elections web page. Check out the Peoria County listings.

There is a lot of work to do and not much time! Contact Joyce at joblumen@yahoo.com to volunteer or for more information about the HOI Group Political Committee.