Kimberly Lightford
Illinois State Senator, District 4 since 1998. Next on the ballot in 2028.
- In office
- 28 yrs
- Since 1998
- Bills became law
- 17
- 79 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 18.3%
- Chamber median 2.8%
- With party
- 100%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +52.8
- Won 2024
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Assignments · chair
- Education · vice chair
- Executive
- Health and Human Services
- Higher Education
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Lightford sits in the Illinois State Senate
Lightford is closer to the center than 51% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Omar Aquino, Mattie Hunter, Rachel Ventura
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:50 PM ET
With Lightford’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats100%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills9%
Black tick: the average of Democrats in the Illinois State Senate.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Lightford’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Lightford | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 2026 | HB 5090: PROCUREMENT-CONSTRUCTION | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 42–12 |
| May 31, 2026 | HB 4379: ADULT CHANGING STATIONS | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 46–12 |
| May 31, 2026 | HB 4571: COUNTIES CD-AFFORDABLE HOUSING | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 44–14 |
| May 29, 2026 | HB 4758: JOB APPLICATION-DRIVER LICENSE | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 41–15 |
| May 29, 2026 | HB 4339: SCH CD-HIGH SCH-REGISTER VOTER | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 41–12 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Lightford was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Illinois State Senate, District 4 | Won | D+52.8 |
| 2022 | Illinois State Senate, District 4 | Won | — |
| 2020 | Illinois State Senate, District 4 | Won | — |
| 2016 | Illinois State Senate, District 4 | Won | — |
| 2012 | Illinois State Senate, District 4 | Won | — |
| 2010 | Illinois State Senate, District 4 | Won | — |
| 2006 | Illinois State Senate, District 4 | Won | D+77.0 |
| 2002 | Illinois State Senate, District 4 | Won | D+69.4 |
| 1998 | Illinois State Senate, District 4 | Won | D+74.5 |
Source: 99chambers results archive
Seats Lightford has held
- Illinois State Senate, District 4 · since 1998
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Lightford has run against
- Robert Sumrell Jr. (R) · 2024 general, won
- Antoinette Ruback (R) · 2006 general, won
- Robert Dallas (R) · 2002 general, won
- Randal G. Birkey (R) · 1998 general, won
Source: 99chambers results archive
How we know Lightford
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/595f7bf4-5bd7-4238-94a3-e14d8b6d4545
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET