2026CalledUnofficial results

2026 election for Illinois Secretary of State

Name: 2026 election for Illinois Secretary of State
Start: 2026-11-03
Location: Illinois

Secretary of State · Illinois

Alexi Giannoulias (D) won re-election with 64.8% of the vote, defeating Diane Harris (R) by 29.5 points.

Alexi GiannouliasDemocrat · winner · incumbent

64.8%2,631,753

Diane HarrisRepublican

35.2%1,431,184

4,062,937 votes

Source: civicAPI unofficial results and race callsUpdated Nov 7, 2026, 1:34 PM ET

Where the race moved

Against the 2024 presidential vote

Every county, 2024 to 2026

Each dot is a county, sized by votes cast and colored by who carried it in 2026. Dots above the line moved toward Giannoulias compared with the 2024 presidential vote; 98 of 101 did. The largest shift among the bigger counties: Kendall, +24.1 points.

Source: civicAPI county results (unofficial); 2024 president: MEDSL precinct returnsUpdated Nov 7, 2026, 1:34 PM ET

The seat's recent races

Source: Past results: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)

By county

CountyShareMarginShift

CookD+63.9+23.4

DuPageD+35.5+22.8

WillD+25.5+24.0

LakeD+41.1+20.8

KaneD+32.8+23.5

McHenryD+16.5+21.7

MadisonD+2.4+15.5

St. ClairD+21.4+13.7

Show 93 more

WinnebagoD+17.4+16.8

SangamonD+13.5+18.3

ChampaignD+37.4+14.2

McLeanD+19.6+14.8

PeoriaD+21.1+16.5

TazewellR+13.7+12.6

KendallD+25.6+24.1

Rock IslandD+29.6+20.2

LaSalleD+1.7+20.0

DeKalbD+21.0+19.0

KankakeeD+1.9+22.4

MaconR+2.9+15.8

AdamsR+38.8+8.2

WilliamsonR+24.8+13.5

OgleR+17.1+11.9

HenryR+12.5+11.7

WhitesideR+1.8+12.7

GrundyR+7.4+21.9

JacksonD+18.2+14.8

BooneD+1.1+15.4

MacoupinR+24.1+14.7

KnoxD+3.3+12.6

ColesR+17.7+10.4

WoodfordR+35.5+6.0

StephensonR+10.7+8.5

EffinghamR+54.1+5.6

MonroeR+23.4+12.5

VermilionR+35.3±0.0

ClintonR+42.4+8.8

MarionR+44.7+4.4

FranklinR+37.8+12.3

JeffersonR+38.2+9.1

LivingstonR+37.8+7.9

BureauR+11.1+12.8

FultonR+8.8+14.8

LeeR+11.2+10.7

ChristianR+27.6+18.7

MorganR+19.5+12.8

RandolphR+36.7+12.8

Jo DaviessR+7.8+8.8

MontgomeryR+27.0+16.5

IroquoisR+44.9+11.9

LoganR+30.1+10.9

McDonoughR+12.7+5.8

ShelbyR+48.2+11.5

JerseyR+36.8+13.0

FayetteR+59.8+4.4

SalineR+37.9+10.6

PiattR+15.2+14.9

CrawfordR+43.5+8.3

WayneR+63.7+6.7

PerryR+46.9+4.5

DouglasR+33.0+12.6

ClarkR+44.7+6.2

MercerR+13.5+13.4

BondR+33.0+11.1

CarrollR+24.2+7.1

De WittR+34.0+10.3

WashingtonR+45.3+11.2

EdgarR+39.7+12.0

WarrenR+16.7+8.1

RichlandR+42.7+10.2

PikeR+48.4+14.8

UnionR+35.1+7.6

ClayR+63.3+3.6

HancockR+51.8−2.5

WhiteR+50.1+8.8

MoultrieR+39.1+9.5

MenardR+25.9+15.1

MasonR+23.5+18.3

FordR+37.2+10.2

MarshallR+24.2+11.3

CumberlandR+54.6+6.8

JohnsonR+50.0+8.0

MassacR+37.9+10.4

GreeneR+45.6+11.5

JasperR+58.1+6.5

LawrenceR+45.5+10.2

CassR+17.4+25.8

WabashR+47.2+6.1

HamiltonR+52.5+10.0

HendersonR+27.3+11.1

EdwardsR+62.7+7.8

PutnamR+1.8+20.6

ScottR+46.6+14.1

PulaskiR+24.8+9.0

CalhounR+35.5+19.9

StarkR+38.7+6.5

SchuylerR+49.6−3.3

GallatinR+32.3+20.6

BrownR+51.5+7.6

PopeR+49.2+10.3

HardinR+48.7+12.1

Bar: share of the state's vote. Shift: change in margin from the 2024 presidential vote, + toward Democrats.

Source: civicAPI county results (unofficial); 2024 president: MEDSL precinct returnsUpdated Nov 7, 2026, 1:34 PM ET

Polls against the result

The final average had Giannoulias ahead by 19.4. Giannoulias won by 29.5: a 10.1-point miss toward Republicans.

Poll with Giannoulias ahead
Poll with Harris ahead
Final polling average
Result

Pollster	Dates	Sample	Giannoulias	Harris	Margin	Adjusted	Miss vs result	Grade	Release
Public Policy Polling for Chicago News Weekly	Sep 30–Oct 1	569 LV	55	37	D+18	D+19.4	−11.5	B+	cnwmedia.com ↗

Adjusted: after correcting for the pollster's house effect and likely-voter screens. Miss: the poll's margin minus the result; + means the poll leaned Democratic. Grade: the pollster's accuracy in past elections, A+ to D (pollster ratings).

Source: Each poll's release, via Wikipedia poll listsUpdated Oct 1, 2026

Pre-election forecast (final, Nov 3)

Our model's last run before Election Day, Nov 3, 2026. It no longer updates.

Alexi Giannoulias: >99%
Diane Harris: <1%
Projected margin: D+21.6

How the forecast works →

The candidates

Alexi Giannoulias (D)
Incumbent secretary of state (2023–present)Diane Harris (R)
Joliet Junior College trustee and nominee for Illinois's 43rd State Senate district in 2022

Also on this ballot here

U.S. Senate	D+24.3
Governor	D+23.5
Attorney General	D+23.2
Treasurer	D+24.3
Comptroller	D+22.1

Results within this state. Source: civicAPI unofficial results and race callsUpdated Nov 7, 2026, 7:00 PM ET