Illinois State Senate seat · lines in effect since 2022
Illinois Legislative District 49
A district of about 220,000 people, 43% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes D+11.6 relative to the nation for president.
2024 election
Nov 5, 2024- Meg Loughran Cappel (D) · won56.0%
- Katie Deane-Schlottman (R)44.0%
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 12:13 PM ET
Where it sits among all 59 seats
Every Illinois State Senate seat by partisan lean, from most Democratic to most Republican. Lean is the seat's presidential vote on current lines, relative to the nation.
Democratic
Source: 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET
Every election for this seat
19 races since 1970; the seat changed party 2 times. District numbers are redrawn after each census: each group is one set of lines.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Won by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lines first used in 2022 | |||
| 2024 | Meg Loughran Cappel (D) | Katie Deane-Schlottman (R) | 12.1 |
| 2022 | Meg Loughran Cappel (D) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 2012 | |||
| 2020 | Meg Loughran Cappel (D) | Thomas McCullagh (R) | 12.4 |
| 2016 | Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D) | Michelle Smith (R) | 5.5 |
| 2012 | Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D) | Garrett M. Peck (R) | 6.5 |
| Lines first used in 2002 | |||
| 2010 | William McCann (R)Flip | Deanna Demuzio (D) | 2.7 |
| 2006 | Deanna Demuzio (D) | Jeff Richey (R) | 19.4 |
| 2004 special | Deanna Demuzio (D) | — | Unopposed |
| 2002 | Vince Demuzio (D) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 1992 | |||
| 1998 | Vince Demuzio (D) | — | Unopposed |
| 1996 | Vince Demuzio (D) | — | Unopposed |
| 1992 | Vince Demuzio (D) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 1982 | |||
| 1988 | Vince Demuzio (D) | David Olson (R) | 31.6 |
| 1984 | Vince Demuzio (D) | — | Unopposed |
| 1982 | Vince Demuzio (D) | John Glynn (R) | 25.0 |
| Lines first used in 1972 | |||
| 1978 | Vince Demuzio (D) | Milton L. Hocking (R) | 24.4 |
| 1974 | Vince Demuzio (D)Flip | A. C. Bartulis (R) | 6.3 |
| 1972 | A. C. Bartulis (R) | Jerry Corbett (D) | 7.0 |
| Lines first used in 1962 | |||
| 1970 | G. William Horsley (R) | R. Todd Renfrow (D) | 5.8 |
Won by: the winner's lead over the runner-up, in points of the vote. Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Districts that overlap District 49
The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 49's area in each.
Every race on these lines
Results recomputed from precinct returns as if today's boundaries had always existed, so years compare like for like.
| 2016 | 2018 | 2020 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President | D+13.8 | No race | D+17.4 | D+8.0 |
| U.S. Senate | D+14.9 | No race | D+17.7 | No race |
| Governor | No race | D+16.1 | No race | No race |
Outlined: the race for this seat itselfBlank: no race that year
Source: 99chambers results archive: precinct results allocated to current lines; 2026: civicAPIUpdated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Who lives here, compared
Grey bars show the spread of all 59 seats. Small marks are other seats in Illinois. The black marker is District 49.
Higher than 69% of seats.
Lower than 52% of seats.
Higher than 69% of seats.
Higher than 67% of seats.
Higher than 72% of seats.
Denser than 50% of seats.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current linesUpdated Oct 13, 2026, 5:06 AM ET
Seats most like this one
Nearest seats on demographics, density and lean. 2 of the 4 flipped this year.
District 4221% Hispanic · 47% college gradsD+22.7Held DDistrict 24
51% college gradsD+4.5Flipped DDistrict 23
21% Hispanic · 47% college gradsD+13.6Held DDistrict 33
46% college gradsD+3.4Flipped D
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current lines; 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET