99chambers
Elgie Sims
Photo: Ers921, CC BY-SA 4.0
DemocratIn office since Nov 2018

Elgie Sims

Illinois State Senator, District 17 since 2018. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2030.

Illinois State Senator, District 17

Official websiteWikipedia

In office
7 yrs
Since 2018
Bills became law
15
248 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
Votes missed
2.5%
Chamber median 2.8%
With party
100%
On votes splitting the parties
Last margin
+71.3
Won 2026
Next election
2030
Nov 5, 2030

Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET

Committees

As of 2026-10.

  • Appropriations · chair
  • Criminal Law · vice chair
  • Child Welfare
  • Health and Human Services
  • Judiciary
  • Revenue

Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET

Legislation

2025–2026 session · 248 sponsored · 15 became law
BillIntroCmteSenateHouseLaw
HB 4614 JUV CT&PROBATE-GUARDIANSHIP
Became law Jul 2026
HB 4943 TELECOMMUNICATIONS THEFT
Became law Jul 2026
HB 3663 COURT OF CLAIMS-AWARDS
Became law Jul 2026
HB 4235 CD CORR-COMMITTED PERSON MAIL
Became law Jun 2026
HB 111 $FY 2027 BUDGET
Became law Jun 2026

Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET

Voting record

2025–2026 session · placement by roll-call votes

Where Sims sits in the Illinois State Senate

Sims is closer to the center than 8% of the chamber's Democrats.

Dem. medianRep. medianSimsMore liberalMore conservative

Closest: Ram Villivalam, Rob Martwick, Bill Cunningham

Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:50 PM ET

With Sims’s party

  • Votes with the chamber's Democrats100%
  • Cosponsorships of the other party's bills1%

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: Sims’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.

DateBillSimsDem. majorityRep. majorityResult
May 31, 2026HB 5090: PROCUREMENT-CONSTRUCTIONYesYesNoPassed 42–12
May 31, 2026HB 4379: ADULT CHANGING STATIONSYesYesNoPassed 46–12
May 31, 2026HB 4571: COUNTIES CD-AFFORDABLE HOUSINGYesYesNoPassed 44–14
May 29, 2026HB 4758: JOB APPLICATION-DRIVER LICENSEYesYesNoPassed 41–15
May 29, 2026HB 4339: SCH CD-HIGH SCH-REGISTER VOTERYesYesNoPassed 41–12

Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls

Career

Offices held, and every time Sims 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.

YearRaceResultMarginSeat+/−
2026Illinois Legislative District 17WonD+71.3D+60.8+10.5
2022Illinois State Senate, District 17Won———
2018Illinois State Senate, District 17WonD+99.6——
2016Illinois House of Representatives, District 34Won———
2014Illinois House of Representatives, District 34WonD+49.6——
2014Illinois House of Representatives, District 34 (primary)Won———
2012Illinois House of Representatives, District 34Won———

Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET

Campaign money, 2025–26

Raised
$945.1K
Spent
$535.2K
Cash
$783.6K

Source: Illinois State Board of Elections filings through Sep 30, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 9:15 AM ET

Campaign committees

Open committees can still raise and spend money.

Friends of Elgie Sims
State		Active

Source: Illinois State Board of Elections filings through Sep 30, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 9:15 AM ET

Seats Sims has held

Source: 99chambers results archive

Who Sims has run against

Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)

How we know Sims

One person, matched across every source we use.

Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET