The Illinois governor election 2026 will take place Tuesday, November 3, 2026, with three candidates on the general election ballot: Democratic incumbent JB Pritzker, Republican Darren Bailey and independent Collin Corbett. The primary elections were held March 17, 2026. This guide examines the candidates, their documented positions on issues affecting Illinois residents, including Latino communities, and the information voters need before heading to the polls.
According to the Pew Research Center, Hispanic voters account for 14.0% of Illinois' eligible electorate, based on data from the 2024 American Community Survey. The Latino Policy Forum estimates that approximately 1.2 million Latinos are eligible to vote in Illinois, representing 13.3% of the electorate and a 56% increase since 2012. About 59% live in Cook County. Latinos also represent the majority of eligible voters in Cicero (80%) and Berwyn (53%).
Voter registration is another important factor. According to the Latino Policy Forum, only 54.5% of eligible Latino voters were registered in 2024. Immigration enforcement in the Chicago area, property taxes, and utility costs are among the issues affecting many Illinois families.
A national Pew Research Center survey conducted from September 28 to October 4, 2026, among 774 registered Latino voters found that 69% considered the future of democracy a key voting issue, while 64% identified immigration as crucial to their decisions. The economy remained the leading concern. These findings reflect Latino voters nationwide and should not be interpreted as Illinois-specific results.
Polls measure voter preferences during a particular period. Their results are not final election outcomes, and different survey methods and candidate selections can produce different findings.
On Tuesday, October 13, 2026, Pritzker and Bailey participated in their only scheduled gubernatorial debate at WTTW's studios in Chicago. Corbett was excluded because he did not meet the polling threshold, according to MultiState. Capitol News Illinois reported that the two major-party candidates clashed over education, taxes, public safety and President Donald Trump.
Campaign finance reports also reveal a substantial spending difference. According to MultiState's October 19 analysis, Pritzker spent approximately $23.8 million between July and September, compared with about $941,000 spent by Bailey's committee. Pritzker entered October with approximately $44.4 million available, while Bailey had around $482,000.
On October 5, former Illinois House Republican leader Jim Durkin endorsed Pritzker, according to Axios. Bailey's running mate, Aaron Del Mar, criticized the endorsement, describing Durkin's position as «surrender disguised as leadership.»
Sources: Chicago Sun-Times (guide); Chicago Sun-Times (October 13); CBS News Chicago; Bloomberg via Yahoo News (early 2025); The Washington Post (December 9, 2025); Yahoo News (January 2026); WTTW; Axios Chicago; The Loyola Phoenix; Opinions and Ratings; Capitol News Illinois; NPR Illinois; ActiVote; Chicago News Weekly; MultiState; Illinois Policy; mytimetovote.com; WBEZ; Our Quad Cities; Pew Research Center (electorate); Pew Research Center (Latino voters); Latino Policy Forum
