
Click on the table below to view those incumbents. In 2022, six incumbents filed to run for re-election in new districts different from those they represented before the election. This may result in instances where multiple incumbents face each other in contested primaries or general elections if the incumbent in the new district also seeks re-election. This may happen for a variety of reasons ranging from redistricting to a change in residences. When an incumbent files to run for re-election in the same chamber but a new district, it leaves his or her original seat open. Seats with incumbents running for re-election Open Seats in Illinois State Senate elections: 2010 - 2022 It will be updated as information becomes available following the state’s candidate filing deadline.

The table below shows the number and percentage of open seats in the Illinois State Senate from 2010 to 2022. Overall, 314 major party candidates filed to run for Illinois' state legislative districts: 160 Democrats and 154 Republicans. This was the largest number of incumbents in contested primaries since 2014. Of the 155 incumbents who filed for re-election, 25-15 Democrats and 10 Republicans-faced primary challengers. These districts are guaranteed to be won by newcomers and account for 12% of the general assembly. Of the 177 districts up for election in 2022, 22 were open, meaning no incumbents filed to run. All 118 House districts are up for election each cycle. In the election immediately following a census, all 59 Senate districts hold elections, starting a new 2-4-4 cycle. In Illinois, senators are divided into three groups, with each group having a two-year term at a different part of the decade between censuses, with the remainder of the decade taken up by two four-year terms. This put more districts up for election in 2022 compared to previous election cycles, which increased the possibility of primaries. The difference between raw numbers and percentages of contested primaries was due to Illinois' unique 2-4-4 term length system for state senators. This was also the state's first cycle since 2014 with more Republican primaries than those for Democrats. For Republicans, that number increased 160% from 10 in 2020 to 26 in 2022. For Democrats, this was down from 28 in 2020, an 11% decrease. The 51 contested primaries in 2022 included 25 Democratic primaries and 26 for Republicans. Of that total, 14.4%, or 51, were contested, slightly higher than in 2018 when 45 primaries accounted for 14.3% of that year's 314 possible primaries.Ī primary is contested when more candidates file to run than nominations available meaning at least one candidate must lose.

With all 177 state legislative districts in Illinois in 2022, there were 354 possible primaries. Information below was calculated on June 14, 2022, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.

The following analysis covers all state legislative districts up for election in Illinois in 2022. Illinois state legislative competitiveness, 2014-2022 For more information about Ballotpedia's competitiveness analysis of state legislative elections, please click here. These totals include data from all regularly-scheduled House and Senate elections. This section contains data on state legislative primary election competitiveness in Illinois. Primary election competitiveness See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2022 One incumbent lost in the June 28 primaries.Įight incumbents are not on the ballot in 2022. Incumbents who did not advance to the general election See also: Incumbents defeated in state legislative elections, 2022 Incumbents defeated in primary elections Party control See also: Partisan composition of state senates and State government trifectas Party 4.7 Redistricting following the 2020 census.4.5.2.1 2020 Presidential election results.4.5.2 Presidential politics in Illinois.4.4.1 Political party candidates and independent candidates.

4.3.3 Incumbents running in new districts.4.2.1 Incumbents defeated in primary elections.4.2 Incumbents who did not advance to the general election.4.1 Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses.
