It may feel like the 2022 Illinois primaries just took place, but Election Day is already rapidly approaching!
Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th: If you choose to vote on Election Day, you can look up your election day voting location on Illinois’ Election Board website.
Early voting is currently underway:
- You can choose whether to vote early voting period. Early voting can be especially helpful if you are going to be in the field on Election Day. Early voting locations may be different from where you vote on Election Day. Check Illinois’ Election Board website to find your early vote location.
- Request an Early Vote by Mail Ballot – You can still request a VBM Ballot. VBM Ballots must be returned and postmarked on or before Election Day. The final day to request a VBM Ballot is five (5) days before election day. It is becoming more popular to bring VBM ballots to early vote sites and Election Day voting sites.
If you are not registered to vote, it is not too late, you can register to vote in person at your local county clerk’s office.
On November 8th, the national level the party balance in the U.S. House and Senate will be decided. Democrats currently holding small majorities in both chambers. In Illinois, voters will decide who will hold every statewide office, including the governor’s office, the Illinois House, the Illinois Senate, and local races, as well as the State Supreme Court (with two open seats and a retention vote on the ballot in several districts).
Downstate, there are two open congressional seats without incumbents – the 13th and 17th Districts. The 13th District is being vacated by Republican Rodney Davis after he decided to run in the 15th District after redistricting, and the 17th District is being vacated by retiring incumbent Democrat Cheri Bustos. Both Representative Davis and Representative Bustos were strong advocates of Illinois agriculture and sat on the US House Agriculture Committee.
The Illinois Soybean Growers was able to talk to both the Democratic and Republican Party nominees in both the 13th and 17th Districts. The candidates in the 13th District are Republican Regan Deering and Democrat Nikki Budzinski. The candidates in the 17th District are Democrat Eric Sorensen and Republican Esther Joy King. The Illinois Soybean Growers does not make endorsements; however, we would like to share some thoughts from each of the candidates.
| Nikki Budinski (D -13th) | Regan Deering (R – 13th) | Eric Sorensen (D – 17th) | Esther Joy King (R – 17th) | |
| Career | Senior Advisor in JB Pritzker’s Administration, and Chief of Staff at the Office of Management and Budget | Philanthropist in Decatur | Weatherman in Rockford and the Quad Cities | JAG Officer stationed in the Quad Cities |
| First Choice for Committee Assignment | Agriculture Committee | Agriculture Committee | Agriculture Committee | Agriculture Committee |
| Second Choice for Committee Assignment | Not Asked | Not Asked | Science and Technology | Veterans’ Affairs |
| Views on Environmental and Energy Policy | Believes in an all the above energy policy, and is open to making changes to the Inflation Reduction Act | Believes it is important to find a balanced approach to environmental policy. | Believes it is his job to communicate climate issues, and now is the time to act. | Believes farmers are already guardians of the environment and believes in ‘Rational Environmentalism.’ |
| Waterways | Believes in investing in waterways and NESP, and has first-hand experience with OMB who has authority in deciding those project funding | Believes in investing in waterways and NESP to expand exports down the Mississippi. | Believes in investing in waterways and NESP to help farmers and reduce congestion in the supply chain. | Believes in investing in waterways and NESP, and has first-hand experience with the Army Corp. |
| Ag Advisory Council (all have the same stance) | Wants to create an Ag Advisory Council | Wants to create an Ag Advisory Council | Wants to create an Ag Advisory Council | Wants to create an Ag Advisory Council |
If you have any questions about these candidates’ positions, any of the candidates in general, or generic how to vote questions, please contact the Government Relations team at Andrew.Larson@ilsoy.org or David.Kubik@ilsoy.org!
