The 2026 U.S. House Illinois District 1 Primary election is a federal primary contest to select the Democratic and Republican nominees who will appear on the November general election ballot for Illinois's 1st congressional district. The district includes parts of Chicago’s South Side and southern suburbs, and the seat is currently held by Jonathan Jackson, who is seeking re-election.
About This Race
The 2026 U.S. House Illinois District 1 Primary election is a federal primary contest to select the Democratic and Republican nominees who will appear on the November general election ballot for Illinois's 1st congressional district. The district includes parts of Chicago’s South Side and southern suburbs, and the seat is currently held by Jonathan Jackson, who is seeking re-election.
Candidates
Important Dates
Election Date
June 16, 2026
Registration Deadline
May 20, 2026
Early Voting Starts
June 4, 2026
Early Voting Ends
June 15, 2026
How to Vote
To vote in Illinois, voters must register by May 20, 2026, either online through the Illinois State Board of Elections website, by mail, or in person at their local election office. On Election Day, June 16, 2026, voters can cast their ballots at their designated polling place from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM, or participate in early voting from June 4 to June 15, 2026, at designated early voting sites. Voters must present a valid ID if registering for the first time by mail or if required under federal HAVA provisions; otherwise, no ID is needed to vote in person if already registered.
JJ
Incumbent
Democratic
Jonathan Jackson
U.S. Representative for Illinois's 1st Congressional District
Biography
Jonathan Jackson is the incumbent U.S. Representative for Illinois's 1st congressional district, first elected in 2022. A minister and activist, he is the son of civil rights leader Jesse Jackson and is running for re-election to continue advocating for economic justice, healthcare access, and civil rights in Chicago’s South Side and surrounding communities.
U.S. Representative for Illinois's 1st Congressional District
Biography
Karlie R. Alnum is a Republican candidate and small business owner from the Chicagoland area seeking to challenge incumbent Jonathan Jackson in the 1st District. She is running on a platform focused on public safety, economic development, and education reform, aiming to bring Republican representation to a district that has elected Democrats since 1949.
Records Show FBI Objecting to Mar-a-Lago Raid Judicial Watch Sues Fed for Subpoenas about $2.5 Billion Renovation Federal Court Allows Suit against Evanston Reparations to Continue States Sue USDA Over Gender, Immigration Rules to Get Billions Happy Easter! Records Show FBI Objecting to Mar-a-Lago Raid We obtained 207 pages of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) […]
The post Records Show FBI Objecting to Mar-a-Lago Raid appeared first on Judicial Watch.
From Crain’s Chicago Business: The 2024 lawsuit was filed by six people with hereditary ties to Evanston and by Judicial Watch, a conservative activist group. The suit claims that by providing money only to Black people as recompense for a segregated 20th century housing market, Evanston’s Local Reparations Historical Housing Program violates the Equal Protection […]
The post Lawsuit against Evanston’s reparations program gets judge’s OK to move forward appeared first on Judicial Watch.
