Madison County 2026 Primaries Include Contested Races, Ballot Questions

EDWARDSVILLE – With the March 17, 2026 primary elections just around the corner, here’s one last look at the key county-wide races and ballot questions for Madison County voters.

Contested Races

In the Republican primary race for Madison County Clerk, Kurt Prenzler is challenging incumbent Linda Andreas. The party’s chosen nominee will go on to face Democrat Rachelle Bauerle in the general election on Nov. 3, 2026.

Two incumbents on the County Board are facing challengers in Districts 4 and 10.

In District 4, incumbent Bobby Ross faces challenger Thomas G. Maag for the Republican nomination. The winner will face Democrat Robert C. Hubbard in November.

In District 10, challenger Donald Hodges seeks to oust incumbent Shawndell Wilson as the Democratic nominee, with the chosen nominee facing no Republican challenger so far in the general election.

Uncontested races

Madison County Treasurer Mike Babcock and Madison County Sheriff Jeff Connor are both seeking re-election to their respective offices unopposed.

Nancy Werden is also unopposed in seeking the Republican nomination for Regional Superintendent of Schools, and no Democrat has filed to run against her in the November general election.

Ballot questions:

Voters across Madison County may encounter certain questions on their ballot, depending on where they live. Here are the questions set to appear on voters’ March 17, 2026 primary ballots:

County-wide:

Should Illinois opt into a federal program that would provide Public K-12, private school, and homeschool students with privately donated funds for academic needs, such as tutoring and test preparation, educational therapies for students with disabilities, tuition, books, exam fees or for other specified academic needs?

Edwardsville:

Shall the City of Edwardsville allow video gambling subject to regulation in existing establishments with on premises consumption of alcohol/liquor?

Long Lake Fire Protection District:

Shall the Maximum allowable rate for the Long Lake Fire Protection District, Madison County, Illinois, be increased from .30% to .40% of the value of all taxable property within the District as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue?

Shall the Board of Trustees of the Long Lake Fire Protection District, Madison County, Illinois, levy a special tax at a rate not to exceed 0.40% of the value of all taxable property within the District as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue for the purpose of providing an emergency ambulance service?

Several other fire protection districts will also face a referendum on whether to reorganize portions of their territories into the “Eastern Madison County Ambulance Emergency Services District,” with the exact wording as follows:

Shall the territory of the Alhambra Community Fire Protection District, Grantfork Fire Protection District, with a portion in Madison County, Illinois and a portion in Bond County, Illinois, Highland-Pierron Fire Protection District, with a portion in Madison County, Illinois, a portion in Bond County, Illinois, and a portion in Clinton County, Illinois, Hamel Community Fire Protection District, Marine Community Fire Protection District, St. Jacob Township Fire Protection District, all in Madison County, Illinois and St. Rose Fire Protection District, with a portion in Madison County, Illinois and a portion in Clinton County, Illinois, be organized as The Eastern Madison County Ambulance Emergency Services District and shall the District be authorized to levy and collect a property tax not to exceed 0.20% on the property situated in the District?

Stay tuned to Riverbender.com for the latest coverage on primary election results from Madison County and other local counties.

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