Today, Tuesday, March 17, marks the 2026 Primary Election, the date when voters can pull a Democratic OR Republican ballot to pick the candidates who will appear on the ballot on Tues., Nov. 3, 2026.

As an American citizen and resident of Naperville, Illinois, it’s PN’s hope that every registered voter will responsibly and properly assess hopefuls aiming to serve in government leadership.

Is the candidate qualified? Is the candidate experienced? Where does the candidate stand on important policy issues? Where does the candidate stand on fiscal responsibility? Does the candidate know how to read a budget? If an incumbent, what’s the candidate’s voting record? Does the candidate communicate and listen well? Would you consider your candidate to have common sense? Is the candidate accessible?

Important Primary Election results determine all candidates who make it on the ballot to represent each political party in advance of the General Election in November. The Primary is simply the beginning, a time when determining the best qualified candidates is important. And it takes a little time.

Yet, if you don’t have time to research all candidates or the referendum, it’s OK to leave a space blank. Your Primary ballot will not be nullified if you vote only for the candidates you strongly endorse. By law, election officials must count all ballots, even those containing blanks.

The most important part of every election is for registered voters to vote.

Scroll down for Candidate Listing… PN’s unofficial list of hopefuls on the Primary ballot aiming to win a spot for the Midterm General Election is posted below. Democratic candidates and Republican candidates are listed along party lines. None of the “write-in” candidates are listed, but “write-ins” are permitted at the polls. (Be sure to know proper names of candidates who seek “write-ins.”)

Are you a registered Independent? Voters identified as “Independent” who pull an Independent ballot can weigh in on the Naperville Park District referendum. That’s it. Independent voters have little to consider in the Primary 2026. No candidates appear on the Independent ballot. However, according to the Board of Elections, at the primary, independent voters are welcome to simply choose which party’s ballot they want. Voters can switch parties each primary.

DuPage County and Will County voters who reside in Naperville, partisan or not, can weigh in on the Naperville Park District proposition to fund a $120 million referendum. (The question as it appears on the ballot is posted below, after the long lists of Primary Election hopefuls.)

Mid-afternoon update received from DuPage County Clerk’s Office

WHEATON / As of 2PM on Mar. 17, 2026, 115,069 voters out of 636,822 registered voters have voted in DuPage County for a turnout of 18.07% percent.

According to the County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek’s email, 41,212 voters took advantage of in-person Early Voting. In addition, 35,966 out of 73,822 requested Vote-By-Mail ballots have been received and verified as of this afternoon. Plus, as of 2PM, 37,891 voters so far have voted in-person on Election Day.

In 2014, the final midterm primary turnout was 19.19%.

In 2018, the final midterm primary turnout was 24.88%

In 2022, the final midterm primary turnout was 22.79%.

Update / Election Night 2026 – DuPage Primary Voter Turnout was 24.56%

Early Voting Ballots Tabulated: 41,234

Vote-By-Mail Ballots Tabulated: 35,955

Vote-By-Mail Ballots Requested: 73,878

Election Day Ballots Tabulated: 79,225

Election Day Tabulation Percentage: 100%

Remember! DuPage County voters can take advantage of the opportunity to vote at any polling place throughout the county.

Will County Votes Tallied by 10PM Election Day

All Will County Unofficial General Primary Election Results have been reported. Those results that apply to Naperville voters are included with listing below.

According to the Will County Clerk’s website, election results will be official after canvassing no later than Tues., April 7, 2026.

CANDIDATE LISTING for NAPERVILLE VOTERS

(*Candidate Official Websites Linked Upon Request Only*)

***** Victor Called / All Votes Tallied *****

***** Denotes Winner

Democratic Blue / Republican Red

DEMOCRATIC PARTY

REPUBLICAN PARTY

PROPOSITION TO ISSUE $120,000,000 PARK BONDS

Shall the Naperville Park District, DuPage and Will Counties, Illinois, improve parks and facilities, including constructing a multipurpose indoor activity center at Frontier Sports Complex, which would provide fitness and exercise rooms, walking and jogging track, gymnasiums, indoor swimming pools and rooms for programs and community activities, and acquiring land for the purpose of preserving, restoring, and maintaining open spaces and extending trails, and issue its bonds to the amount of $120,000,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?

Yes: 10,723  No: 9,093   Total Votes: 19,816

Educated votes matter most for General Primary Election…

Voters are urged to get to know candidates before heading to the polls.

Also, remember to send mail-in ballots well in advance of Election Day. Some USPS mailing and handling procedures have changed. Mail early-voting ballots early. USPS suggests before the post offices closes at end of March 16, 2026. (If you have a mail-in ballot and now have decided to vote in person, be sure to take the mail-in ballot with you to the polls.)

Let’s hope the most qualified and dedicated hopefuls from both political parties end up on the ballot for the Midterm Election on Nov. 3, 2026. Thanks again for taking a little time to be an educated voter!

March 14 / West Suburban Irish St. Patrick’s Parade in downtown Naperville / Since the mid-1990s, the parade has been a fun time to put on the green for local, state and national candidates running in Primary Election when thousands of spectators line the streets for the downtown Naperville event. The annual parade provided a great opportunity to get in front of voters three days before Election Day on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17! Check the line up! See 100 parade entries posted at WSIrish.org. Did your candidates march in the Naperville parade in support of the West Suburban Irish to celebrate St. Patrick?

March 17 / Primary Election Day! Polls are open from 6AM to 7PM. Candidates who advance to the General Midterm Election will be identified with ***** after the results are tallied.

March 20 & March 21 / 2026 Spring Sign Recycling Event at 421 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton / All DuPage County Candidates are welcome to recycle campaign signs from 3PM to 5:30PM Fri., March 20, and 9AM to Noon on Sat., March 21. Welcome the first day of spring and the end of the Primary season by taking down and recycling ALL campaign sign planted in the local landscape! Thanks to all hopefuls for collecting signs immediately following the closing of polls on Primary Election Day at 7PM on Tues., March 17.

Campaign buttons were a prominent part of elections before the days of social media, always a way to engage in conversation about qualified candidates and important issues when out and about in the community. These days, politicians and their supporters constantly push their messages via TV ads, emails and mobile-phone alerts. Other supporters express their opinions via social media. And it becomes harder and harder to have discussions about the candidates, their qualities and their differences.

Some sources try to provide info such as this Voter’s Guide with links to candidate websites when requested. And those old campaign buttons that date back to 1936? They reflect lots of different opinions. Some voters collect them! —PN

DuPage County Residents!

Polls are open from 6AM to 7PM on Election Day, March 17, 2026

DuPage County residents can vote at the following locations:

• Naperville Municipal Center in Meeting Rooms A & B, 400 S. Eagle St. 
• Fox Valley Mall – 195 Fox Valley Center Dr. (Entrance #1 Unit E2)

• Nichols Library – 200 W. Jefferson Ave. 

• Naper Library – 2035 S. Naper Blvd. 

Will County Residents!

Polls are open from 6AM to 7PM on Election Day, March 17, 2026

Will County residents can vote early at the following locations:

• Main Level-Near City Clerk’s Office, Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St. 
• 95th Street Library, 3015 Cedar Glade Dr.

Any qualified registered voter in Will County is eligible to cast a Vote by Mail ballot. Will County also maintains a mail-in vote drop box in Naperville at the 95th Street Library, 3015 Cedar Glade Dr.

Posted March 16, 2026 / In response to phone calls and emails, PN does not endorse candidates. Hyperlinks to candidate websites have been included upon request. We make no assumptions!

It’s our hope that fiscally-responsible, educated voters cast ballots. Thanks for reading and for heading to the polls.

All the hopefuls as well as poll locations were previously posted when Early Voting began. This post has been edited for a shorter read.

All informed voters who cast ballots are appreciated! Thanks to all candidates who ran!

Last Updated, March 18, 2026