August 1 – Dan Hendricks, Kankakee County Clerk, announced today that prospective candidates interested in running for specific offices in the March 17, 2026 General Primary Election may obtain their nominating petition packets beginning August 5th from the County Clerk’s office.  Packets may be picked up at the County Clerk’s office, located at 189 East Court Street in Kankakee, or may be downloaded from the County Clerk’s website, www.kankakeecountyclerk.gov.  The first day to circulate petitions is August 5th.

Every precinct in Kankakee County will hold elections for political party nominees for offices including U.S. Senator, Statewide Offices, U.S. Representative in Congress, Illinois General Assembly, Countywide Offices and County Board Members  Precinct Committee persons.will be elected at the General Primary Election.

Only candidates running for a county office – County Clerk, Treasurer, Sheriff, County Board or Precinct

Committeeperson will submit their petitions with the County Clerk’s office.  Candidates running for other offices

will file with the State Board of Elections in Springfield.  Prospective candidates must file their petitions between

October 27th and November 3rd.

Candidates running for the same office that file simultaneously at 8:30 a.m. on October 27th will be eligible for a lottery to determine the top position on the March 17th ballot, Hendrickson said. Candidates who file within the last hour for filing on November 3rd will be eligible for a lottery to determine the last position on the ballot.