Illinois candidate filing & campaign-finance deadlines
Official 2026 report due dates for Illinois state candidates file with Illinois State Board of Elections (Division of Campaign Disclosure).
1 more deadline follows in this cycle.
Electbase emails you before every deadline — 14, 7, and 2 days out — and stays current as the official schedule changes.
Get deadline remindersIncluded in every Electbase plan · See pricingThis page also covers Illinois candidate-filing (ballot access) deadlines for 2027–2028 — the process of becoming a qualified candidate, distinct from the campaign-finance reporting below. Here's how to run for office in Illinois: what to file, when, and with whom.
5 report deadlines for the 2026 cycle.
These are the campaign-finance report due dates a Illinois state candidate files with Illinois State Board of Elections (Division of Campaign Disclosure) for the 2026 election cycle, stored verbatim from the official schedule. The 2026 primary is Mar 17, 2026.
| Due | Type | Report | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Periodic | IL December 2025 Quarterly Report Quarterly D-2 covering October 1 – December 31, 2025; due the 15th of the following month (10 ILCS 5/9-10(b)). |
Oct 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2025 | |
| Periodic | IL March 2026 Quarterly Report Quarterly D-2 covering January 1 – March 31, 2026 (the quarter containing the March 17 primary). |
Jan 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2026 | |
| Periodic | IL June 2026 Quarterly Report Quarterly D-2 covering April 1 – June 30, 2026. |
Apr 1, 2026 – Jun 30, 2026 | |
| Periodic | IL September 2026 Quarterly Report Quarterly D-2 covering July 1 – September 30, 2026. |
Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Periodic | IL December 2026 Quarterly Report Quarterly D-2 covering October 1 – December 31, 2026 (the quarter containing the November 3 general). |
Oct 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026 |
Shaded rows are deadlines that have already passed.
Good to know
Illinois committees file four quarterly D-2 reports per year (ISBE names them by quarter-end month: March/June/September/December). There is NO fixed-date pre-election report; near-election disclosure is the event-driven Schedule A-1 large-contribution report ($1,000+, due within 2 business days when received within 30 days of an election). Note: the statute (10 ILCS 5/9-10(b)) sets the December-quarter report due the 15th, but the ISBE 2026 calendar prints January 16, 2026 for it (internally inconsistent — it lists January 15, 2027 for the 2026 December quarter); we use the statutory, earlier-and-safer January 15 — reconcile with ISBE before relying on it.
Illinois candidate-filing deadlines — 2027–2028.
Deadlines to become a qualified candidate for office in Illinois — declarations of candidacy, nominating petitions, and related ballot-access filing requirements — compiled from Illinois State Board of Elections. Distinct from the campaign-finance report deadlines above.
2027
School Board
School Board Member — Various Independent School Districts
Filing window: –
Candidacy method: Nonpartisan · Deadline type: Nonpartisan filing
Files with: County Clerk (school district's county)
Signatures: Nominating petition with signatures of qualified voters in the school district
Illinois Election Code - Article 28 (School Elections); School Code - Article 11E · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for School Board Member in School Districts (except Chicago and Peoria) for the 2027 Consolidated School Board Election (Apr 6, 2027) closes Dec 21, 2026 at 5:00 PM America/Chicago. Opens Dec 14, 2026. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Illinois General Assembly.
2028
Federal
President of the United States
Filing window: –
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Files with: Illinois State Board of Elections
Signatures: Nominating petitions with signatures of qualified electors
Illinois Election Code - Article 7 (Nominations by Political Parties) · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
Filing for President of the United States in Statewide for the 2028 Illinois General Primary Election (Mar 21, 2028) closes Nov 8, 2027 at 5:00 PM America/Chicago. Opens Nov 1, 2027. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Illinois General Assembly.
U.S. House of Representatives — Districts 1-17
Filing window: –
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Files with: Illinois State Board of Elections
Signatures: Nominating petitions with signatures of qualified electors in the district
Illinois Election Code - Article 7 (Nominations by Political Parties) · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for U.S. House of Representatives in Statewide for the 2028 Illinois General Primary Election (Mar 21, 2028) closes Nov 8, 2027 at 5:00 PM America/Chicago. Opens Nov 1, 2027. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Illinois General Assembly.
U.S. Senate — Class III
Filing window: –
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Files with: Illinois State Board of Elections
Signatures: Nominating petitions with signatures of qualified electors
Illinois Election Code - Article 7 (Nominations by Political Parties); List of United States Senators from Illinois · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for U.S. Senate in Statewide for the 2028 Illinois General Primary Election (Mar 21, 2028) closes Nov 8, 2027 at 5:00 PM America/Chicago. Opens Nov 1, 2027. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Illinois General Assembly; U.S. Congress.
U.S. House of Representatives — Districts 1-17
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Write In · Deadline type: Write-in filing
Write-in deadline: Sep 7, 2028
Files with: County Clerk (appropriate jurisdiction)
Illinois Election Code - Article 18A (Write-In Candidates) · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for U.S. House of Representatives in Statewide for the 2028 Illinois General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Sep 7, 2028. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Illinois General Assembly.
U.S. Senate (Class III)
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Write In · Deadline type: Write-in filing
Write-in deadline: Sep 7, 2028
Files with: Illinois State Board of Elections
Illinois Election Code - Article 18A (Write-In Candidates) · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for U.S. Senate (Class III) in Statewide for the 2028 Illinois General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Sep 7, 2028. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Illinois General Assembly.
Federal Offices (President, U.S. House, U.S. Senate)
Not yet published. Specific petition requirements and signature thresholds vary by office. Filing window extends approximately 30-40 days before general election per 10 ILCS 5/10.
Filing authority: Illinois State Board of Elections.
Next check: Aug 1, 2028.
Illinois Election Code - Article 10 (Independent Candidates) · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
Filing for Federal Offices (President, U.S. House, U.S. Senate) in Statewide for the 2028 Illinois General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Sep 3, 2028 at 5:00 PM America/Chicago. Source: Illinois General Assembly.
State Legislative
Illinois State Senate — Districts 1-59
Filing window: –
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Files with: Illinois State Board of Elections
Signatures: Nominating petitions with signatures of qualified electors in the district
Illinois Election Code - Article 7 (Nominations by Political Parties) · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for Illinois State Senate in Statewide for the 2028 Illinois General Primary Election (Mar 21, 2028) closes Nov 8, 2027 at 5:00 PM America/Chicago. Opens Nov 1, 2027. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Illinois General Assembly.
Illinois State House of Representatives — Districts 1-118
Filing window: –
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Files with: Illinois State Board of Elections
Signatures: Nominating petitions with signatures of qualified electors in the district
Illinois Election Code - Article 7 (Nominations by Political Parties) · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for Illinois State House of Representatives in Statewide for the 2028 Illinois General Primary Election (Mar 21, 2028) closes Nov 8, 2027 at 5:00 PM America/Chicago. Opens Nov 1, 2027. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Illinois General Assembly.
Illinois State Senate and State House (General Election Independent Track)
Not yet published. Filing requirements and signature thresholds set by 10 ILCS 5/10.
Filing authority: Illinois State Board of Elections.
Next check: Aug 1, 2028.
Illinois Election Code - Article 10 (Independent Candidates) · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
Filing for Illinois State Senate and State House (General Election Independent Track) in Statewide for the 2028 Illinois General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Sep 3, 2028 at 5:00 PM America/Chicago. Source: Illinois General Assembly.
Judicial
Judicial Offices (Circuit Court, Appellate Court, Supreme Court)
Filing window: –
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Files with: Illinois State Board of Elections
Signatures: Nominating petitions with signatures of qualified electors
Illinois Election Code - Article 7 (Nominations by Political Parties) · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for Judicial Offices (Circuit Court, Appellate Court, Supreme Court) in Statewide for the 2028 Illinois General Primary Election (Mar 21, 2028) closes Nov 8, 2027 at 5:00 PM America/Chicago. Opens Nov 1, 2027. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Illinois General Assembly.
Electbase compiles these dates from official state sources as a workflow aid. It is not legal advice. Confirm every deadline with your filing authority before you rely on it.
Last updated August 27, 2026