Follow along live as we cover the 2024 primary elections in Illinois on Tuesday, March 19.
Below are the results and reaction from different races in Champaign, Macon, and Vermilion counties as well as other local areas.
In Champaign County, the 2024 primary elections saw a few contested races. Notably, the Coroner’s office had two Democratic candidates, Laurie Brauer and Seon Williams, vying for the position. The race for the IL-13 U.S. Congress seat also saw competition between two Republican candidates, Thomas Clatterbuck and Joshua Loyd.
As the results continue to come in, reactions from the different races are being closely monitored. Stay tuned for more updates and comprehensive coverage.
Updated Wednesday at 3:40 p.m.
In Illinois’ 13th congressional race, the Associated Press has declared that Republican Joshua Loyd has defeated Thomas Clatterbuck. With 98 percent of the votes in, Loyd leads Clatterbuck 56 to 44 percent. Earlier today, Clatterbuck, a law student and former court clerk, conceded the race. Loyd is an entrepreneur and West Point graduate. He will now face Democratic incumbent Nikki Budzinski, who is seeking her second term in congress. She was uncontested in the primary. The 13th congressional district includes East St. Louis and portions of Springfield, Decatur and Champaign-Urbana. – Reginald Hardwick, IPM News
Updated at 11:06 p.m.
In final results in Macon County, voters in the Harristown Fire Protection District have passed proposals to both increase the tax rate and levy a special tax for emergency and rescue crews and equipment. In Coles County, voters in Humboldt and North Okaw townships have approved the issuing of road bonds. The questions passed in both townships with an 87 percent majority. And voters in Cumberland, Shelby and Coles Counties have voted overwhelmingly to dissolve the Lake Mattoon Water Protection District by combined a vote of 108 to 32. – Jim Meadows, IPM News
Updated at 11:00 p.m.
Ballot counting continues in Champaign County, with only about 4,000 ballots counted in primary voting so far. In the Democratic primary race for coroner, Laurie Brauer is ahead of Seon Williams. The coroner investigates murders, overdoses and unexplained deaths. Brauer is about 800 votes ahead of Williams currently. Republican Steve Thuney is the acting coroner and is uncontested in his primary. He will face the winner between Williams and Brauer in November’s general election. Brauer also works in the coroner’s office. Williams owns a funeral home. – Emily Hays, IPM News
Updated at 10:20 p.m.
U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (R) is claiming victory in the Republican primary race in the 12th congressional district. In a press release, he said the “victory was only possible because of the backing of countless friends and supporters from every corner of the district, along with a vitally important endorsement from Donald J. Trump, our next president of the United States.” Bost’s challenger is former gubernatorial candidate and former state representative/senator Darren Bailey. He conceded the race to Bost just before 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Bailey won the endorsement of Trump in 2022. – Reginald Hardwick, IPM News
Updated at 9:06 p.m.
The Republican primary in Illinois remains undecided in the 12th and 13th congressional districts. Here’s a screengrab of the results. Click here to see races from across the state.
Updated at 7:20 p.m.
Trump and Biden win presidential primary in Illinois.
At 7:11 p.m., the Associated Press declared Joe Biden the winner of the Democratic presidential primary in Illinois. At 7:15 p.m., the Associated Press declared Donald Trump the winner of the Republican presidential primary in Illinois. – Reginald Hardwick, IPM News
Trump won Tuesday’s Republican presidential primary in Florida, a vote the former president was expected to carry easily after all his major challengers had dropped out.
Trump’s win in his adopted home state came as he also won Ohio’s Republican primary. President Joe Biden, meanwhile, won Ohio’s Democratic primary at the same time. There was no contest for him to win in Florida as Democrats there canceled their primary and opted to award all 224 of their delegates to Biden, a move that has precedence for an incumbent president.
Trump and Biden are also expected to easily win primaries Tuesday in Arizona, Illinois and Kansas, banking more support after becoming their parties’ presumptive nominees last week. – Associated Press
Updated at 7:00 p.m.
The Associated Press has declared the following candidates as winners in their primary:
- 2nd congressional district: Democratic incumbent Robin Kelly and Republican challenger Ashley Ramos. Both were uncontested in their primaries.
- 13th congressional district: Democratic incumbent Nikki Budzinski has won her primary. She is uncontested. Results for her Republican challengers are yet to be determined.
- 15th congressional district: Republican incumbent Mary Miller has won her primary. She is uncontested.
- 16th congressional district: Republican incumbent Darin LaHood has won his primary. He is uncontested.
Some Champaign County Democratic voters marked their ballots non-committed
Across the country, some Democratic primary voters are choosing “non-committed” or leaving ballots blank, rather than vote for President Joe Biden. It’s seen as a protest against Biden not calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. In Savoy, Palestinian-American Baraa Saadah and his family cast ballots early, ahead of today’s primary. All six left their ballots blank or wrote in Gaza instead of Biden or Democratic Representative Nikki Budzinski.
“It’s not Israel alone who’s committing the genocide,” said Saadah. “It’s also several US leaders as well who are providing the bullets, the bombs providing everything, they are a clear and active part of it. Us as US citizens, we’re the ones who are technically complicit because it’s our taxpayer money that comes out of our paycheck.”
Palestinian activists – including Saadah – have met with Congresswoman Budzinski in the past but they don’t feel she followed up her words with actions. They are scheduled to meet with her again on Friday. – Mae Antar, IPM News
Updated at 6:30 p.m.
Illinois voters to decide competitive US House primaries around the state
CHICAGO — Illinois voters are set to decide competitive U.S. House races around the state. The most closely-watched races in Illinois include a downstate Republican matchup between Republican Rep. Mike Bost and former state Sen. Darren Bailey. Bailey was an unsuccessful 2022 GOP nominee for governor. He is hoping to unseat the 63-year-old incumbent. In the heavily Democratic Chicago area, Democratic Rep. Danny Davis is locked in a competitive five-way primary. The challengers include progressive anti-violence activist Kina Collins and Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin. Three-term Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia is also facing a spirited challenge from Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez. – Sophia Tareen, Associated Press
