Lee, Whiteside Turnout Dips in 2026 Midterms
Voter participation in both northern Illinois counties fell slightly from 2022, while Republican candidates saw modest declines in their vote shares.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Elections
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Lee and Whiteside counties recorded slightly lower voter turnout in the 2026 midterm election than in 2022. Republican candidates also received a slightly lower percentage of votes in both counties than in 2022 and 2024.
Why it matters
The shifts, though small, offer a local snapshot of how turnout and partisan support are moving in northern Illinois ahead of the state's final certification of results. Illinois voters in these counties are part of the statewide tally that will be formally certified in the coming weeks.
Lee County turnout reached 54.78% of 22,398 registered voters, compared with 57.14% of 21,557 in 2022, while Whiteside County turnout was 51.44% of 37,781, down from 54.82% of 36,976 in 2022. These figures are unofficial and pending state certification.
The players
Brad Fritts
Republican state representative who won the 74th District seat in both Lee and Whiteside counties.
Darren Bailey
Republican candidate for Illinois governor who received 57.79% of Lee County votes in the 2026 race.
Kwame Raoul
Democratic incumbent Illinois attorney general who received 45.08% of Whiteside County votes in the 2026 race.
The details
Republican state representative candidate Brad Fritts won the 74th District race with 61.12% of votes in Lee County and 51.46% in Whiteside County. In Lee County, Republican Darren Bailey received 57.79% of votes in the gubernatorial race, while Democratic incumbent Kwame Raoul took 45.08% in Whiteside County's attorney general race. Lee County registered more than 100 new voters on Election Day.
Timeline
Nov. 3, 2026: Midterm election held in Lee and Whiteside counties.
Nov. 19, 2026: County certification deadline.
Dec. 4, 2026: State Board of Elections deadline to certify Illinois results.
Political Context
Turnout in these counties fell from the 2022 midterm, which itself followed a 2024 presidential cycle with markedly higher participation of 73.97% in Lee and 71.4% in Whiteside. The modest decline in Republican vote share compared with 2022 and 2024 suggests the midterm environment is shifting slightly but not dramatically.
Certified results will determine the official officeholders and vote totals for these races. The county canvass due Nov. 19 will confirm the local numbers before state certification finalizes them.
The takeaway
Small shifts in turnout and vote share in individual counties can signal broader trends, so tracking certified results over successive cycles provides the clearest picture. Readers can compare county canvass totals against state certification once finalized.
What happens next
The Illinois State Board of Elections is expected to certify statewide results by Dec. 4, which will finalize the county-level figures reported here.
Further reading
For broader context on how turnout is trending statewide, see more Elections coverage on Wisevoter.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Shaw Local.
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