Illinois › Cook County › Illinois House District 48
2 candidates are tracked for Illinois House District 48 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Amanda Zahorak and Jennifer Sanalitro. Candidate information follows official Cook County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Amanda Zahorak (Democratic), Jennifer Sanalitro (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Jennifer Sanalitro is the sitting member, per the General Assembly's roster. Party nominees were chosen at the March 17 primary (plurality, no runoffs); independent and new-party candidates qualified by petition. The field is the State Board of Elections' 2026 General Election candidate list (status Active, read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Amanda Zahorak is the Democratic candidate for Illinois House District 48 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. Zahorak works in nonprofit leadership and holds a Master's degree in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University, per her campaign site. She spent five years on the board of GiGi's Playhouse Chicago and previously worked in advocacy communications at Habitat for Humanity focused on housing access. She was raised in the 48th District and attended DuPage County public schools.
2026 priorities (per the campaign site)
- Increasing access to safe and affordable housing
- Community-centered, nonpartisan solutions in Springfield
Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-09-01.
Campaign site →
Jennifer Sanalitro is the Republican candidate for Illinois House District 48 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. Jennifer Sanalitro is the sitting member, per the General Assembly's roster. Sanalitro works as a sales executive in the pallet and packaging industry and co-owns a small business in Roselle with her husband, per her ilga.gov legislative profile. She has represented the 48th District since January 2023 and serves as a Wayne Township committeewoman. She resides in Hanover Park. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 7, 2026.
