Illinois › Cook County › Illinois House District 52
2 candidates are tracked for Illinois House District 52 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Maria Peterson and Martin McLaughlin. Candidate information follows official Cook County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Maria Peterson (Democratic), Martin McLaughlin (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Martin McLaughlin 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.
Maria Peterson is the Democratic candidate for Illinois House District 52 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. Peterson is a former attorney and community advocate who serves as Vice Chair of the Lake County Zoning Board of Appeals, per her campaign site. She previously ran for the Illinois Senate in 2022 and challenged incumbent Rep. Martin McLaughlin for this seat in 2024, per the Daily Herald. She is running against McLaughlin again in the 52nd District.
2026 priorities (per the campaign site)
- Lowering costs for working families
- Expanding affordable housing
- Gun violence prevention and community safety
Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-09-01.
Campaign site →
Martin McLaughlin is a small businessman specializing in pension management and a former village president of Barrington Hills, per the Illinois General Assembly. He has represented the 52nd District since 2021. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 7, 2026.
