The Ballot Brief
DuPage County, Illinois

Illinois House District 85

See where Avelar and Metcalfe stand on taxes and public safety. Names follow official DuPage County election filings.

About this race

Dagmara "Dee" Avelar (Democratic), Chris Metcalfe (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Dagmara "Dee" Avelar 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.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, Dagmara "Dee" Avelar, is on the ballot.

We use AI to research and write election information. Errors are possible. Verify important details with official sources.

Illinois › DuPage County › Illinois House District 85

Dagmara "Dee" Avelar

Dagmara "Dee" Avelar

DemocraticIncumbent

Biography

Dagmara "Dee" Avelar is the Democratic candidate for Illinois House District 85 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the State Board of Elections' certified candidate list. Dagmara "Dee" Avelar is the sitting member, per the General Assembly's roster. Avelar is a full-time legislator who previously served as director of programs at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, per her ilga.gov legislative profile. She has represented the 85th District since January 2021 and serves as Assistant Majority Leader. She holds a justice studies degree from Northeastern Illinois University and is pursuing a master's in urban planning and policy at UIC. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.

Chris Metcalfe

Republican

Top priorities

From other published sources

  • Prosecuting violent crime and preventing repeat offenders, per Chicago Sun-Times questionnaire
  • Reducing taxes, per Chicago Sun-Times questionnaire
  • Prioritizing state debt repayment, per Chicago Sun-Times questionnaire
Biography

Chris Metcalfe is an operations manager at Eberhart Accounting Services with more than 30 years of experience as a project manager for Fortune 500 companies, per the Chicago Sun-Times candidate questionnaire. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.

Next on your ballotDuPage County Board Chairperson

See your full ballot

Your address is only used to match your districts.

Voting info and more

Voting info and more
Questions about this race

Who is running for Illinois House District 85 in 2026?

2 candidates are tracked for Illinois House District 85 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Dagmara "Dee" Avelar and Chris Metcalfe. Candidate information follows official DuPage County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below. See where they stand on taxes and public safety.

When is the Illinois House District 85 election in Illinois?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Illinois are on the Illinois election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact DuPage County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official DuPage County and state election office filings, last verified October 19, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Illinois election office, or see the full DuPage County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your DuPage County ballot

47 tracked races in DuPage County, Illinois. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot
DuPage County SheriffDuPage County ClerkDuPage County TreasurerSee all 47 DuPage County races
Candidate profiles
Dagmara "Dee" Avelar, full profileChris Metcalfe, full profileOfficial Illinois election office