McHenry County, Illinois

Illinois Senate District 35

See where Mertens and Syverson stand on taxes and elections. Names follow official McHenry County election filings.

About this race

Sarah B. Mertens (Democratic), Dave Syverson (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Dave Syverson 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, Dave Syverson, is on the ballot.

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

Illinois › McHenry County › Illinois Senate District 35

Sarah B. Mertens

Democratic

Top priorities

From the campaign site

Defending democracy and voting rights
Shifting the tax burden off working families
Protecting and uplifting all identities

Biography

Mertens holds a bachelor's degree in Teaching German as a Foreign Language from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has worked for a health insurance company and teaching English as a second language online, per the campaign site. Mertens lives in Crystal Lake, where she works as a substitute teacher and school playground supervisor and runs a fee-free martial arts club she founded, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Dave Syverson

RepublicanIncumbent

Biography

Dave Syverson is the incumbent state senator for the 35th District, per the official Illinois Senate website. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.

Next on your ballotIllinois House District 52

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Illinois Senate District 35 in 2026?

2 candidates are tracked for Illinois Senate District 35 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Sarah B. Mertens and Dave Syverson. Candidate information follows official McHenry County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below. See where they stand on taxes and elections.

When is the Illinois Senate District 35 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 McHenry 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 McHenry 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 McHenry County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your McHenry County ballot

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

Also on your ballot

Illinois House District 63 Illinois House District 64 Illinois House District 66 See all 23 McHenry County races

Candidate profiles

Sarah B. Mertens, full profile Dave Syverson, full profile Official Illinois election office