Wayne County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
Who is running for Illinois House, Regional Superintendent of Schools and Circuit Court, 2nd Judicial Circuit, Vacancy of Hon. Molt and more, with bios, priorities and campaign sites.
School board
Regional Superintendent of Schools (Regional Office of Education #20)Sarah E Emery (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Sarah E Emery
No campaign website or other verifiable biographical source was found for Sarah E. Emery as of September 25, 2026. The sitting Regional Superintendent of Regional Office of Education #20 is Dr. Beth Rister, per the ROE #20 website.
Sarah E Emery is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Regional Superintendent of Schools, Regional Office of Education #20 (Edwards, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Pope, Saline, Wabash, Wayne and White counties), per the Illinois State Board of Elections' certified 2026 general election candidate list. Illinois elects a regional superintendent countywide across the whole region every four years. The name still appears on the ballot; the race is uncontested.
Full race pageJudges
Circuit Court, 2nd Judicial Circuit, Vacancy of Hon. MoltMatthew E. Vaughn (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Matthew E. Vaughn
No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Matthew E. Vaughn is on the November 3, 2026 ballot to fill a vacancy on the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court (the seat vacated by the Hon. Molt). The 2nd Judicial Circuit covers Crawford, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne and White counties; every voter there votes on this seat. Illinois circuit judgeships are decided in contested partisan elections, unlike judicial retention questions. Listed from the Illinois State Board of Elections' certified 2026 general election candidate list.
Full race pageCircuit Court, 2nd Judicial Circuit, Vacancy of Hon. ValentineBrian T Shinkle (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Brian T Shinkle
No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Brian T Shinkle is on the November 3, 2026 ballot to fill a vacancy on the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court (the seat vacated by the Hon. Valentine). The 2nd Judicial Circuit covers Crawford, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne and White counties; every voter there votes on this seat. Illinois circuit judgeships are decided in contested partisan elections, unlike judicial retention questions. Listed from the Illinois State Board of Elections' certified 2026 general election candidate list.
Full race pageCircuit Court, 2nd Judicial Circuit, Vacancy of Hon. VaughnChelsey E. Clark (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Chelsey E. Clark
No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.
Chelsey E. Clark is on the November 3, 2026 ballot to fill a vacancy on the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court (the seat vacated by the Hon. Vaughn). The 2nd Judicial Circuit covers Crawford, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne and White counties; every voter there votes on this seat. Illinois circuit judgeships are decided in contested partisan elections, unlike judicial retention questions. Listed from the Illinois State Board of Elections' certified 2026 general election candidate list.
Full race pageBy address
These seats are elected by district; only the district covering your address is on your ballot.
Find your districts by addressIllinois House District 116Dave Severin (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Dave Severin
Top priorities
From the campaign site
- Maintains a pro-life and pro-Second Amendment voting record
- Opposes ending cash bail and supports law enforcement funding
- Opposes sanctuary state policies and supports border wall construction
About Dave Severin
Severin is a small business owner from southern Illinois whose family ran the Severin Nursing Home, and was first elected to the Illinois House in 2016, per the campaign site. Severin has led Special Olympics of Southern Illinois and served on the Centerstone and United Way boards, per the campaign site.
Dave Severin (Republican) is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot; Dave Severin 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.
Full race pageVoting info and more
Voting info and more
Verify your ballot with the official election office.
Cross-check every race and candidate with the official election office. Official sources are the final word.
Illinois nominated by plurality at the March 17 primary (no runoffs); unopposed nominees still print, and independent and new-party candidates who filed petitions by June 22 join the November 3 ballot once the State Board of Elections rules on objections, per the Board's certified candidate list.
Who is on the ballot in Wayne County, Illinois on November 3, 2026?
Wayne County sample ballot 2026: who is running for regional superintendent of schools and circuit court, with bios, priorities and campaign sites. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.
When is the 2026 general election in Illinois?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Illinois are listed on the Illinois election hub. Illinois election hub →
How do I see my exact Wayne County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup for the statewide and congressional races on every ballot in the county, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location. Look up your ballot →