The Ballot Brief
Williamson County, Illinois

Williamson County Sheriff

Diederich was on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official Williamson County election filings. Certified results will appear here once the election office certifies the count. Illinois certifies the general election by December 4, 2026; county canvasses are due November 24. Official results: www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx.

About this race

No Democratic candidate filed. Jeff Diederich won a contested three-way Republican primary on March 17, 2026 with 3,927 votes, ahead of Quinn Laird (2,760) and Stan Diggs (2,543), per the county's certified Enhanced Voting results, and is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot.

What this office does

Sheriff. The sheriff runs the county's law enforcement agency, operates the county jail, provides courthouse security and serves court papers such as warrants, subpoenas and evictions. In many counties the sheriff's office is the primary police force for areas outside city limits. The sheriff hires deputies and manages the office's budget within what the county board approves.

This race. Every voter in Williamson County votes on this seat. The sitting officeholder, Jeff Diederich, is on the ballot. One name is on the ballot for this seat.

This list comes from official election records but may be incomplete. It can miss, for example, late or petition candidates and some city, school and district races. Your official sample ballot is the final word.

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

Illinois › Williamson County › Williamson County Sheriff

Who won? The official answer comes December 4.

Illinois makes results final in three steps.
✓
Done · Nov 3
Votes were cast and counted
Election night totals are a first count, not the final one.
2
Happening now · by Nov 24
Williamson County double-checks its count
The county reviews mail ballots, provisional ballots and any recount, then sends official totals to the state.
3
Next · Dec 4
Illinois makes it official
The State Board of Elections certifies the result. The winner appears on this page that day.

What local news is reporting

Not official yetUpdated November 5, 2026

This report is cited to the outlet that published it. We do not call races. Official running count: Illinois official results.

Williamson County Sheriff
No report found yet

Reports are checked daily until Illinois certifies on December 4; a certified winner replaces the report on that day.

Jeff Diederich

RepublicanIncumbent

Biography

Jeff Diederich is the sitting Williamson County Sheriff, per the Williamson County, Illinois government website. No campaign website was found as of September 22, 2026.

Next on the ballotWilliamson County Commissioner

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Voting info and more

Voting info and more
Questions about this race

Who is running for Williamson County Sheriff in 2026?

One candidate was tracked for Williamson County Sheriff on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Jeff Diederich. Candidate information follows official Williamson County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Williamson County Sheriff election in Illinois?

Election Day was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Certified results will appear on this page as the election office certifies them. Illinois certifies the general election by December 4, 2026; county canvasses are due November 24. Official results: https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx. Voting rules for Illinois are on the Illinois election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Williamson 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.

Who won the Williamson County Sheriff race?

Not yet reported by the outlets we checked; Illinois certifies on December 4. We do not call races.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Williamson County and state election office filings, last verified October 24, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your Williamson County ballot

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

Also on the November 3 ballot
Regional Superintendent of Schools (Regional Office of Education #21)Judge of the Appellate Court, 5th Judicial District (vacancy of Hon. Thomas M. Welch)Illinois Senate District 59See all 10 Williamson County races
Candidate profiles
Jeff Diederich, full profileOfficial Illinois election office