This year’s filing deadline for candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Illinois was Nov. 3, 2025.

One hundred five candidates — 69 Democrats and 36 Republicans — are running for Illinois’ 17 U.S. House districts. That’s 6.2 candidates per district. There were 2.7 candidates per district in 2024, 5.6 in 2022, 4.1 in 2020, 4.4 in 2018, 2.7 in 2016, and 2.8 in 2014.

Here are some other highlights from this year’s filings:

• This is the highest total number of candidates who are running for the U.S. House since 2014.

• Five districts are open this year. There were no districts open in 2024, four in 2022, one in 2020, one in 2018, one in 2016, and none in 2014. Reps. Jesus Garcia (D-4th), Danny K. Davis (D-7th), and Jan Schakowsky (D-9th) are retiring from public office. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-8th) and Robin Kelly (D-2nd) are running for the U.S. Senate. 
• Twenty primaries — nine Democratic and 11 Republican — are contested this year. In total, there were 11 contested primaries in 2024, 19 in 2022, 21 in 2020, 20 in 2018, 14 in 2016, and nine in 2014.
• Twenty candidates — 16 Democrats and four Republicans — are running for the open 9th district, the most candidates running for a district this year.
• Five incumbents — four Democrats and one Republican — are facing primary challengers this year. There were five incumbents in a contested primary in 2024, seven in 2022, 10 in 2020, seven in 2018, seven in 2016, and three in 2014.
• Candidates filed to run in the Republican and Democratic primaries in all 17 districts, meaning no districts are guaranteed to either party.

Illinois is holding U.S. House primaries on March 17, 2026.

In Illinois, the winner of a primary election is the candidate who receives the greatest number of votes, even if they do not win an outright majority of votes cast.