Diane M. Harris, a Republican from Joliet, is running for Illinois secretary of state in the Nov. 3 general election.
She faces Democrat Alexi Giannoulias.
North Shore residents will see this statewide race on their ballots. Harris, a self-described social and fiscal conservative, has said she wants to modernize the office's services, reduce fees and review the agency's spending budget for waste and fraud, according to her campaign website.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Hometown: Joliet, Illinois
- Education: High school diploma, Joliet Central High School (1974); associate's degree in liberal arts, Joliet Junior College (1987); bachelor's degree in management, University of Phoenix (2010)
- Endorsements (claimed by endorsers): Peoria County Republican Central Committee, Federation of Illinois Young Republicans, Wheeling Township Republicans, Madison County GOP, Lake County GOP, Illinois Family Action
Experience and public service
Harris has listed a range of professional and civic roles on her campaign website. She said she worked in billing, credit and collections at ComEd from 1980 to 2000 and served as an IBEW Local 15 union steward there. She has also said she worked in the accounting department at Joliet City Hall and as a substitute teacher in District 204.
Harris said she has served as an elected precinct committeemember in Will County since 2010 and as vice chairman of the Joliet Township Republican Organization since 2020. She has also said she served as an elected trustee at Joliet Junior College, an appointed trustee at the Joliet Public Library and secretary of the Joliet Township Republicans.
She said she owns ItisAmazing Downtown Joliet, a business she has operated since 2018. She is also a licensed insurance agent and notary public, according to her campaign site.
On the issues
DMV services and modernization: Harris has said she would expand self-service kiosks beyond the current 15 locations to all 102 Illinois counties, placing them in libraries, grocery stores and community centers. She has said she would deploy mobile DMV units to serve downstate communities and explore drive-up service options. She has also said she would build a unified online portal to streamline services while maintaining cybersecurity.
Budget and fees: Harris has said she would review the secretary of state's budget for waste and fraud. She has said she would work with legislators to reduce fees for seniors, veterans and DMV customers and supports tax cuts.
Election integrity: Harris has said she would use the office's role in voter registration to clean voter rolls and strengthen cybersecurity protections. She has said she would coordinate with other government offices to secure election records and address fraud.
Road safety: Harris has said she would advocate for what she calls safer, smarter rules of the road to protect families and young drivers, with an emphasis on driver education.
Other positions: Harris has said she supports the Second Amendment, school choice, the Clean Water Act and the Smart Energy Act. She has said she opposes critical race theory in schools.
Candidate issue positions are drawn from Harris's responses on her campaign website and through BallotReady questionnaires. North Shore Weekly did not interview the candidate for this profile.
