Gov. J.B. Pritzker is asking North Shore voters and all Illinois residents to send him back to Springfield for a third term. The Democrat faces Republican Darren Bailey and independent Collin Corbett in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

If elected, Pritzker would be the first Democrat ever elected to three terms as Illinois governor, according to NBC Chicago. He was first sworn in as the 43rd governor on Jan. 14, 2019, according to the governor's office. BallotReady lists him as certified for the ballot.

Candidate information

• Party: Democratic
• Office sought: Illinois Governor
• Born: Jan. 19, 1965, in Palo Alto, California
• Education: Milton Academy (high school); bachelor's degree in political science and government, Duke University, 1987; juris doctor, Northwestern University, 1993

Experience and public service

Pritzker worked as a legislative staffer in the U.S. House and Senate from 1987 to 1991, serving under Rep. Tom Lantos and Sen. Alan Dixon. He founded the Pritzker Group in 1996 and served as its managing partner through 2017.

He chaired the Illinois Human Rights Commission from 2003 to 2006. In 2012, he founded 1871, serving through 2016. He also served as chairman of ChicagoNEXT, the Chicago mayor's Council on Innovation and Technology. He was national co-chair of Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign.

Pritzker has served as governor since 2019.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Pritzker's campaign materials and public statements. They reflect the candidate's own claims.

Economy and affordability

Pritzker said he wants to tackle the affordability crisis. His campaign highlights eliminating the state's sales tax on groceries, doubling the state's child tax credit and lowering prescription drug prices in Illinois, according to CBS Chicago. His campaign said he believes increasing wages and supporting small businesses are keys to building a strong economy across the state.

Reproductive rights

Pritzker's campaign lists equal pay, reproductive health protections, domestic violence prevention and bodily autonomy among his priorities.

Federal policy

Pritzker's campaign highlights his opposition to President Trump's efforts to dismantle the Department of Education, roll back climate-change protections and limit reproductive rights, according to CBS Chicago.

Pritzker's campaign also lists healthcare access and public safety among his priorities but has not detailed specific proposals in those areas.

Endorsements

Pritzker has received endorsements from the AFL-CIO, Cook County Democrats, Citizen Action Illinois, Personal PAC, Equality IL, the Chicago Federation of Labour, the Jewish Democratic Council of America, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399 and IUOE Local 150, according to BallotReady.

Candidate positions were drawn from campaign websites and BallotReady questionnaire responses. North Shore Weekly was not able to interview the candidate for this profile.