Illinois primary elections 2022: See updates from the polls, results from Springfield

The polls are now closed in Illinois for the 2022 primary elections.

Illinois primary election results: Find all the updates here

11:03 p.m.: Butler beats Gray in 95th House District

Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, beat back the challenge of a former Trump administration official and state chair for his 2016 primary campaign in the Republican primary in the new 95th District.

With 95% of the estimated vote, Butler has a 4,737 vote lead over Kent Gray, a local attorney who served as Trump's 2016 Illinois state chair and worked in the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the Trump administration.

Butler, a mainstream Republican who serves as Assistant Republican Leader, has 73.7% of the vote, much of it coming from Sangamon County, where he has a 4,392 vote lead over Gray.

Democrats did not have a candidate declare for the race, meaning that Butler is running unopposed for now.

10:32 p.m.: Budzinski wins Democratic nod in 13th District

Nikki Budzinski, a former official for President Joe Biden and Gov. JB Pritzker, won the Democratic nomination in the new 13th Congressional District, easily cruising past David Palmer, a Champaign-based financial planner.

With 73% of the estimated vote counted, Budzinski led Palmer by 16,013 votes, with Budzinski pulling 77.1% of the vote.

Budzinski had been tapped for the new 13th District since last year, as much of the Illinois and national Democratic parties putting their support behind her. Both Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth endorsed her, along with several members of the state's Congressional delegation.

She will enter the general election as the favorite, with the district redrawn to favor Democrats. Biden won the district by 11 percentage points in 2020, in contrast to the prior district, which saw Donald Trump win by three percentage points.

Still, the race is expected to be competitive in what is likely to be a good year nationally for Republicans.

9:35 p.m.: Miller beats Davis in 15th District

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, has conceded in the 15th Congressional District to fellow Rep. Mary Miller, R-Oakland, providing another significant victory to the right wing of the Illinois Republican Party.

With 74% of the estimated vote reported, Miller leads Davis by 12,787 votes, with Miller taking 57.8% of the vote. Miller was endorsed by former President Donald Trump in January, which proved to be a strong sell to much of the strongly Republican district despite much of the statewide party and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy endorsing Davis.

In a statement, Davis said that it was an honor to have served for nearly a decade in the House, congratulating Miller on her win.

"This was a hard-fought campaign and I wish her the best in representing the citizens of the 15th District," Davis said. "As Republicans are poised to retake the House, it's paramount that Republicans in Congress work to end dysfunction and deliver results for the American people."

9 p.m.: Where we currently stand in statewide races

With Gov. JB Pritzker and Sen. Darren Bailey winning their respective nominations in the governor's race, attention now moves to a series of statewide races that could determine much of state policy beyond the governorship and the General Assembly. Here's how those results stand right now:

Attorney General: Right-wing firebrand Thomas DeVore currently leads Steve Kim statewide in the Republican primary by 13,724 votes with 29.1% of the estimated vote in. Kim has the edge in Sangamon County, with nearly a quarter of the estimated vote in. He leads by 472 votes, having 47.7% of the vote.

Incumbent Kwame Raoul ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Secretary of State: Former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias currently leads Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia for the Democratic nomination by 99,494 votes with 48.4% of the expected vote. Giannoulias leads in every county reporting, including Sangamon County, where he leads by 929 votes with nearly a quarter of the estimated vote counted.

On the Republican side, State Rep. Dan Brady of Bloomington leads former U.S. Attorney John Milhiser of Springfield by 160,135 votes with 31.1% of the expected vote counted. Brady leads in each county reporting except Sangamon County, where Milhiser leads his home county by 1,629 votes with nearly a quarter of the estimated vote in.

The winner will be the first Secretary of State not named Jesse White since 1998. White, ubiquitous to a generation of Illinoisans, will retire after 24 years in his current role

8:42 p.m.: Deering moves in front in 13th District

Regan Deering, R-Decatur, has taken the lead in the Republican primary for the 13th Congressional District.

With 13.3% of the vote counted, Deering has a lead of 305 votes over Jesse Reising, a former federal prosecutor also from Decatur. Deering serves as chair of the Decatur Public Schools Foundation.

Both had emerged as the favorites in the district, newly redrawn to favor Democrats. Reising got a late endorsement from Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, having already been endorsed by former U.S. Rep. John Shimkus. Deering had been endorsed by former U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson before his death in May.

8:27 p.m.: Bailey to face Pritzker in governor's race

Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, has won the Republican nomination to face Gov. JB Pritzker in the governor's race in November.

Bailey, a right-wing firebrand who became famous in Illinois for his fight against COVID-19 restrictions, had exactly 51% of the vote (129,213 votes) with 26.93% of the estimated vote counted. He beat out a group of five others that included former Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, businessmen Jesse Sullivan and Gary Rabine, former state Sen. Paul Schimpf and attorney Max Solomon.

Bailey leads currently in all but two counties, with Schimpf leading in Clark and Randolph counties. Sullivan currently has a 695-vote lead over Irvin for second, a massive embarrassment for the state's Republican establishment, which rushed to endorse Irvin over Bailey and the others.

Bailey begins as a major underdog against Pritzker, the billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune who has made moves toward a possible presidential run with a visit to New Hampshire earlier this month.

However, Bailey may have some help from a good Republican year nationwide and a contrast between him and Pritzker, as he came from relatively humble roots on a southern Illinois farm.

8:19 p.m.: Butler, McClure with early edge in local legislative races

Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, and Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, each have taken early leads in their new districts for the Illinois Senate and House respectively.

McClure leads Don DeBolt, a certified public accountant from Stewardson, by 813 votes in the new 54th Senate District with 6.64% of the estimated vote counted. Both Sangamon and Montgomery counties have reported votes as of now, with McClure leading in both.

Butler leads Kent Gray, an attorney and former Trump campaign official from Springfield, by 1,323 votes in the new 95th House District with 21.49% of the estimated vote counted. Only Sangamon County has reported as of now

8:08 p.m.: Miller grabs early lead in 15th District

Rep. Mary Miller, R-Oakland, has taken an early lead in the Republican primary for the 15th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

With 7.6% of the estimated vote reported, Miller has 55.8% of the vote (4,226 votes) to Rep. Rodney Davis's 44.2% (3,344 votes). Miller leads in each county that has provided results as of now, with Davis leading in just one — Sangamon County, where Davis leads 65%-35% with 25.33% of the estimated vote reported.

The winner will be a heavy favorite against Democrat Paul Lange of Quincy in the general election. Davis is a mainstream Republican endorsed by most of the state's Republican establishment and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy; Miller has the backing of former President Donald Trump.

8 p.m.: Early county results in federal, state races

Early numbers in Sangamon County show that Jesse Reising and Nikki Budzinski have leads in the Sangamon County portion of the 13th Congressional District, while Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, has the edge in the Republican primary for Governor of Illinois.

With 12.49% of the estimated vote counted, Reising has a lead of 132 votes over Regan Deering, his chief challenger for the Republican nomination in the new district. Reising has 758 votes to Deering's 626. Matt Hausman is currently third with 18% of the vote (343 votes).

Budzinski has a heavy lead over David Palmer, with 3,164 votes, over 2,500 more than Palmer's 637 votes. 47.3% of the estimated vote has been counted.

In the governor's race, Bailey leads by 625 votes over Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin and 669 votes over businessman Jesse Sullivan county-wide. With 24.05% of the estimated vote counted, Bailey has 39.4% of the vote, compared to Irvin's 27.1% and Sullivan's 26.2% of the vote.

7:30 p.m.: Pritzker wins Democratic gubernatorial nomination

Gov. JB Pritzker made the first step toward a potential second term Tuesday, winning the Democratic nomination for governor of Illinois.

Pritzker beat Beverly Miles, a Chicago-based Army veteran and registered nurse who had never held political office. With just below 6% of the estimated vote counted, Pritzker had a massive lead, with 59,495 votes, just under 94% of the vote, compared to Miles' 3,863 votes.

Pritzker was never in trouble in the primary, even taking time out to go to New Hampshire, testing the waters for a possible presidential run. He is a heavy favorite for a second term, even in what is expected to be a tough year for Democrats nationwide, with an unpopular president — Joe Biden — rampant inflation and high gas prices.

7:15 p.m.: Turner, Hamilton move on to general election in 48th Senate District

Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, and Rep. Sandy Hamilton, R-Springfield, will officially face off in the general election in the 48th Senate District in the Illinois General Assembly.

Both ran unopposed in their primaries, the first election each has faced since being appointed to their various seats.

Turner had been appointed to her current seat in the 48th District last February after Andy Manar resigned to take a role in Gov. JB Pritzker's administration. She had served as a Springfield alderman for 10 years prior to taking the seat.

Hamilton was appointed to her seat in the 99th House District after Mike Murphy resigned to become president/CEO of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. Murphy had already been redistricted into the same district as Rep. Avery Bourne, who is currently serving as the running mate for Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin in his bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

7:02 p.m.: Duckworth waits to learn opponent

Sen. Tammy Duckworth is the winner in the Democratic primary for Illinois' Class III U.S. Senate seat.

Duckworth ran unopposed.  Republicans put most of their statewide focus on the gubernatorial race.

The Republican primary for U.S. Senate remains too close to call.

7 p.m.: The polls are closed!

Polls have officially closed in Illinois. All eyes will be on key races at the federal, state and local levels.

6:45 p.m.: Just before the polls close

Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray said that turnout varied throughout the county Tuesday, with strong response in the southern part of the county, including the southern half of Springfield and rural villages like Rochester, Chatham, Riverton and Sherman.

Turnout was weaker in the northern and eastern parts of the county, with Gray saying that how people felt about turnout depended on what polling location he visited.

"From one polling location that had multiple precincts in it, you'd have one (poll worker) that's like, 'Boy, we've had a consistent flow all day,'" Gray said. "(But) another one would say, 'Boy, I wish it would pick up.' I don't know what it means, but it's certainly more sporadic than what I normally witness in an election cycle."

Gray said that there were very few issues at the polls and that he feels comfortable with how the election was run Tuesday.

"It's been quite well done," Gray said. "I give great credit to the election judges that we have on the ground. It's been a good day; it's been smooth. We're excited to come to a conclusion here and provide for quality results."

6 p.m.: What to watch for in Davis-Miller

Robin Johnson, a political science lecturer and public policy consultant at Monmouth College, said he was paying particular attention to results of the U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis-U.S. Rep. Mary Miller race in Adams County, in far western Illinois.

Johnson is wonder if former President Donald Trump's turnout at a rally for Miller in Mendon on Saturday will help move the numbers.

"That'll be an interesting number to look at," said Johnson, in lives rural Warren County, which is newly drawn to the 15th Congressional District.

That district now includes 35 counties, ping-ponging from the Metro East area to Iowa to the Indiana border.

Miller currently represents the 15th district but her Coles County home was actually drawn out the district. Davis, who is from Taylorville, has represented the 13th district for five terms.

"They both have part of the district which they previously represented which they should do well  in," Johnson said. "It's the new areas that are up for grabs. We'll see. Trump will take credit, I'm sure, if (Miller) wins, but a lot of the data will tell the tale."

4 p.m.: Rep. Rodney Davis speaks

At a press availability at the Knights of Columbus in his hometown, U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, was reminded that his 2018 race against Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, D-Springfield, was called by The Associated Press at 12:08 a.m.

Asked if he was thinking the "over or under" on that time, Davis reminded that CNN called the race earlier in the evening for his opponent.

"We fully expect to be back here giving a victory speech and not keep you (reporters) up too late," he said.

Davis is locked in a tight battle with U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Oakland, in a rare incumbent versus incumbent race. Miller locked up an endorsement from former President Donald Trump when she launched her campaign was aided by an in-person visit by Trump in west central Illinois on Saturday.

But Davis said he felt good about his chances, reminding reporters he had been targeted before in an election by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2020.

"I've built, with the help of my great team, an organization that has knocked on 125,000 doors," Davis claimed. "We're very confident, just like I was confident in 2020, that tonight's going to be a great election night for us."

Davis noted that he's "never seen" a June election, the primary having been pushed back by state legislators to accommodate delayed 2020 Census data due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It's really hot out. I'm not used to that on election day," he said.

"I'm glad to be here on primary day wearing shorts," chimed in Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, who is in his own race with attorney Kent Gray for the 95th district seat.

2:34 p.m.: Steady number of voters cast ballots at SHS

The polls at Springfield High School, home to Capital Township precincts 32, 43, 46 and 50, saw a steady stream of voters early today, according to election officials and voters.

At 2:30 p.m., a total of 239 voters had voted at the school. The precincts have a total of 3,645 registered voters.

Patricia McDermott was among the voters that showed up. She took her mother-in-law to vote and then planned to go vote at her assigned precinct, Woodside 12.

"(It's important to vote), to let them know what I think," McDermott said. "Everybody should vote. That's our right."

12:34 p.m.: Mid-day check-in at the polls

The polls at Illinois Educators Credit Union, home to Capital Township precincts 4, 5 and 53, had a turnout of 75 people by 11:52 a.m., according to Democrat election judge Imelda Scott-Morris.

Scott-Morris has been an election judge for over 40 years. She said turnout at her west-side polling place was slow.

"The importance (of voting) is to get the person that you really want in to represent us," Scott-Morris said.

On Springfield's north end, 21 people had voted, so far, at Holy City Baptist Church, home to Capital 13.

IECU, equipped with on-site voter registration, has served as a polling place for the last three years, according to Scott-Morris.

More from Illinois gubernatorial candidates at the polls

10:10 a.m.: How many uncounted mail ballots are there?

The Illinois State Board of Elections said that 181,711 mail ballots had been sent out, but have not been counted as of Tuesday morning.

More: Fowl is fair? Village of Loami residents consider advisory referendum on chickens

On top of the 234,165 ballots cast during early voting, 155,946 people statewide sent in mail ballots to local election officials. In Sangamon County, 2,171 voters sent in ballots by mail.

Out of 3,364 mail ballots sent out, 940 mail ballots were outstanding countywide as of this morning.

Here's what the gubernatorial candidates have to say about the opening of polls:

7:30 a.m. U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis votes

Mired in a hotly contested race with U.S. Rep. Mary Miller in the Republic primary in the newly drawn 15th Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, voted in May Township in Christian County.

Lincoln was among Davis' stops later Tuesday, where he joined up with state Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, who is running in the 95th district against attorney Kent Gray.

Earlier, Davis said he had "never seen an election in June" in his lifetime. A Fox TV reporter who covers the Congress tweeted that Miller was facing "Rep. Danny Davis" in today's election.

6:46 a.m.: An early check as polls open

At the Union Baptist Church east of downtown, Ralph Lewis, who was serving as a precinct judge for Capitol Township 6, noted how things had changed since he first started as a poll worker in Chicago 30 years ago.

"There's been some big-time change," Lewis said. "It's getting a lot better. At first, it was really easy. There wasn't all this paperwork, but right now, it's simple once you go through the motions."

Things were developing slowly at UBC, where Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray visited in order to check in on how the poll workers were doing as people began to vote on Election Day. Gray said that the good training for judges helps to make elections as good as they can be in the county.

"I'm always encouraged and comforted by the democratic process in Sangamon County," Gray said. "We have some of the very best poll workers you can find in the business. Our election judges are very well trained, they're experienced, they continue to come back in service every year and they do their jobs very well.

"I'm proud to be with them on Election Day and making sure that Sangamon County's voters get the very best of an accurate and transparent election, a result that you can be proud of in the end and that is a direct reflection of the poll workers that work for you on the day today."

Sangamon County came into today with strong early voting momentum, with Gray saying that early voting at the election office was up 10% from 2018 and mail voting up 56% from four years prior. While Democrats returned more ballots than Republicans did, there was a relatively even split, with around 2,900 ballots cast by Democrats and 2,400 ballots returned by Republicans.

Gray said that it was a reflection of strong interest in the election on both sides of the aisle, something that he hopes continues into Election Day in November.

"You can tell the party faithful in Sangamon County engaged the early vote services," Gray said. "That's what you want to see. You want to see everyone utilizing it across the board, and that's happening."

It's a important day for everyone from Gray to his judges, who are keenly aware of what's at stake on the ballot today, from federal races to local elections determining the levers of power at nearly all levels of government.

"We might be getting more people than we normally get, besides the November election," Lewis said. "With the Supreme Court (decision) and this and that, there's so much going down. It's going to make a big difference in who is your candidate and who you want to run."

Here's what legislative candidates have to say about the opening of polls on Election Day:

Good morning! Welcome to Primary Day

Illinois voters head to the polls today to help determine which candidates are on the Nov. 8 general election ballot at all levels of government, among them Congress, Illinois governor, state representatives, and county offices.

The weather will cooperate with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-80s, according to the National Weather Service.

When do the polls close?

Polls opened across the state at 6 a.m. Voting ends at 7 p.m.

Can I register to vote in Illinois on June 28?

You can register in-person at the county clerk's office on primary election day.

Voters need two forms of identification to register, both must show the voter's name and at least one must have the voter's current address. Most voters can use a state ID card or driver's license and a credit card or utility bill. Voters can use their phones to provide identification, such as by pulling up their electricity or gas utility account information.

Illinois residents who are 17 on June 28, but will turn 18 by Nov. 8, the day of the general election, are eligible to vote in the primary election.

More news: On primary eve, new ads, new talk as Davis-Miller contest goes down to the wire

If I'm registered, what do I need to bring to vote?

Voters do not need to provide identification but must be registered to vote in the county where they live.

How do I find out where to vote?

Voters can report to their precinct voting location on June 28. To find out your precinct, check the back of your voter's registration card, the state's elections website, or call the county clerk.

What if I forgot to mail my early ballot?

Mailed ballot can be returned by U.S. Postal Service but they must be postmarked by June 28 and received no later than two weeks after Tuesday.

They also can be returned by using one of the secure ballot drop boxes on the south end of the County Building at Ninth and Monroe streets or at the Sangamon County Juvenile Detention Center, 2201 S. Dirksen Parkway.

A mailed ballot also can be hand delivered to the clerk's office.

Need help? Who to call

In Sangamon County, if you have problems or questions about voting, call (217) 753-8683 or go to the clerk's website at www.sangamoncountyclerk.com/elections.

Contact Zach Roth: (217) 899-4338; ZDRoth@gannett.com; @ZacharyRoth13. Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Illinois primary elections results, updates from Springfield