The deadline has come and gone for candidates to file petitions to run in the March 2026 Illinois Primary Election. And in Vermilion County some members who have been serving on the County Board decided not to run. And one long-time board member and former chairman, James McMahon decided to switch parties. He is running as a Republican for County Board in District 9. McMahon has been serving as a Democrat.
County Board members Kevin Green, Nancy O’Kane, and Robert Boyd decided not to seek re-election. And there are now three candidates in the race for Vermilion County Sheriff. They are Michael Hartshorn, John Thompson, and Hugh Sands.
Current Sheriff Pat Hartshorn decided not to run again.
In addition to the sheriff’s race, there are two people running for Vermilion County Treasurer. They are incumbent Darren Duncan and Jason Whaling.
Robyn Heffern, a Republican who currently serves as Vermilion County Clerk, is seeking re-election without any opposition. And Aaron Hird, a Republican from Catlin, is seeking to retain his seat as Regional Superintendent of Schools.
Incumbent Republican Nate Byram is the only person who filed for Supervisor of Assessments. And Douglas Adams, Natalie Duncan of Rossville, and Jay Fruhling of Fairmount, filed to serve on the Vermilion County Board of Review.
Others who filed their candidacy petitions before Monday afternoon’s filing deadline include:
- Larry Baughn, Jr., Republican from Hoopeston, who is seeking re-election in County Board District 1. Terry Prillaman, Republican from Rossville, is also seeking a seat on the County Board from District 1.
- Eric Luttrell, Republican from rural Alvin, is running for a seat on the county board from District 2.
- Kevin Bodine has filed petitions running for County Board as a District 3 Republican.
- Tonya Hill of Catlin has also filed petitions for County Board in District 3.
- Vic McFadden of Westville is running for re-election in District 4, and Carl Lee Johnson, Democrat of Georgetown, is also running.
- In District 5, Pastor Phil Jackson of Danville and Brad Watson of rural Danville are running.
- In District 5, Tara Auter is seeking to fill the two-year unexpired term left by Chrisi Walls.
- In District 6, Democrat Sabrina Kelly and Gregory Shepard are both seeking to serve on the county board.
- Candidates running for the Vermilion County Board in District 7 are Mickensy Ellis-White of Oakwood, Chris LaMar of Warrington Avenue in Danville, and Timothy Morgan of Danville.
- In County Board District 8, Deonta Brooks of Danville is running.
- District 9 is the one where long-time Democrat County Board member James McMahon is running as a Republican.
