Roscoe candidate meet and greet included six office seekers
Candidates met voters at the Roscoe Township Community Center on Feb. 11.
The League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford held a Candidate Meet and Greet on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 at the Roscoe Township Community Center, prior to the primary election on March 17, 2026.
Jen Blaisdell, President of the League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford, gave a warm welcome and thanked Roscoe Township for the use of the Roscoe Township Community Center. The event was sponsored by The League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford, The American Association of University Women, The AACP, and Vote 411.
What the candidates said
Marianne Mueller
Blaisdell added, “This is a non-partisan educational event to familiarize voters with the issues that candidates of both parties are taking to the polls.”
“Our goal is to focus on the issues and having our representatives talk to you about the one percent facilities tax.”
The evening's moderator, Christine Haeggquist, is the co-president of The American Association of University Women.
Haeggquist said, “The League of Women Voters believes all registered voters and those eligible to register need to be represented.”
“To better accomplish this, the league reached out to other non-partisan organizations in the greater Rockford area that reach a diverse audience and population, to work together to educate and inspire everyone to vote and to exercise your rights.”
“Remember, go vote 815, it is your vote, your voice, and our future.”
Each candidate was given three minutes to speak, followed by superintendents from schools in Winnebago County. District representatives were given five minutes to speak.
Candidates' campaign literature and information on the one percent tax referendum were available for attendees to pick up at the event. After candidates and representatives spoke, everyone had an opportunity to meet them and ask questions.
Referendum questions to appear on the ballots in Winnebago County include a resolution to submit an advisory referendum to the voters of Winnebago County regarding the federal scholarship tax credit. A second question is whether to impose a county-wide 1% school sales tax.
Each candidate who spoke at the Roscoe Township Center at the Feb. 11 Meet and Greet gave their background and reasons for running.
Michael McGinnis
Rockton-Roscoe News Staff
Read what the school district superintendents said about the school tax referendum.
Marianne Mueller
The text of the federal scholarship tax credit referendum item reads:
"Should Illinois opt into a federal program that would provide Public K-12, private school, and homeschool students with privately-donated funds for academic needs, such as tutoring and test preparation, educational therapies for students with disabilities, tuition, books, exam fees or for other specified academic needs?"
Federal and state candidates on the 2026 primary ballot cover the U.S. Senate, Governor/Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, Treasurer, Congressional Representatives, State Senators, and Representatives in the General Assembly.
On local and county levels, candidates are running for County Board Districts 1, 4-10. 12, 14, and 15 County Clerk, County Treasurer, County Sheriff, County Assessor, Judges 17th Circuit 1 and 2 Sub circuit, and school referendums in Boone and Winnebago County.
When voters cast their primary ballot, they can choose either a non-partisan, Democratic, or Republican ballot. Non-partisan ballots only include the school referendum - with no candidates. Partisan ballots include only one party’s candidates and also allow a final vote for precinct committee persons.
Since Illinois has “open primaries,” any registered voter can choose to vote on either party's ballot, regardless of their usual affiliation. Republicans who want a voice in the State Comptroller election can ask for a Democratic primary ballot. Democrats who want a voice in the District 7 County Board election can ask for a Republican primary ballot. Of course in the general election in November, voters can choose candidates of any party, for any office.
Write-in candidates are allowed, but only the names on the official list [PDF] will be counted. For example, Republicans can write in John Kitover for 16th Congressional District, while Democrats can write in Adam Delgado for US Senate.
Early voting opened on Feb. 5 at the Winnebago County Clerk's office, 404 Elm St., Rockford. An off-site Vote Center is open at 1965 Harlem Rd. in Loves Park.
Information is available on the Winnebago County elections website about early voting, voting by mail, finding a specific polling place, seeing who is running, viewing a sample ballot, learning how to become an Election Judge, Referendum questions, hours on election day, and other details.
Questions about voting in the upcoming primary can be answered by calling Winnebago County at (815) 319-4252 or by emailing [email protected].
More about the election
Michael McGinnis
