Gov. JB Pritzker won a third term Tuesday, Nov. 3, defeating Republican Darren Bailey for the second time and becoming the first Democrat elected to three consecutive terms as Illinois governor.

The Associated Press declared Pritzker the winner at 7 p.m. Central time, minutes after polls closed, according to a KWQC report carrying the AP alert. The call is a projection, not a certified result. Vote tallies will not become official until the county clerks certify them, a process Shaw Local reported takes about two weeks after the election.

No final statewide vote totals or percentages were available at the time of the AP call. Pritzker won 55% of the vote in both 2018 and 2022, according to WAND.

Bailey, a farmer from Xenia in southern Illinois and former state legislator, lost to Pritzker by nearly 13 percentage points in 2022, WBEZ reported. Pritzker's campaign spent nearly $24 million from July through September, compared with less than $1 million spent by Bailey, according to CBS News Chicago.

Pritzker, 61, is the first three-term Illinois governor since Republican Jim Thompson won his third of four terms in 1982, according to WBEZ. Illinois has no term limits on the governor's office.

What it means locally

The governor's race sat atop a ballot that included a competitive fight for the 47th Illinois House District, which covers Wheaton and parts of DuPage County. Republican Rep. Amy Grant of Wheaton did not seek reelection, and Capitol News Illinois reported that Democrats targeted the open seat as a pickup opportunity. Wheaton Democrat Erica Bray-Parker, a retired high school teacher who has served on the Wheaton City Council since 2019, faced Carol Stream Republican Robert Vrankovich, a small-business owner. Results in that race were not yet available.

The suburban political landscape matters. Democrats have expanded their margins in the collar counties in recent election cycles, Capitol News Illinois reported, while Republicans have seen their representation shrink. Democrats held a 78-40 advantage in the Illinois House and a 40-19 edge in the Senate heading into the election.

Pritzker's administration has signed legislation affecting DuPage County residents directly. The state eliminated its 1% sales tax on groceries effective Jan. 1, 2026, according to the Illinois Department of Revenue. Municipalities could opt to impose their own 1% local grocery tax in its place. Pritzker also signed two bills proposed by DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin's office, strengthening animal-cruelty prosecution and expanding protections for elderly residents and people with disabilities, according to a DuPage County government announcement. Both laws take effect Jan. 1, 2027.

Christian Mitchell, a former state representative who served as Pritzker's deputy governor, will become lieutenant governor. He replaces Juliana Stratton, who left the ticket to run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Dick Durbin, according to Fox 32 Chicago.

Multiple outlets noted Pritzker is considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, though WBEZ reported he has deflected questions about his political future.