| Will County Democrats: As you may know, State Rep. Harry Benton, who served as the state representative of the 97th District, resigned his seat effective July 3, 2026. He also resigned his ballot position, having been nominated as the Democratic nominee for that seat at the March 17, 2026, primary election. State statute provides the processes by which these two vacancies – in the office, and on the ballot – are to be filled. These are two separate processes, but they are remarkably similar, with each appointment being made by a weighted vote of the Democratic County Chairs in the district. In this case, the affected counties are Will County and Kendall County, with the chair of the Will County Democratic Party holding the bulk of the weighted vote. State representatives must be at least 21 years of age, a resident and voter of the district, and have lived in the district for at least two years. In order to be considered for this appointment, you must be a democrat. If you are interested in being considered for the office and/or the nomination (the same person may, by law, be appointed to both the office and the vacancy on the ballot), please go to willcountydemocrats.com/district97/ and submit your letter of interest and a current resume. Applications will be accepted until Monday, July 13, 2026, at 5:00pm. Late applications will not be considered. Interviews will begin later that week. If you are not sure if you live in the district, please click here to view a map of the district or type in your address here. | 
