Republican Diane M. Harris is running for Illinois secretary of state in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. She faces Democrat Alexi Giannoulias.
Harris described herself in a BallotReady questionnaire as a "Social and Fiscal Conservative, Pro-life Baptist mother of three and one dog." Harris said her campaign centers on modernizing the secretary of state's office, improving DMV customer service and strengthening election integrity.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Hometown: Joliet, Illinois
- Education: High school diploma, Joliet Central High School (1974); associate's degree in liberal arts, Joliet Junior College (1987); bachelor's degree in management, University of Phoenix (2010)
Harris said on her campaign website that she was born and raised in Joliet, the second child of a stay-at-home mother and a professional chauffeur of over 30 years. She attended Joliet Public Schools.
Experience and public service
Harris lists a range of public, private and volunteer roles on her campaign website:
- Committeemember, Precinct 23, Will County (2010–present), according to BallotReady
- Vice chairman, Joliet Township Republican Organization (2020–present), according to BallotReady
- Owner, ItisAmazing Downtown Joliet (2018–present), according to BallotReady
- Elected trustee, Joliet Junior College, Harris said
- Appointed trustee, Joliet Public Library, Harris said
- Secretary, Joliet Township Republicans, Harris said
- IBEW union steward, IBEW Local 15 / ComEd, Harris said
- Billing, credit and collections staff, ComEd (1980–2000), according to BallotReady
- Accounting department staff, Joliet City Hall, Harris said
- Substitute teacher, District 204, Harris said
- Notary public and notary signing agent, State of Illinois, Harris said
- Licensed insurance agent, Harris said
Harris also said she served as vice chair of Will County Republican Women, chair of the Illinois Center Right Coalition and at-large board member of the Historical Cathedral Area Preservation Neighborhood Association.
On the issues
DMV modernization and customer service: Harris said she wants to expand self-service kiosks beyond what she described as 15 existing locations to all 102 Illinois counties, placing them in libraries, grocery stores and community centers. She said she would deploy mobile DMV units to reach communities from Cairo to Rockford. Harris said she would also create drive-up service options and deliver "modern, innovative services that are faster, fairer, and more accessible to all Illinoisans" through a unified online portal, according to her issues page.
Budget and fees: Harris said she would review the office's $885M spending budget for waste and fraud. She said she would work with legislators to reduce fees for seniors, veterans and DMV customers. Harris said she supports tax cuts.
Election integrity: Harris said she would clean up voter rolls and promote election integrity during all registrations. She said she would work with other government offices to improve records and "protect the vote." Harris said she would strengthen cybersecurity to guard against fraud and protect personal information.
Road safety: Harris said she would advocate for safer, smarter road rules to protect families and young drivers. She said driver education on the rules of the road is essential for both new and experienced drivers.
Other positions: Harris said she supports the Clean Water Act, the Smart Energy Act, the Second Amendment and school choice. She said she does not support critical race theory, stating it is "backwards" and cannot correct systemic harm "by creating the same problem."
Endorsements
Harris has received endorsements from the Peoria County Republican Central Committee, the Federation of Illinois Young Republicans, Wheeling Township Republicans, the Madison County GOP, the Lake County GOP and Illinois Family Action, according to her campaign website and BallotReady.
Candidate responses are drawn from Harris's campaign website and BallotReady questionnaire answers. Policy positions reflect the candidate's own statements.
