Illinois State House District 97
Tue, Nov 3 · Represented by Jessica Dixon Heitman Democratic · Member list as of Oct 28
No published poll names both candidates.The last winner we have no longer holds this seat, so that result isn't shown.
- Last election
- Harry Benton (Democratic) won by 4.4 points, 2024
- On the 2026 ballot
- 2 candidates
Side by side
Left column: HeitmanRight column: Shanahan
- Races
- None listed
- Won 0 of 1
How these are counted
Wins and losses count the races in our results files, the same as each profile.
More about this race
Candidates on the ballot
- Jessica Dixon HeitmanIncumbentDemocratic
- Gabby ShanahanRepublican
Party nominees only, not the certified ballot.
Source: elections.il.gov, dated Oct 28
All State House districts
- Democratic
- Republican
- Independent
- Nonpartisan
- More than one party
- No member listed
Map settings
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History (22 elections for this seat)
- Votes for listed candidates
- 52,745
- Election day
- November 5, 2024
- District map
- Older district map (2022 to 2024)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 2024, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticHarry BentonWon Democratic 27,54052.2% RepublicanGabby Shanahan Republican 25,20547.8% - Votes for listed candidates
- 35,027
- Election day
- November 8, 2022
- District map
- Older district map (2022)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 2022, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share DemocraticHarry BentonWon Democratic 18,09551.7% RepublicanMichelle Smith Republican 16,93248.3% - Votes for listed candidates
- 61,933
- Election day
- November 3, 2020
- District map
- Older district map (2012 to 2021)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 2020, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanMark BatinickWon(incumbent) Republican 32,22452.0% DemocraticHarry Benton Democratic 29,70948.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 44,370
- Election day
- November 6, 2018
- District map
- Older district map (2012 to 2021)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 2018, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanMark BatinickWon(incumbent) Republican 22,48050.7% DemocraticMica Freeman Democratic 21,89049.3% - Votes for listed candidates
- 42,312
- Election day
- November 8, 2016
- District map
- Older district map (2012 to 2021)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 2016, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanMark BatinickWon(incumbent) Republican 42,312100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 32,348
- Election day
- November 4, 2014
- District map
- Older district map (2012 to 2021)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 2014, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanMark BatinickWon Republican 18,40756.9% DemocraticMoira K. Dunn Democratic 13,92843.1% OtherRuss Harrison Other 130.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 37,494
- Election day
- November 6, 2012
- District map
- Older district map (2012 to 2021)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 2012, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanTom CrossWon(incumbent) Republican 37,494100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 30,398
- Election day
- November 2, 2010
- District map
- Older district map (2002 to 2011)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 2010, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanJim WatsonWon(incumbent) Republican 30,398100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 39,659
- Election day
- November 4, 2008
- District map
- Older district map (2002 to 2011)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 2008, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanJim WatsonWon(incumbent) Republican 39,659100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 29,718
- Election day
- November 7, 2006
- District map
- Older district map (2002 to 2011)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 2006, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanJim WatsonWon(incumbent) Republican 29,718100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 38,521
- Election day
- November 2, 2004
- District map
- Older district map (2002 to 2011)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 2004, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanJim WatsonWon(incumbent) Republican 38,521100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 37,564
- Election day
- November 5, 2002
- District map
- Older district map (2002 to 2011)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 2002, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanJim WatsonWon Republican 22,20359.1% DemocraticSteve Pohlman Democratic 15,36140.9% - Votes for listed candidates
- 34,424
- Election day
- November 7, 2000
- District map
- Older district map (1992 to 2001)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 2000, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanTom RyderWon(incumbent) Republican 34,424100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 27,603
- Election day
- November 3, 1998
- District map
- Older district map (1992 to 2001)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 1998, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanTom RyderWon(incumbent) Republican 27,603100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 30,924
- Election day
- November 5, 1996
- District map
- Older district map (1992 to 2001)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 1996, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanTom RyderWon(incumbent) Republican 30,924100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 35,087
- Election day
- November 8, 1994
- District map
- Older district map (1992 to 2001)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 1994, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanTom RyderWon(incumbent) Republican 22,07762.9% DemocraticJerry Montague Democratic 13,01037.1% - Votes for listed candidates
- 46,222
- Election day
- November 3, 1992
- District map
- Older district map (1992 to 2001)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 1992, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanTom RyderWon(incumbent) Republican 29,30363.4% DemocraticHenry G. Jackson Jr. Democratic 16,91936.6% - Votes for listed candidates
- 27,986
- Election day
- November 6, 1990
- District map
- Older district map (1982 to 1991)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 1990, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanTom RyderWon(incumbent) Republican 27,986100.0% - Votes for listed candidates
- 40,034
- Election day
- November 8, 1988
- District map
- Older district map (1982 to 1991)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 1988, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanTom RyderWon(incumbent) Republican 24,31560.7% DemocraticJohn Glynn Democratic 15,71939.3% - Votes for listed candidates
- 35,550
- Election day
- November 4, 1986
- District map
- Older district map (1982 to 1991)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 1986, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanTom RyderWon(incumbent) Republican 22,58263.5% DemocraticCharles K. Barnett Democratic 12,96836.5% - Votes for listed candidates
- 42,620
- Election day
- November 6, 1984
- District map
- Older district map (1982 to 1991)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 1984, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanTom RyderWon Republican 22,61653.1% DemocraticBarbara J. Gross Democratic 20,00446.9% - Votes for listed candidates
- 38,375
- Election day
- November 2, 1982
- District map
- Older district map (1982 to 1991)
Illinois House of Representatives District 97, 1982 to 2024, 1982, every candidate Candidate Party Votes and share Share RepublicanJim ReillyWon(incumbent) Republican 23,33060.8% DemocraticCharles Burch Democratic 15,04539.2%
- 2024: MEDSL 2024 official precinct returns (individual_states zips), retrieved Oct 28, 2026. Compiled by MIT Election Data and Science Lab (MEDSL) from official returns; not an official source
- 1982 to 2022: State Legislative Election Returns, 1967-2022 (Carl Klarner, Harvard Dataverse), retrieved Oct 28, 2026. Compiled by Carl Klarner (Harvard Dataverse) from official returns; not an official source
Last contest in this district on file: 2024.
Download and cite
Cite this page
Election Wrld. (2026). Illinois State House District 97, election results 1982 to 2024. https://www.electionwrld.com/il/house/97. Retrieved October 31, 2026.
Embed this seat
<iframe src="https://www.electionwrld.com/embed/il/house/97" title="Illinois House of Representatives District 97" width="100%" height="400" style="border:0;max-width:640px" loading="lazy"></iframe>
<p style="font-size:13px">Data: <a href="https://www.electionwrld.com">Election Wrld</a>, CC BY 4.0</p>Sources
Sources: Census TIGERweb Legislative MapServer (120th CDs layer 0, 119th CDs layer 4, 2026 SLD upper layer 1 and lower layer 2) (US Census Bureau, public domain), retrieved Oct 28, 2026; Open Civic Data division identifiers (census_autogenerated us_sldl/us_sldu and openstates state files); also (sld-recent.json): Open Civic Data division identifiers (country-us) (CC0 (repository); also (sld-recent.json): CC0 1.0), retrieved Oct 28, 2026; Open States people (current) CSVs (CC0-1.0 (Open States people data)), retrieved Oct 28, 2026, compiled by Open States volunteers and staff (rosters from state legislature sites) from official returns, not an official source; MEDSL 2024 official precinct returns (individual_states zips) (Not stated in the GitHub repository (an earlier label said "MIT (repo)", which the repository does not support). MEDSL's Harvard Dataverse records are CC0 1.0, but these GitHub files were not checksum-matched to the Dataverse files, so CC0 is not claimed for them.), retrieved Oct 28, 2026, compiled by MIT Election Data and Science Lab (MEDSL) from official returns, not an official source; State Legislative Election Returns, 1967-2022 (Carl Klarner, Harvard Dataverse) (CC0 1.0), retrieved Oct 28, 2026, compiled by Carl Klarner (Harvard Dataverse) from official returns, not an official source.
District id: ocd-division/country:us/state:il/sldl:97
DataState data (JSON)Sources: State Legislative Election Returns, 1967-2022 (Carl Klarner, Harvard Dataverse), MEDSL 2024 official precinct returnsData as of Oct 28, 2026