Brian Friedrich
Republican · IL · Knox County Board Member, District 5
Brian Friedrich serves on the Knox County Board for District 5 and chaired the board from 2014 to 2016. He voted to start on-demand public transit for the county's small towns and rural areas.
Where Brian Friedrich stands, based on their records
Supports
Government Efficiency (1 record), Public Infrastructure (3 records)
Opposes
Healthcare Affordability (1 record)
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (3 support · 5 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Healthcare Affordability
Healthcare Affordability · 1 oppose
Voted to raise the county nursing home's private-pay room rate by $10 a day. It passed 8-4.
September 25, 2024Opposes Healthcare Affordability
Source: cms2.revize.com
Track record — Government Efficiency
Government Efficiency · 1 support
Moved to buy new voting machines to replace ones over 20 years old. It passed 12-0. He also moved to seek a five-year loan for the $466,559.38 cost.
August 27, 2025Supports Government Efficiency
Source: cms2.revize.com
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 3 support · 5 oppose
Voted to start borrowing through a bond to build a new landfill cell and close the old one. It passed 13-1.
June 24, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms2.revize.com
Moved to approve a union deal adding a 33-year pay step for courthouse, State's Attorney, and sheriff workers. It passed 11-0.
November 24, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms2.revize.com
Moved to adopt the 2025-2026 county budget as budget committee chair. It passed 11-0. He said he met with the sheriff six or seven times to cut that office's budget.
November 24, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms2.revize.com
Voted for raises for nurses (RNs and LPNs) at the county nursing home. The goal was pay equal to nearby nursing homes. It passed 11-3.
September 24, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms2.revize.com
Moved to buy new voting machines to replace ones over 20 years old. It passed 12-0. He also moved to seek a five-year loan for the $466,559.38 cost.
August 27, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms2.revize.com
Voted no on adding the 50 East Main Street building to the county's MSI building contract. It failed 3-9.
March 26, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms2.revize.com
Moved to set pay for the next circuit clerk and coroner terms. The coroner's pay rises from $55,000 to $64,000 over four years. It passed 10-5.
May 29, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms2.revize.com
Voted as board chair to keep the county hiring freeze for another year. The motion passed 13-1.
November 25, 2015Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: cms2.revize.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 3 support
Moved to approve a deal with Galesburg to start on-demand public transit across the county. It passed 9-1.
July 29, 2026Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: cms2.revize.com
Voted to start borrowing through a bond to build a new landfill cell and close the old one. It passed 13-1.
June 24, 2026Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: cms2.revize.com
Moved to send part of the landfill's fees to courthouse upkeep. It passed 13-1.
October 29, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: cms2.revize.com
Track record — General
General · 12 records
Became vice chairman of a county task force studying whether to fix or replace the courthouse.
June 16, 2026
Source: wgil.com
Moved to raise the county license fee for video gambling machines from $25 to $200 each. It passed 14-0.
December 22, 2025
Source: cms2.revize.com
Voted no on seeking bids from outside firms for nursing home floor care, a union job. It passed 10-4.
October 29, 2025
Source: cms2.revize.com
Cast the only no vote on keeping Sonia Hochstetler as chief county assessor. It passed 11-1.
August 27, 2025
Source: cms2.revize.com
Voted for a permit for a solar farm on farmland near County Highway 7. It passed 9-4.
June 25, 2025
Source: cms2.revize.com
Voted no on creating a First Assistant job title in the State's Attorney's office. The motion failed on a 6-6 tie.
September 25, 2024
Source: cms2.revize.com
Moved to add county zoning rules for battery energy storage sites before any were proposed. The rules passed 14-0.
July 24, 2024
Source: cms2.revize.com
Voted to let the county jail hold Cook County inmates for $60 a day. The deal passed 8-4.
March 27, 2024
Source: cms2.revize.com
Seconded and voted for a county building upkeep contract with MSI at $95 an hour. It passed 8-6.
February 28, 2024
Source: cms2.revize.com
Cast the only no vote on a permit for the Knox County Wind Farm. The permit passed 14-1.
May 27, 2020
Source: cms2.revize.com
Voted no on a county law setting rules for recreational marijuana in Knox County. The law passed 6-5.
January 22, 2020
Source: cms2.revize.com
Led the Knox County Board as chair from 2014 to 2016. On December 5, 2016, the new board picked Pam Davidson as chair over him.
December 5, 2016
Source: wgil.com
Past race Brian Friedrich ran in:
- Knox County Board District 5 · November 3, 2026 · Knox County, Illinois · incumbent