Illinois State Senator, 45th Legislative District
November 3, 2026 · State Senate District 45; Illinois · State senate district · general
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Average · 41 out of 100
This district is mid-sized for its type, so each vote carries average weight. About 215,911 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(221,017 ÷ 215,911) ÷ ln(221,017 ÷ 209,032) = 41.92, comparing state senate districts in IL (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Average representation + unknown decisiveness → Average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
State Senator is responsible for:
- Voting on state laws and the state budget
- Representing their district in the state senate
- Confirming certain governor appointments in many states
- Helping district residents deal with state agencies
Affected Areas: Environment and Public Health, Reduce Wealth Gap, Anti-Corruption, Government Efficiency, Healthcare Affordability, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Social Programs and Welfare, Public Education Quality, Gun Control, Women's Reproductive Rights, Election Integrity, Personal Income Tax Reduction, Data Privacy, Civil Rights, Corporate Accountability, Public Infrastructure
Candidates
Andrew S. Chesney
Republican · Incumbent · declared
Andrew S. Chesney is the Republican Illinois state senator for District 45. He previously represented House District 89 from 2018 to 2023 and served as a Freeport alderman at large. He is a small-business owner and previously served on the Regional Access Mobilization Project board and as a Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor.
Records: Anti-Corruption 1 for, Corporate Accountability 1 for, Election Integrity 2 for, Government Efficiency 2 for, Government Spending Reduction 1 for, Gun Control 2 against, Housing Affordability 1 for, Personal Income Tax Reduction 1 for, Public Education Quality 2 for, Public Infrastructure 1 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 3 for, Social Programs and Welfare 1 against
Joseph H. "Joe" Berning
Democratic · declared
Joe Berning is the Democratic nominee for Illinois Senate District 45. Raised on a dairy and hog farm near Galena, he built a 44-year career in sales, marketing, management, insurance, feed, livestock equipment, and construction-related business. He founded JB Consulting in 2012 and retired in 2019 to focus on political and agricultural advocacy.
Records: Corporate Accountability 1 for, Government Efficiency 1 for, Reduce Wealth Gap 1 for, Social Programs and Welfare 3 for
Election sources
Source: elections.il.gov
Source: elections.il.gov
Source: multistate.us