Forum gives Springfield residents a voice in upcoming House of Representatives election

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Congressional candidates are gearing up for the 2026 U.S. House of Representative election. A community in Springfield hosted a forum inside of First Presbyterian Church on Sunday evening, where voters interacted with candidates running for the 15th Congressional District.

"I want a representative that's going to represent us, not corporate interests, not Donald Trump, but represent the 15th congressional district," said Terry Redman, an audience member at the forum.

Voters got the chance to hear directly from candidates running for Illinois' 15th congressional district. The forum gave voters the opportunity to ask tough questions and eventually decide who they want representing them in Washington.

Republican candidates and Incumbent Representative Mary Miller were invited to the forum. Organizer Karen Broquet said the community should hear from all candidates regardless of the political party.

"That personal touch is huge. And our hope is that the questions will stimulate audience members to think about roles for our elected officials that they maybe haven't thought about before," said Broquet.

Only four of the five democratic candidates were present, including Paul David, Kyle Nudo, Randy Raley, and Jennifer Todd. Candidate Anthony Barnes did not attend. The candidates were asked questions by a moderator, followed by a Q&A session with the audience.

Many community members said they don't feel heard by elected officials — but that the forum is a step in the right direction.

Polls for the primary election open on March 17th, 2026. The first day to apply for a mail-in ballot is December 17th, 2025. The Last day for online voter registration is March 1, 2026.

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