Diane M. Harris, a Republican from Joliet, is running for Illinois secretary of state, the office that manages driver services and vehicle registration, in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. She faces Democrat Alexi Giannoulias.
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)
- Family: Harris describes herself as a mother of three
Experience and public service
Harris has held several elected and appointed positions, according to her campaign website. She said she has served as an elected trustee at Joliet Junior College, an appointed trustee at Joliet Public Library and secretary of the Joliet Township Republicans.
She said she worked in billing, credit and collections at ComEd from 1980 to 2000. She served as an IBEW Local 15 union steward during that time, Harris said. She said she also worked in the accounting department at Joliet City Hall and as a substitute teacher in District 204.
Harris said she has served as vice chairman of the Joliet Township Republican Organization since 2020 and as a Will County precinct committeemember since 2010. She said she owns a business called ItisAmazing Downtown Joliet.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Harris's campaign website and her responses on BallotReady. All statements reflect the candidate's own words or positions.
DMV services and modernization: Harris said she wants to expand self-service kiosks beyond 15 locations to all 102 Illinois counties, placing them in libraries, grocery stores and community centers. She said she would deploy mobile DMV units to serve downstate communities and review the feasibility of drive-up service options. Harris said she would create a unified online portal to streamline services while maintaining cybersecurity protections.
Election integrity: Harris said she would work to clean up voter rolls and promote election integrity during voter registration. She said she would coordinate with other government offices to improve records and protect against fraud.
Budget and fees: Harris said she would review the office's 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.
Road safety: Harris said she would advocate for safer 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 Second Amendment, school choice, the Clean Water Act and the Smart Energy Act, according to her BallotReady responses.
Endorsements
Harris's endorsements include the Peoria County Republican Central Committee, the Federation of Illinois Young Republicans, Wheeling Township Republicans, Madison County GOP, Lake County GOP and Illinois Family Action, according to her campaign website and BallotReady.
Candidate responses were gathered from Harris's campaign website and BallotReady questionnaire responses. The Park Ridge Wire did not interview the candidate for this profile.
