Joliet Republican Diane M. Harris, endorsed by the Lake County GOP, is challenging Democrat Alexi Giannoulias for Illinois secretary of state in the Nov. 3 general election.
Harris, a self-described social and fiscal conservative, has been certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data. She has received endorsements from several county Republican organizations, including the Lake County GOP, according to BallotReady profile data. Her campaign website describes her background in government, union and private-sector work.
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), according to BallotReady profile data
- Endorsements (claimed by endorsers): Lake County GOP, Madison County GOP, Peoria County Republican Central Committee, Federation of Illinois Young Republicans, Wheeling Township Republicans and Illinois Family Action
Experience and public service
Harris has held a mix of elected, appointed and volunteer roles, 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 and served as an IBEW Local 15 union steward there. She also said she worked in the accounting department at Joliet City Hall and as a substitute teacher in District 204.
Harris said she has been a precinct committeemember in Will County since 2010 and vice chairman of the Joliet Township Republican Organization since 2020, according to BallotReady profile data. She said she owns ItisAmazing Downtown Joliet, a business she started in 2018.
On the issues
DMV modernization: Harris said she would 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. On her campaign issues page, she called for a unified online portal to streamline services while maintaining cybersecurity.
Fees and budget: Harris said she would work with legislators to reduce fees for seniors, veterans and DMV customers. She also said she would review the office's spending budget for waste and fraud.
Election integrity: Harris said she would clean up voter rolls and promote election integrity during all registrations. She said she would work with other government offices to improve records and strengthen cybersecurity to protect personal information and guard against fraud.
Road safety: Harris said she would advocate for safer road rules to protect families and young drivers, calling driver education on the rules of the road essential for both new and experienced drivers.
Other positions: Harris said on her campaign website that she supports the Second Amendment, school choice, the Clean Water Act, the Smart Energy Act and tax cuts. She said she does not support critical race theory, stating "it is my conclusion that it is backwards, and we cannot correct a system that has done so much harm by creating the same problem."
Candidate issue positions are drawn from Harris' campaign website and BallotReady questionnaire responses. The Lake Forest Journal did not interview the candidate for this profile.
