Illinois’s 16th Congressional District is represented by Republican Darin LaHood and covers 21 counties across central and northwestern Illinois, stretching from Jo Daviess County on the Wisconsin border down to the Bloomington-Normal area. LaHood has held the seat since the current map took effect in January 2023.1Congress.gov. Darin LaHood
What Area the District Covers
The 16th is one of the largest Illinois districts by land area. Its population anchors are Peoria, Bloomington-Normal in McLean County, and part of the Rockford area in Winnebago County.2Congressman Darin LaHood. About The rest is largely rural, with corn and soybean farming dominant between the cities and manufacturing and healthcare concentrated in the urban centers.
Counties fully or partially in the district include Boone, Bureau, Carroll, DeKalb, Ford, Fulton, Grundy, Henry, Iroquois, Jo Daviess, Knox, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Marshall, McLean, Ogle, Peoria, Putnam, Stark, Tazewell, Whiteside, Winnebago, and Woodford.3U.S. Census Bureau. Congressional District 16 Illinois Map Each Illinois district holds roughly 753,000 to 754,000 residents under the current apportionment.
Who Represents the District
Darin LaHood, a Peoria native, first won a special election in September 2015 for the old 18th Congressional District. When the state redrew its map, he was placed in the new 16th and elected there in November 2022.2Congressman Darin LaHood. About He continues to serve in the 119th Congress.1Congress.gov. Darin LaHood
LaHood chairs the Work and Welfare Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee and also sits on its Trade Subcommittee.4Congressman Darin LaHood. LaHood To Continue Serving as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Work and Welfare in 119th Congress Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing body in the House and handles tariffs, trade agreements, and Social Security.5House Committee on Ways and Means. About the Committee on Ways and Means Jurisdiction He is also a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which oversees the nation’s intelligence agencies.6House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. HPSCI Members
How To Contact the District Offices
LaHood keeps three offices in the district plus one in Washington. Staff at any local office can help with casework, take input on legislation, or route service academy nomination inquiries.
- Peoria: 100 NE Monroe Street, Room 100, Peoria, IL 61602. (309) 671-7027
- Normal: 108 East Beaufort Street, Normal, IL 61761. (309) 445-8080
- Rockford: 527 Colman Center Drive, Rockford, IL 61108. (779) 238-4785
- Washington, D.C.: 503 Cannon HOB, Washington, DC 20515. (202) 225-6201
Casework is the most common reason to call. A caseworker can inquire when a veteran’s benefits are delayed, a tax refund is stuck, a passport application isn’t moving, or an immigration case has stalled. The office cannot guarantee an outcome, but a congressional inquiry often speeds up the agency’s response.
The district office also processes nominations to the U.S. military service academies, including West Point, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, and the Merchant Marine Academy. The nomination window typically opens in the spring for students entering their senior year of high school, with packets due to the district office by mid-fall.
Why the Map Looks the Way It Does
The 2020 Census cut Illinois’s House delegation from 18 seats to 17, forcing every district line in the state to be redrawn.7U.S. Census Bureau. Number of Seats Gained and Lost in U.S. House of Representatives by State – 2020 Census The Illinois General Assembly passed the current map as House Bill 1291 on November 1, 2021, and Governor Pritzker signed it on November 23, 2021.8All About Redistricting. Illinois It remains active through at least the 2030 Census cycle.
Because Illinois lost a seat, each surviving district had to grow or shift. The 16th’s long shape, threading from the Wisconsin border down to Bloomington-Normal, is the direct result. Residents who lived in the old 16th, 17th, or 18th districts before 2023 may now be in a differently numbered district.
Voting in the Next Election
All 17 Illinois U.S. House seats are on the ballot every two years. The 2026 primary is set for March 17, 2026, and the general election is November 3, 2026. Both use the current map.
Illinois requires registration at least 28 days before an election by mail or in person, or at least 16 days before if registering online. Voters who miss those deadlines can still register in person during a grace period running from 27 days before Election Day through Election Day itself, though grace-period voting happens at the local election office rather than a regular polling place. Registration status and polling locations are available through the Illinois State Board of Elections.