THE ILLINOIS 9 DOCUMENTARY
The 2026 race for Illinois’s 9th Congressional District offers a rare, real-time look at how plurality elections can distort democratic outcomes. With a large field of candidates—many qualified, many compelling—the vote can easily split into small fractions, producing a winner supported by far less than half of the electorate.
What the film explores
- How crowded fields create unpredictable and often unfair outcomes
- Why plurality elections can undermine majority rule
- What voters think about split races and runoff systems
- How the Equal Voter Amendment would change this specific contest
- How real candidates would fare under true majority requirements
Why IL-9 matters
This district is diverse, politically engaged, and home to a large number of credible candidates. It’s an ideal environment to illustrate how electoral structures—not voters—determine outcomes.
Our approach
The film blends interviews, data, visual storytelling, and behind-the-scenes access to show the election from multiple angles. It is not an endorsement of any candidate. It is an exploration of how elections work—and how they could work better.
What’s next
Production continues through the 2026 primary with release planned for two weeks after the primary election. Updates, trailers, and behind-the-scenes footage will appear on this site as the project evolves.
Join the effort
As production continues, we’ll be sharing updates about ways to support the project and help bring this story to a wider audience.
Your involvement—whether through interest, outreach, or future funding opportunities—will help us demonstrate how a stronger democratic process can truly work.
