Chris Welch
2013 - Present
2027
12
Emanuel Welch (Democratic Party) (also known as Chris) is a member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing District 7. He assumed office on January 9, 2013. His current term ends on January 13, 2027.
Welch was elected speaker of the state House on January 13, 2021.[1] The speaker serves as the chief spokesman for the chamber, presides over legislative sessions, directs the legislative process, and performs additional administrative and procedural duties.[2][3]
Welch was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 6, 1971.[4] He received degrees from Northwestern University in 1993 and The John Marshall Law School in 1997. As of October 2025, Welch worked for the law firm Ancel Glink and he previously served as a member of the Proviso Township High School Board of Education.[2]
Welch was elected in 2012 to Illinois House of Representatives District 7. Welch defeated Beyonca Johnson (D), Princess Dempsey (D), and Rory Hoskins (D) in the Democratic primary, winning the nomination by 36 votes. He ran unopposed in the general election. Welch was unchallenged in the next four general elections until 2022, when he defeated Eddie Kornegay Jr. (R) 77.7%-22.3%. He was unchallenged in 2024.
Welch replaced former speaker Michael J. Madigan (D), the longest-serving state House speaker in U.S. history, in 2021, becoming the first Black speaker of the Illinois House.[5] After several individuals were indicted in an alleged plot to influence Madigan, 19 of the 73 Democrats in the House publicly opposed Madigan's candidacy for speaker. After falling short of the 60 votes necessary to be re-elected as speaker, Madigan suspended his campaign for the position.[6]
Welch said his priorities as speaker were "improving classroom education, creating jobs, helping the most vulnerable, and streamlining government."[7] Welch also said in 2025 that he wanted to "continue to pass balanced budgets that are compassionate and responsible," saying, "We balanced the budget every year I’ve been speaker, and some of those years we had very grim forecasts and we still managed to produce budgets with surpluses, make additional payments to our pension obligations and receive credit upgrades."[8] During Welch's first term as House speaker, the chamber passed a bill prohibiting the sale or possession of certain firearms, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, the Safe-T Act, and new district maps as part of redistricting after the 2020 census.[9][10] Prior to being elected speaker, Welch served as chair of the Higher Education and House Executive Committees.
Biography
Chris Welch was born and lives in Chicago, Illinois. Welch earned his B.S. in speech from Northwestern University in 1993 and his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School in 1997. His professional experience includes working as a partner at the law firms Ancel Glick and Sanchez, Daniels & Hoffman Limited Liability Partnership, an associate at the law firm James J. Roche & Associates, and a weekend assignment editor for WGN-TV, Channel 9 News. He also served as president of the board of the Proviso Township High Schools, District 209.[11]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2019-2020
Welch was assigned to the following committees:
- House Executive Committee, Chair
- Cities & Villages Committee
- Counties & Townships Committee
- House Higher Education Committee
- Revenue & Finance Committee
- House Insurance Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Illinois committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Appropriations-Elementary & Secondary Education |
| • Appropriations-Higher Education |
| • Cities & Villages |
| • Higher Education, Chair |
| • Judiciary - Civil |
| • Labor & Commerce |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Welch served on the following committees:
| Illinois committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Appropriations-Elementary & Secondary Education |
| • Appropriations-Higher Education |
| • Elementary & Secondary Education School Curriculum Policies |
| • Higher Education, Vice chair |
| • Judiciary - Criminal |
| • Labor & Commerce |
| • Substance Abuse |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Welch served on the following committees:
| Illinois committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Appropriations-Higher Education |
| • Health Care Availability Access |
| • Higher Education |
| • Judiciary |
| • Small Business Empowerment & Workforce Development |
| • Transportation: Regulation, Roads & Bridges |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2026
See also: Illinois House of Representatives elections, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on March 17, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 7
Incumbent Emanuel Welch is running in the Democratic primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 7 on March 17, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Emanuel Welch | |
| ||||
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Endorsements
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2024
See also: Illinois House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Illinois House of Representatives District 7
Incumbent Emanuel Welch won election in the general election for Illinois House of Representatives District 7 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Emanuel Welch (D) | 100.0 | 39,402 |
| Total votes: 39,402 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 7
Incumbent Emanuel Welch advanced from the Democratic primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 7 on March 19, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Emanuel Welch | 100.0 | 10,375 |
| Total votes: 10,375 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Welch in this election.
2022
See also: Illinois House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Illinois House of Representatives District 7
Incumbent Emanuel Welch defeated Eddie Kornegay Jr. in the general election for Illinois House of Representatives District 7 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Emanuel Welch (D) | 77.7 | 25,112 |
| Eddie Kornegay Jr. (R) | 22.3 | 7,210 | ||
| Total votes: 32,322 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 7
Incumbent Emanuel Welch advanced from the Democratic primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 7 on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Emanuel Welch | 100.0 | 10,790 |
| Total votes: 10,790 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 7
Eddie Kornegay Jr. advanced from the Republican primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 7 on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Eddie Kornegay Jr. | 100.0 | 2,269 | |
| Total votes: 2,269 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2020
See also: Illinois House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Illinois House of Representatives District 7
Incumbent Emanuel Welch won election in the general election for Illinois House of Representatives District 7 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Emanuel Welch (D) | 100.0 | 43,883 |
| Total votes: 43,883 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 7
Incumbent Emanuel Welch advanced from the Democratic primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 7 on March 17, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Emanuel Welch | 100.0 | 19,406 |
| Total votes: 19,406 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2018
General election
General election for Illinois House of Representatives District 7
Incumbent Emanuel Welch won election in the general election for Illinois House of Representatives District 7 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Emanuel Welch (D) | 100.0 | 35,678 |
| Total votes: 35,678 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 7
Incumbent Emanuel Welch advanced from the Democratic primary for Illinois House of Representatives District 7 on March 20, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Emanuel Welch | 100.0 | 16,269 |
| Total votes: 16,269 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
Elections for the Illinois House of Representatives were held in 2016. The primary election was held on March 15, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was November 30, 2015.[12]
Incumbent Emanuel "Chris" Welch ran unopposed in the Illinois House of Representatives District 7 general election.[13][14]
| Illinois House of Representatives, District 7 General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic |  Emanuel "Chris" Welch Incumbent (unopposed) | |
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections | ||
Incumbent Emanuel "Chris" Welch defeated Chris Harris in the Illinois House of Representatives District 7 Democratic primary.[15][16]
| Illinois House of Representatives, District 7 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Emanuel "Chris" Welch Incumbent |
65.55% | 18,117 | |
| Democratic | Chris Harris | 34.45% | 9,521 | |
| Total Votes | 27,638 | |||
2014
Elections for the Illinois House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on March 18, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was December 2, 2013. Incumbent Emanuel "Chris" Welch was set to face Antoinette "Toni" Gray in the Democratic primary, but Gray was removed from the ballot on January 22, 2014, leaving Welch unopposed. Welch was unchallenged in the general election. Mark Salisipan (R) withdrew from the race on December 24, 2013.[17][18][19]
2012
Welch won election in the 2012 election for Illinois House of Representatives District 7. Welch defeated Beyonca Johnson, Princess Dempsey and Rory Hoskins in the Democratic primary on March 20, 2012, and was unopposed in the general election on November 6, 2012.[20][21][22]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Chris Welch |
100% | 35,505 | |
| Total Votes | 35,505 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Chris Welch |
39.1% | 4,670 |
| Princess Dempsey | 8.4% | 1,007 |
| Beyonca Johnson | 13.7% | 1,634 |
| Rory Hoskins | 38.8% | 4,634 |
| Total Votes | 11,945 | |
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
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2024
Emanuel Welch did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Emanuel Welch did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Emanuel Welch did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2012
Welch's campaign website listed the following issues:[23]
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Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Endorsements
2014
In 2014, Welch's endorsements included the following:[24]
- Planned Parenthood Illinois Action
- Italian American Political Coalition
- AFL-CIO
- Personal PAC
- Equality Illinois
- AFFI
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Illinois scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 16 to May 29.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 11 to May 27.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 5 to April 9.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 13 to June 1.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 8 to May 23.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 9 through December 31.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 8 through May 31.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 11 through May 31. There were also special sessions. The 1st special session was June 21-July 6. The 2nd special session was July 26-July 31. During the 3rd special session, the Senate met on August 13, and the House met on August 16. The 4th special session was on August 28-29. There was a veto session from October 24-November 9.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 13 through May 31.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 14 through December 7 (extended session).
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 29 through June 2.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Illinois State Legislature was in session from January 9 through May 31.
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Noteworthy events
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| Coronavirus pandemic |
| Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more.
|
On November 29, 2020, Welch announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus.[27]
See also
2026 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Illinois House of Representatives District 7 |
Officeholder Illinois House of Representatives District 7 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Michael Madigan’s decadeslong grip on Illinois ends as House Democrats make Rep. Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch state’s first Black speaker," January 13, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Emanuel Chris Welch, "Meet Chris," accessed October 1, 2025
- ↑ Illinois Secretary of State, "Office of the Speaker of the House," accessed October 1, 2025
- ↑ Legistorm, "Illinois State Rep. Chris Welch," accessed October 1, 2025
- ↑ Chicago Magazine, "The 50 Most Powerful Chicagoans, Ranked," February 20, 2024
- ↑ The Hill, "Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan suspends campaign," January 11, 2021
- ↑ NAMI Chicago, "Light the Darkness 2023 Honoree," accessed October 1, 2025
- ↑ Capital News Illinois, "Budget constraints, caucus tensions face House Speaker Welch in his third term," January 17, 2025
- ↑ Daily Herald, "Poised for another term as speaker, Welch reflects on growing majority," November 22, 2022
- ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, ""Assault weapons to be banned in Illinois: House passes bill — and Pritzker vows to sign it 'immediately,'" January 11, 2023
- ↑ Vote Smart, "Chris Welch's Biography," accessed October 1, 2025
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election and Campaign Finance Calendar," accessed November 30, 2015
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Candidate list: General Election - 11/8/2016," accessed August 8, 2016
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election results, General election 2016," accessed December 15, 2016
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Candidate Filing Search," accessed January 3, 2016
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election Results: GENERAL PRIMARY - 3/15/2016," accessed August 8, 2016
- ↑ Illinois Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed March 18, 2014
- ↑ Illinois Board of Elections, "General Primary Election Official Canvass," April 18, 2014
- ↑ Illinois Secretary of State, "Official general election candidate list," accessed March 18, 2014
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Candidate List," accessed December 5, 2011
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Official 2012 Primary Results," accessed May 14, 2014
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, “Official Vote - November 6, 2012 General Election,” accessed December 31, 2012
- ↑ Chris Welch campaign website, "Platform," November 6, 2012
- ↑ Official campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed February 21, 2014
- ↑ Citizen Action Illinois, "99th General Assembly Legislative Scorecard 2016," accessed July 11, 2017
- ↑ Illinois Parents of Adults with Developmental Disabilities, "2016 Illinois Community Living Report," accessed July 11, 2017
- ↑ ABC 7 Chicago, "District 7 Rep. Chris Welch isolating after contracting COVID-19 within family circle," November 29, 2020
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Illinois House of Representatives District 7 2013-Present |
Succeeded by - |
