Biography
Carina Santa Maria is the Democratic candidate for the Illinois State Senate, District 27, in the November 3, 2026 general election, where she faces Republican David Mathis for a seat with no incumbent.[1][2] In a Ballotpedia survey, she described herself as chief executive officer of Shelter Youth and Family Services and a village trustee in Arlington Heights, elected in 2025.[3]
Carina Santa Maria earned a high school diploma from Lake Park High School, a bachelor's degree from the University of Tampa and a graduate degree from Dominican University, according to Ballotpedia, which lists her career experience as a nonprofit executive.[2] In her survey responses, she described herself as a social worker and first-generation American who helped develop Illinois' first DCFS-approved home for child trafficking survivors and consulted with governments in Kosovo and the UAE on child welfare systems.[3]
Santa Maria advanced unopposed from the Democratic primary on March 17, 2026, with 21,284 votes.[2] She listed affordability, safety and compassion as her campaign's key themes, with proposals that include capping homeowners insurance increases, expanding Medicaid coverage, raising the minimum wage and upholding the SAFE-T Act.[3]
- 1.Illinois State Senate elections, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
- 2.Carina Santa Maria · Ballotpedia Reference
- 3.Carina Santa Maria - Candidate Connection survey (2026) · Ballotpedia Candidate's own words
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.
Illinois Senate District 27
Carina Santa Maria is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot for Illinois Senate District 27 as D. Not researched in depth — candidate list only.