YWCA and NCNW Candidate Forum: Madison County Clerk and Illinois House District 111
ALTON – A challenger seeking to unseat an incumbent State Senator in the 56th District of Illinois shared her platform and priorities at a candidate forum held in Alton.
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YWCA Southwestern Illinois and the Alton Section of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) hosted a free Candidate Forum on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026 in the YWCA gymnasium in Alton. The event was presented as a community service, as neither organization endorses or supports any candidate for public office.
Candidates competing in three different races participated in the forum, including those running for Madison County Clerk, State Representative for the 111th District of Illinois and State Senator for the 56th District. Election Day is Nov. 3, 2026.
Marsie Geldert-Murphey is running as a Democratic challenger in the 56th District State Senate race and seeks to replace incumbent Republican Erica Harriss, who was unable to attend the forum. The state’s 56th District includes portions of Madison and St. Clair counties.
Geldert-Murphey used the forum as an opportunity to share her background with attendees. As a first-generation college graduate and the “product of public education,” she emphasized the importance of public schools in helping all children reach their full potential. Now a civil engineer, Geldert-Murphey started her career as part of the team who built the Clark Bridge in Alton.
“When people ask me why I’m running, it’s really pretty simple – I believe we need strong schools, affordable healthcare and good-paying union jobs,” Geldert-Murphey said. “I’m not a career politician, I’ve never run for office before – I just know when things are broken, how to fix them. That’s what I’ve done my whole career.”
The State Senate challenger also outlined her top platform priorities, including equal representation, affordability, and ensuring the 56th District is the “logistics hub in the Midwest.” Illinois is not only home to all six Class 1 railroads, but also one of the nation’s largest inland waterway/riverway ports. But for the district to become that regional logistics hub, Geldert-Murphey said it needs certain qualities in its State Senator.
“We need leadership, we need someone who understands that business, we need creativity and we need a strong voice representing us in Springfield. I can do that,” Geldert-Murphey said. “I want the opportunity for us to reach our us to fulfill our full potential in this area, which we absolutely can do, we just need the leadership to be able to do it.”
A full recording of the YWCA and NCNW Candidate Forum is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
