Peoria County is located in the U.S. state of Illinois. The 2010 United States Census listed its population at 186,494. Its county seat is Peoria.
Peoria is a city in Maricopa and Yavapai counties in the state of Arizona. Most of the city is located in Maricopa County, while a tiny portion in the north is in Yavapai County. It is a major suburb of Phoenix. According to 2019 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 175,961. Peoria is currently the sixth-largest city in Arizona for land area and the ninth-largest for population. It was named after Peoria, Illinois. The word "peoria" is a corruption of the Illini word for "prairie fire." It is the spring training home of the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners, who share the Peoria Sports Complex. In July 2008, Money magazine listed Peoria in its Top 100 Places to Live.
Peoria is the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, and the largest city on the Illinois River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 115,007. It is the principal city of the Peoria Metropolitan Area in Central Illinois, consisting of the counties of Marshall, Peoria, Stark, Tazewell, and Woodford, which had a population of 373,590 in 2011.
Peoria Notre Dame High School is a Catholic parochial high school in Peoria, Illinois. It is the largest parochial school in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria with approximately 815 students and has a college preparatory curriculum. According to the school, most of the students graduating in recent years went on to college. The school uses an academy system with a trustee committee, oversight board, pastor's board, president, and principal.
The Illinois Republican Party is the state-level affiliate of the Republican Party in Illinois. Since May 17, 2014, it has been chaired by Tim Schneider. The party is one of two legally established, statewide political parties in Illinois, the other being the Democratic Party.
The 18th congressional district of Illinois covers central and western Illinois, including all of Jacksonville and Quincy and parts of Bloomington, Peoria, and Springfield. It is currently held by Republican Darin LaHood, who took office in September 2015 following a special election. Republican Aaron Schock had previously represented the district since January 2009, but resigned March 31, 2015. Special elections were called to select Schock's replacement, with a primary on July 7 and the general election on September 10, 2015. LaHood, son of Schock's predecessor Ray LaHood, won the special election and reelection in 2016 and 2018.
The history of Peoria, Illinois, began when lands that eventually would become Peoria were first settled in 1680, when French explorers René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, and Henri de Tonti constructed Fort Crevecoeur. This fort later burned to the ground, and in 1813 Fort Clark was built. When the County of Peoria was organized in 1825, Fort Clark was officially named Peoria.
Michael K. Smith was a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 91st District from 1995 until 2011.
Jim Ardis is an American corporate executive and politician who is the current mayor of Peoria, Illinois, since 2005. Prior to becoming mayor, he had previously served on the Peoria City Council from 1999 through 2005. Ardis is currently the second-longest serving mayor in city history behind Edward Nelson Woodruff.
Academy of Our Lady and Spalding Institute were Catholic high schools across the street from each other in downtown Peoria, Illinois.
Darin McKay LaHood is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Illinois's 18th congressional district since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he previously was the member of the Illinois Senate from the seven-county 37th legislative district (2011–2015). He was elected to Congress in a special election following the resignation of Aaron Schock.
The Peoria City Council election of 2011 was held on April 5, 2011. Five At-Large of 10 city council seatswere up for election. Ten candidates were on the ballot. Newcomer Chuck Weaver won almost one-fourth of the vote. Elected were Chuck Weaver, and Beth Akeson; and incumbents Ryan Spain, Gary V. Sandberg, and W. Eric Turner. The Mayor, who is elected separately, presides over the Council.
The Peoria City Council election of 2007 was held on April 14, 2007. The five At-Large of 10 city council seats were up for election. Ten candidates were on the ballot. Elected were incumbents Gary V. Sandberg and W. Eric Turner; and newcomers Ryan Spain, George Jacob, and Jim Montelongo. The Council is presided over by the Mayor, who is elected independently.
The Peoria, Illinois municipal election of 2005 was held on April 5, 2005. Incumbent Mayor David Ransburg was defeated by At-Large Councilman Jim Ardis. Ardis was generally considered the conservative in the race, whereas Ransburg was seen as the more liberal.
The Peoria, Illinois City Council election of 2003 was held on April 1, 2003. Five At-Large seats of the 10 city council seats were up for election. Ten candidates were on the ballot. All those elected - W. Eric Turner, Jim Ardis, John D. Morris, Charles V. Grayeb, and Gary V. Sandberg - were incumbents.
The Peoria municipal election of 2001 took place on April 3 of that year.
Michael D. "Mike" Unes is a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives; he has represented the 91st District since 2011.
The 2013 Peoria municipal election was held on April 9, 2013. Incumbent Jim Ardis ran unopposed for his third term as mayor. No opposing candidates had filed for the primary, which was held on February 26, and so Ardis was re-election without opposition.
The Peoria City Council election of 2015 was held on April 7, 2015. The five At-Large seats on the 10-member Peoria city council were up for election. Six candidates appeared on the ballot. All five incumbent councilmen were re-elected: Beth Akeson, Ryan Spain, Eric Turner, Chuck Weaver, and Beth Jensen. The lone challenger, Katherine Coyle, Chairwoman of the Peoria County Republican Party, was not elected. The Mayor, who is elected separately, presides over the Council.
