The Bloomington Election Commission has named a new executive director, weeks before early voting begins in the 2026 general election.
Will Nesbitt, the former executive director of the Danville Election Commission from 2015-2017, has been appointed to replace Luke Stremlau.
Stremlau died last October after serving as executive director for three years.
“I am excited to serve as executive director for the City of Bloomington and to use my experience in elections to provide outstanding elections the voters of the city," Nesbitt said in a news release.
Nesbitt served as the youngest election commission director in Illinois history at age 21. He also worked as an account manager and then sales manager for a nationwide election hardware and software company in two stints from 2018-2025, according to his LinkedIn page.
In between stints with the election equipment company, Nesbitt served as a manager for Republican U.S. Rep. Mary Miller’s Danville office. He resigned in January 2021 after Miller made a remark about Adolph Hitler that sparked calls from many elected officials to call for her to resign.
“This is the battle. Hitler was right on one thing. He said, 'Whoever has the youth, has the future,'” Miller said at a Moms for America rally. She later apologized for the comment.
“Congresswoman Miller’s comments are unfortunate and serious,” Nesbitt said to Vermillion County First. “They do not belong in our political discourse and they do not represent my beliefs and values. And, for that reason, I resigned effective January 6.”
The Bloomington Election Commission handles all voting operations in the City of Bloomington, including registering voters, maintaining voter registration records, recruiting and training election judges, securing polling places and tabulating and publishing election results.
Assistant Executive Director Stephanie Hanner has been serving as interim director since last fall.
Early and main-in voting begins Sept. 24 for the Nov. 3 election.
