Erica Harriss is a proud Metro East native, born in Highland, and she has been serving the people of Illinois’ 56th Senate District since 2023. The district includes parts of Madison and St. Clair counties, and Erica has made it her mission to stand up for the families, taxpayers, and small businesses who call the Metro East home.

Even as a first-term senator, Erica has already made a big impact. She was named Freshman of the Year by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, earned a 100% pro-small business voting record from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), received the Friend of Agriculture Award from the Illinois Farm Bureau, and was recently recognized as a Prairie State Policy Champion by Americans for Prosperity–Illinois.

In Springfield, she serves as the Minority Spokesperson for the Senate Local Government Committee and also sits on the Energy and Public Utilities, Licensed Activities, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs Committees.
Before serving in the Senate, Erica spent six years on the Madison County Board, where she built a reputation for putting taxpayers first, demanding accountability, and keeping government responsible and transparent.

Outside of politics, Erica is also a small business owner. She opened her business in 2014 after working in marketing and communications. She played college tennis and stays active in the community through local charities and as a youth group leader at Metro Community Church.

Erica is a proud Edwardsville High School Tiger alum and earned her degree from SIUE. She and her husband, Jeff, live in Glen Carbon and are proud parents of three children.