How will our U.S. Senate candidates work to end gridlock in Congress? What is their view of campaign finance and voter ID laws? How will they tackle gun violence and our heroin epidemic? In order to help voters with their decisions, Reboot Illinois and the Better Government Association asked our state's U.S. Senate candidates about these and other good government topics in the 2016 Reboot Illinois/BGA Candidate Questionnaire.

All four candidates in the Nov. 8 election responded to seven essay questions.

In a campaign season of sharp divisions and inflammatory rhetoric, the questionnaire asks about improving government, observations about compromises designed to achieve outcomes, and what candidates would do differently in their campaigning if they had it to do over again.

Reboot Illinois is a non-partisan digital and social media firm that provides news, views, fact checks and online tools designed to raise awareness and citizen involvement. It is the exclusive partner of PolitiFact, producing PolitiFact Illinois.

The BGA is a non-partisan, non-profit government watchdog that shines a light on government and holds public officials accountable. Its mission also encourages transparency, honesty, fairness, accountability, and efficiency through policy advocacy and community engagement.

Neither organization endorses political candidates.

The candidates' responses have not been edited. They are published exactly as they were submitted.

You can read the Reboot Illinois/Better Government Association Candidate Questionnaire here.

Next: Illinois Comptroller Questionnaire - 2016