John W. Maitland, Jr. (born July 29, 1936) is an American farmer and politician who served as a Republican member of the Illinois Senate from 1979 until 2002.

[2] Incumbent Republican Harber Hall declined to run for reelection to the Illinois Senate in the 1978 election.

Maitland, then-President of the McLean County Farm Bureau, defeated Mayor of Normal and Democratic candidate Carol Reitan for the open seat.

[5] Bud Stone, an incumbent redistricted into the same district as Maitland also chose not to run.

[7][8] In 2017, Maitland and his wife Joann supported Illinois's effort to pass the Equal Rights Amendment.