2026 Illinois Comptroller election

2026 Illinois State Comptroller election
← 2022
November 3, 2026
2030 →
 
Nominee Margaret Croke Bryan Drew
Party Democratic Republican
Incumbent State Comptroller

Susana Mendoza
Democratic


The 2026 Illinois State Comptroller election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the state comptroller of Illinois. Incumbent Democrat Susana Mendoza declined to run for a third full term.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Disqualified

Declined

Endorsements

Margaret Croke
Executive branch officials
U.S. senators
U.S. representatives
Statewide officials
State legislators
Local officials
Individuals
Party chapters
Labor unions
Newspapers
Stephanie Kifowit
U.S. representatives
State legislators
Labor unions
Organizations
Newspapers
Holly Kim
U.S. representatives
Statewide officials
State legislators
Local officials
Labor unions
Karina Villa
U.S. senators
U.S. representatives
State legislators
Labor unions
Organizations
Declined to endorse
Labor unions

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Margaret
Croke		 George Danos Stephanie Kifowit Holly
Kim		 Karina Villa Other Undecided
Tulchin Research (D) November 12–17, 2025 600 (LV) ± 4.0% 6% 3% 2% 9% 8% – 72%
Change Research (D) October 13–17, 2025 679 (LV) ± 3.9% 3% 2% 1% 6% 7% 3% 78%

Results

Results by county
  Croke
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  Villa
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  Kim
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Margaret Croke 406,577 34.5
Democratic Karina Villa 383,443 32.5
Democratic Holly Kim 286,403 24.3
Democratic Stephanie Kifowit 101,787 8.6
Total votes 1,178,210 100.0

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

  • Bryan Drew, attorney

Results

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bryan Drew 499,513 100.0
Total votes 499,513 100.0

General election

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Margaret
Croke (D)		 Bryan
Drew (R)		 Other Undecided
Public Policy Polling (D) September 30 – October 1, 2026 569 (LV) — 48% 37% — 15%

Results

2026 Illinois State Comptroller election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Margaret Croke
Republican Bryan Drew
Total votes 100.0

Notes

  1. ↑
  2. 1 2 Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  3. ↑ This poll was sponsored by Villa's campaign
  4. ↑ "Would not vote" with 3%

Partisan clients

  1. ↑ Poll conducted for Chicago News Weekly.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Hill, Tyler (January 9, 2026). "Champaign County Auditor removed from Comptroller ballot". WCIA. Archived from the original on January 12, 2026. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  2. ↑ Pearson, Rick (August 11, 2025). "State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit joins growing Democratic field running for Illinois comptroller". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 14, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  3. ↑ "Dems revolt at slating meeting: Skip Senate race, pick Hynes over Kaegi". Southwest Regional Publishing. July 21, 2025. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  4. ↑ Adams, Andrew (July 16, 2025). "Comptroller Mendoza won't run for reelection, opening up statewide office". NPR Illinois. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  5. 1 2 Kapos, Shia (March 2, 2026). "How war could reshape the primaries". Politico. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 Kapos, Shia (December 11, 2025). "Chicago budget mutiny tests the mayor". Politico. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  7. ↑ Kapos, Shia (December 4, 2025). "Tennessee swing jolts Illinois GOP". Politico. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  8. ↑ Kapos, Shia (January 12, 2026). "Bear down, reality roars back". Politico. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
  9. ↑ Kapos, Shia (February 9, 2026). "When campaign mail tries not to stink". Politico. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
  10. ↑ Kapos, Shia (December 2, 2025). "Dabrowski and the business crowd". Politico. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  11. ↑ Kapos, Shia (January 6, 2026). "Giannoulias cash surge fuels City Hall buzz". Politico. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Margaret Croke Endorsements". Politico. February 5, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Cook County Endorsements for Margaret Croke for Illinois State Comptroller". Politico. November 14, 2025. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Kapos, Shia (January 30, 2026). "Just a style showdown". Politico. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  15. ↑ Kapos, Shia (November 7, 2025). "Judge slams feds' credibility". Politico. Retrieved November 8, 2025.
  16. ↑ Kapos, Shia (November 25, 2025). "What Underwood saw at Broadview". Politico. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Cook County Democratic Party Slate – 2026 Primary". July 18, 2025. Archived from the original on August 11, 2025. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  18. 1 2 Kapos, Shia (January 29, 2026). "Johnson on running Chicago under Trump". Politico. Retrieved January 29, 2026.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Kapos, Shia (January 9, 2026). "'Undecided' dominates new poll". Politico. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
  20. ↑ Kapos, Shia (December 15, 2025). "'Middle of Everything'". Politico. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  21. 1 2 Kapos, Shia (February 17, 2026). "The Rev. Jesse Jackson has died". Politico. Retrieved February 17, 2026.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Endorsing Margaret Croke for Comptroller". Politico. January 23, 2026. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
  23. ↑ Kapos, Shia (March 3, 2026). "Stratton knocked for Israel trip". Politico. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Editorial: Margaret Croke for Illinois Comptroller Democratic primary". Chicago Tribune. February 17, 2026. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Stephanie Kifowit Endorsements". Politico. November 21, 2025. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  26. ↑ Kapos, Shia (January 16, 2026). "Drawing a legal line on hate". Politico. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  27. 1 2 3 Kapos, Shia (January 15, 2026). "Mental health funding fumble". Politico. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Chicago FOP – John Dineen Lodge #7 2026 Primary Endorsements" (PDF). Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  29. ↑ Kapos, Shia (January 23, 2026). "State creates a budget buffer". Politico. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Illinois FOP Endorsements for 2026 Primary". Politico. January 29, 2026. Retrieved January 29, 2026.
  31. ↑ Kapos, Shia (November 4, 2025). "Chuy Garcia to exit, too". Politico. Retrieved November 8, 2025.
  32. ↑ Kapos, Shia (November 13, 2025). "Illinois Dems push back at DHS". Politico. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  33. ↑ Kapos, Shia (November 13, 2025). "Freedom for detainees as activists face judge". Politico. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  34. 1 2 Kapos, Shia (March 11, 2026). "A PAC that promised support, delivered little". Politico. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
  35. ↑ "Stephanie Kifowit". votevets.org. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  36. ↑ "Endorsement: Kifowit for Democrats as Illinois comptroller". Daily Herald. February 27, 2026. Retrieved March 7, 2026.
  37. ↑ Kapos, Shia (November 21, 2025). "Ballot brawls heat up". Politico. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  38. ↑ Kapos, Shia (February 19, 2026). "Pritzker on love and budget limits". Politico. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  39. ↑ Kapos, Shia (November 3, 2025). "The transit bill's bumpy ride". Politico. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  40. 1 2 3 "Margaret Croke's endorsements from Will County". Politico. November 21, 2025. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  41. ↑ "Mayors endorsing Holly Kim". Politico. November 18, 2025. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
  42. ↑ Kapos, Shia (December 19, 2025). "The Gift List!". Politico. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  43. ↑ Kapos, Shia (February 10, 2026). "Another super PAC, now in IL-07". Politico. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  44. 1 2 Kapos, Shia (January 20, 2026). "Dem Senate primary turns fierce, fast". Politico. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  45. ↑ Kapos, Shia (November 6, 2025). "ICE roils in courtroom — and classroom". Politico. Retrieved November 8, 2025.
  46. ↑ Gorner, Jeremy (March 9, 2026). "Bernie Sanders endorses state Sen. Karina Villa for Illinois comptroller". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 10, 2026. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  47. ↑ Kapos, Shia (March 16, 2026). "When endorsements raise questions". Politico. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  48. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 "Senate Endorsement List". Politico. November 7, 2025. Retrieved November 8, 2025.
  49. ↑ "State Sen. Karina Villa launches campaign for Illinois comptroller". Fox 32 Chicago. August 25, 2025. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
  50. ↑ Kapos, Shia (February 27, 2026). "Politics pauses for Jackson". Politico. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  51. ↑ "CTU Endorsements Quick Guide". Retrieved February 9, 2026.
  52. ↑ "Endorsements for the March 17, 2026 Primary Election". February 2, 2026. Archived from the original on March 23, 2026. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  53. ↑ "IFT-Endorsed Candidates" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on February 7, 2026. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
  54. ↑ "NASW-IL Early 2026 State Election Endorsements: Karina Villa for State Comptroller". NASW-Illinois Chapter. September 25, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  55. ↑ "Illinois Primary Election Center / Información Electoral". Archived from the original on February 4, 2026. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  56. ↑ "2026 State & Municipal Endorsements" (PDF). SEIU IL Council. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  57. ↑ "NASW-IL Announces Endorsements for 2026 Illinois Primary Election". February 6, 2026. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  58. ↑ "Karina Villa for Illinois Comptroller". Archived from the original on February 17, 2026. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  59. ↑ "March 17, 2026 Primary Election Endorsed Candidates" (PDF). Retrieved February 9, 2026.
  60. ↑ "Illinois AFL-CIO 2026 Primary Election Endorsements". Politico. December 10, 2025. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  61. ↑ "IUOE Local 150 District 1 Endorsements" (PDF). Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  62. ↑ "2026 Local 399 Illinois Primary Election Endorsements" (PDF). Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  63. ↑ "Poll Finds Wide Open Race for Illinois Comptroller, Clear Path to Nomination for Karina Villa". Politico. November 21, 2025. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  64. ↑ "Holly Kim Leads by 10 Points After Voters Learn About Candidates". Politico. October 28, 2025. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
  65. ↑ Wilcoxen, Paul (November 3, 2025). "Benton attorney Bryan Drew enters comptroller race". The Southern Illinoisan. Archived from the original on November 4, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  66. ↑ Miller, Laura (October 4, 2026). "CNW Poll: Pritzker Leads Bailey by 20 Points, Democrats Ahead in Four Other Statewide Races". Chicago News Weekly. Retrieved October 6, 2026.

Official campaign websites