2016 Illinois Comptroller special election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2016 Illinois Comptroller special election

| country = Illinois

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_year = 2014

| next_election = 2018 Illinois elections#Comptroller

| next_year = 2018

| election_date = November 8, 2016

| image1 = File:Susana Mendoza Purple Blouse.jpg

| image_size = 150x150px

| nominee1 = Susana Mendoza

| votes1 =

| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)

| popular_vote1 = 2,676,244

| percentage1 = 49.45%

| image2 = 3x4.svg

| nominee2 = Leslie Munger

| party2 = Republican Party (United States)

| running_mate2 =

| popular_vote2 = 2,404,723

| percentage2 = 44.43%

| map_image = {{switcher |170px |County results |170px |Congressional district results |170px |Precinct results}}

| map_caption = Mendoza: {{legend0|#A5B0FF|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933e5|80–90%}} {{legend0|#0D0596|>90%}}
Munger: {{legend0|#FFB2B2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#E27F7F|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#D72F30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#C21B18|80–90%}} {{legend0|#A80000|>90%}}
Tie: {{legend0|#d2b1d9|40–50%}} {{legend0|#808080|No votes}}

| title = Comptroller

| before_election = Leslie Munger

| before_party = Republican Party (United States)

| after_election = Susana Mendoza

| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)

| turnout = 67.41%

}}

A special election for Illinois Comptroller took place on November 8, 2016. After comptroller Judy Baar Topinka died shortly after her reelection in 2014, Republican Governor Bruce Rauner appointed Leslie Munger, a former business executive and unsuccessful 2014 nominee for the Illinois House of Representatives, to fill her seat at the beginning of his term in 2015.{{cite news|last1=Geiger|first1=Kim|last2=Hinkel|first2=Dan|title=Rauner's pick for comptroller not worried about possible 2016 election|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-leslie-munger-comptroller-met-20150107-story.html|access-date=3 October 2015|publisher=Chicago Tribune|date=8 January 2015}} Per Illinois state law, a special election was held to elect a comptroller to finish Topinka's term. Munger ran as the Republican nominee against Democratic Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza.{{cite news|last1=Huffer|first1=Ryan|title=Comptroller Munger could face tough election in 2016|url=http://www.nowdecatur.com/2015/09/30/comptroller-munger-could-face-tough-election-in-2016/|access-date=3 October 2015|publisher=WSOY-AM|date=30 September 2015}} State Senator Daniel Biss ran for the Democratic nomination, but dropped out in November 2015.

Mendoza defeated Munger by 49.45% of the vote to Munger's 44.43%, becoming Illinois' tenth comptroller on December 5, 2016.

Election information

The primaries and general elections coincided with those for federal elections (president, House and Senate), as well as those for other state offices.

=Background=

Topinka died in December 2014, shortly after being re-elected to a second term in November, but before that second term began, outgoing Democratic Governor Pat Quinn (who lost his own bid for re-election) appointed his former budget chief Jerry Stermer to fill the remainder of Topinka's first term, allowing Governor-elect Bruce Rauner to make his own appointment for what would have been Topinka's second full term.{{cite journal |last=Long |first=Ray |last2=Hellman |first2=Jessie |last3=Garcia |first3=Monique |date=January 8, 2015 |title=Illinois lawmakers quickly approve special comptroller election in 2016 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/chi-special-comptroller-election-clears-first-hurdle-in-springfield-20150108-story.html |journal=Chicago Tribune |access-date=January 8, 2015}}

In an early January 2015 special session, the Democratic-led Illinois General Assembly approved a bill requiring that a special election be held at the next regular statewide election for any vacancy in any statewide executive office that occurs more than 28 months before the end of the term. Governor Quinn signed the bill shortly thereafter.{{cite news|title=Quinn signs law for special election of comptroller|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/10/quinn-to-sign-2016-comptroller-special-election-bi/|access-date=3 October 2015|agency=Associated Press|publisher=The Washington Times, LLC|date=10 January 2015}} Whoever incoming Governor Bruce Rauner appointed to fill Topinka's second term would serve only until a 2016 special election, instead of serving the full four-year term. The special election law received criticism from Republicans, who described it as a move to weaken Governor Rauner by shortening the term of his appointee.

=Turnout=

For the state-run primaries (Democratic and Republican), turnout was 35.94%, with 2,755,220 votes cast.{{cite web |title=Voter Turnout |url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/VoterTurnout.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210530142655/https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/VoterTurnout.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 30, 2021 |website=www.elections.il.gov |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections |access-date=22 March 2020 }} For the general election, turnout was 67.41%, with 5,412,543 votes cast.

Democratic primary

=Candidates=

==Declared==

Susana Mendoza, City Clerk of Chicago{{cite news |last1=Pearson |first1=Rick |title=City Clerk Mendoza gets major union backing in state comptroller bid |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-susana-mendoza-comptroller-endorsement-met0924-20150923-story.html |access-date=3 October 2015 |publisher=Chicago Tribune |date=22 September 2015}}{{cite web | url = https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionInformation/CandList.aspx?SearchType=Type+Of+Office&ListType=RESULTS+OF+SEARCH+BY+TYPE+OF+OFFICE&ElectionID=50&ElectionType=GP&ElectionDate=3%2f15%2f2016&ElectionYear=2016&OfficeTypeSearchType=Matches&OfficeType=STATEWIDE+EXECUTIVE+OFFICES&QueryType=CANDIDATE&StatusSearchType=Matches&Status=&OrderBy=ORDER+BY+tblOffices.BallotGroup%2c+OfficeSequence%2cPartySequence%2c+FileDateTime%2c+vwCandidates.Sequence%2cID%2c+LotteryLastName%2c+LotteryFirstName | title = Candidate List: GENERAL PRIMARY - 3/15/2016 | publisher = Illinois State Board of Elections | location = Springfield, Illinois | access-date = November 24, 2015 | archive-date = November 24, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151124203825/https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionInformation/CandList.aspx?SearchType=Type%20Of%20Office&ListType=RESULTS%20OF%20SEARCH%20BY%20TYPE%20OF%20OFFICE&ElectionID=50&ElectionType=GP&ElectionDate=3%2F15%2F2016&ElectionYear=2016&OfficeTypeSearchType=Matches&OfficeType=STATEWIDE%20EXECUTIVE%20OFFICES&QueryType=CANDIDATE&StatusSearchType=Matches&Status=&OrderBy=ORDER%20BY%20tblOffices.BallotGroup%2C%20OfficeSequence%2CPartySequence%2C%20FileDateTime%2C%20vwCandidates.Sequence%2CID%2C%20LotteryLastName%2C%20LotteryFirstName | url-status = dead }}

==Withdrew==

Daniel Biss, state senator{{cite news | url = http://wuis.org/post/biss-bows-out-comptrollers-race | title = Biss Bows Out Of Comptroller's Race | first = Amanda | last = Vinicky | work = WUIS | edition = website | publisher = University of Illinois at Springfield | location = Springfield, Illinois | date = November 22, 2015 | access-date = November 24, 2015 }}

=Results=

{{Election box begin no change |title=Democratic primary results}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Susana Mendoza

|votes = 1,626,175

|percentage = 100.00%

}}

{{Election box total no change |

|votes = 1,626,175

|percentage = 100.00%

}}

Republican primary

=Candidates=

==Declared==

Leslie Munger, incumbent Comptroller

=Results=

{{Election box begin no change |title=Republican primary results}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Leslie Munger (incumbent)

|votes = 1,129,045

|percentage = 100.00%

}}

{{Election box total no change |

|votes = 1,129,045

|percentage = 100.00%

}}

Libertarian Party

=Candidates=

==Declared==

Claire Ball, corporate accountant, U.S. Cellular{{cite web | url =http://www.sj-r.com/news/20160627/libertarians-seeking-illinois-posts-including-us-senate-state-comptroller | title =Libertarians seeking Illinois posts including U.S. Senate, state comptroller | work =The State Journal-Register | access-date =July 6, 2016 | archive-date =September 18, 2016 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160918211512/http://www.sj-r.com/news/20160627/libertarians-seeking-illinois-posts-including-us-senate-state-comptroller | url-status =dead }}{{cite web | url = http://www.claireballforillinois.com/ | title = Official Site | work = Claire Ball - Libertarian for Illinois Comptroller | access-date = July 6, 2016}}

Green Party

=Candidates=

==Declared==

Tim Curtin, former international representative for United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America Local 925 national staff{{cite web | url = http://www.ilgp.org/its_official_on_ballot2016 | title = It's Official We WILL be Able to Vote for the Greater Good in Illinois | work = Illinois Green Party | access-date = July 6, 2016 | archive-date = August 16, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170816063024/http://www.ilgp.org/its_official_on_ballot2016 | url-status = dead }}

General election

=Endorsements=

{{Endorsements box

| title = Leslie Munger

| list =

The News-Gazette{{cite web|url=http://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2016-09-29/munger-best-bet-comptroller.html|title=Munger best bet for comptroller|publisher=The News-Gazette|date=September 29, 2016}}
Herald-Whig{{cite web|url=https://www.whig.com/20161007/munger-has-proved-shes-right-for-comptroller-job|title=Munger has proved she's right for comptroller job|publisher=Herald-Whig}}
Belleville News-Democrat{{cite web|url=http://www.bnd.com/opinion/editorials/article106668117.html|title=Illinois comptroller navigates through hurricane of red ink|publisher=Belleville News-Democrat|date=October 8, 2016}}
Chicago Sun-Times{{cite web|url=http://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/endorsement-in-a-big-proxy-war-leslie-munger-for-comptroller/|title=Endorsement: In a big proxy war, Leslie Munger for comptroller|publisher=Chicago Sun-Times|date=October 11, 2016}}
Chicago Tribune{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-illinois-comptroller-endorsement-leslie-munger-mendoza-edit-20161014-story.html|title=Endorsement: Leslie Munger for comptroller, to help manage an Illinois drowning in debt|publisher=Chicago Tribune|date=October 14, 2016}}
Rockford Register Star{{cite web|url=http://www.rrstar.com/opinion/20161015/our-view-leslie-munger-is-our-choice-for-comptroller|title=Our View: Leslie Munger is our choice for comptroller|publisher=Rockford Register Star|date=October 15, 2016}}
The Chicago Defender{{cite web|url=http://chicagodefender.com/2016/10/20/illinois-top-elections-to-watch/|title=Illinois’ Top Elections to Watch|publisher=The Chicago Defender|access-date=2016-10-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022215312/http://chicagodefender.com/2016/10/20/illinois-top-elections-to-watch/|archive-date=2016-10-22|url-status=dead}}
The State Journal-Register{{cite web|url=http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20161023/our-opinion-leslie-munger-endorsed-for-illinois-comptroller|title=Our Opinion: Leslie Munger endorsed for Illinois comptroller|publisher=The State Journal-Register|date=October 23, 2016}}
Daily Herald{{cite web|url=http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20161023/our-opinion-leslie-munger-endorsed-for-illinois-comptroller|title=Endorsement: Munger for Illinois comptroller|publisher=Daily Herald|date=October 24, 2016}}
Journal Star{{cite web|url=http://www.pjstar.com/opinion/20161027/endorsement-illinois-comptroller-munger|title=Endorsement: Illinois comptroller, Munger|publisher=Journal Star|date=October 27, 2016}}

}}

=Results=

{{Election box begin |title=2016 Illinois Comptroller special election{{cite web |title=2011 Municipal General - 2/22/11 |url=https://chicagoelections.gov/en/election-results.asp?election=25&race=11 |website=chicagoelections.gov |publisher=Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago |access-date=18 February 2020}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Susana Mendoza

|votes = 2,676,244

|percentage = 49.45%

|change = +3.78%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Leslie Munger (incumbent)

|votes = 2,404,723

|percentage = 44.43%

|change = -5.13%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Libertarian Party (United States)

|candidate = Claire Ball

|votes = 187,017

|percentage = 3.46%

|change = -1.30%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Green Party of the United States

|candidate = Tim Curtin

|votes = 144,559

|percentage = 2.59%

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box total |

|votes = 5,412,543

|percentage = 100.00%

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box gain with party link no swing

|winner= Democratic Party (United States)

|loser= Republican Party (United States)

}}

References

Comptroller 2016

Comptroller

Category:Illinois Comptroller elections

Illinois