Holly Kim
From Ballotpedia
Holly Kim (Democratic Party) is running for election for Illinois Comptroller. She declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on March 17, 2026.[source]
Kim completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Holly Kim earned a high school diploma from Glenbrook North High School and a bachelor's degree from Northeastern Illinois University. As of 2025, she was affiliated with Mano a Mano, the Hanul Family Alliance, the Illinois Asian American Caucus, the Democratic Party of Lake County, and the Fremont Township Democrats in Lake County.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Illinois Comptroller election, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on March 17, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Illinois Comptroller
Margaret Croke, George Danos, Stephanie Kifowit, Holly Kim, and Karina Villa are running in the Democratic primary for Illinois Comptroller on March 17, 2026.
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Illinois Comptroller
Bryan Drew is running in the Republican primary for Illinois Comptroller on March 17, 2026.
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| Bryan Drew | ||
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
To view Kim's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. To send us an endorsement, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released August 4, 2025 |
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Holly Kim completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kim's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Currently serving her second term as Lake County Treasurer, Holly Kim is the only prospective candidate with hands-on experience managing billions of public dollars and staff at the executive level. Under her leadership, the Treasurer’s office has modernized systems, increased transparency, and implemented innovative, community-centered investment strategies.
Kim would make history as the first Asian American elected to a statewide constitutional office in Illinois. The highest vote getter as a countywide executive in Lake County, Holly Kim is dedicated to bringing her Democratic values to support all people across the state.
- Leading with Experience - As Lake County Treasurer, she has brought bold leadership, innovative problem-solving, and a relentless commitment to public service. Her background spans public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She has served as a Village Trustee, Township Director, and nonprofit board leader, and currently serves as a Commissioner for the Bank On Illinois initiative under the Illinois Comptroller’s Office. Her office processes and cuts $73.5 million in checks, and 2.8 billion in ACH distributions demonstrating a core function of the Comptroller’s role. Holly understands how money moves through government and how to ensure it is tracked, protected, and used responsibly.
- Independent Fiscal Oversight - Holly Kim is not tied to the political establishment, and her record proves she will be an independent voice for Illinois taxpayers. She is trusted by voters across suburban and urban districts as she is the candidate with the most crossover votes in Lake County because she shows up, listens, and leads with integrity. Holly will hold the contractors accountable by enforcing prevailing wage laws, strengthening public trust, and ensuring every dollar spent is documented. She knows the job of Comptroller is to serve the people, not powerful interests, and she is prepared to speak up when there is injustice.
- Innovation and Modernization - Holly Kim has transformed how local governments manage money by putting her background in technology and process improvement to work. She eliminated duplication in payment systems, streamlined workflows, and maximized existing software to speed up operations and reduce waste. Under her leadership, Lake County secured record investment earnings of over $3.2 million in a single year by putting property tax dollars to work rather than letting them sit idle. These earnings went directly back to schools, libraries, and essential services. As Comptroller, Holly will modernize financial systems across the state and make government work better, faster, and more securely.
Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim is running for Illinois Comptroller to bring a people-first vision for financial accountability and equity
The Comptroller operates at the intersection of policy, finance, and accountability. Unlike most offices, it independently verifies and reports how tax dollars are spent, serving as a critical check within state government. It also has the ability to illuminate the financial implications of legislative and executive decisions, helping ensure that the state’s budget reflects both fiscal discipline and moral responsibility to its residents.
The office requires both technical financial expertise and executive leadership—exactly the combination I bring from managing Lake County's public dollars and staff.
The office requires both technical financial expertise and executive leadership—exactly the combination I bring from managing Lake County's public dollars and staff.
An elected official should embody integrity, accountability, and a genuine commitment to public service. Decision-making must be guided by data, not politics, and every action should advance transparency and equity. Public trust is earned by being accessible, responsive, and fiscally responsible—treating every taxpayer dollar as if it were one’s own. Above all, an elected official must lead with empathy, understanding how policy decisions affect people’s daily lives.
In my current role as Lake County Treasurer, I've demonstrated these principles by overseeing over $3 billion in fund distribution, negotiating record investment earnings that returned over $3.2 million directly to schools, libraries, and local governments, and publishing unclaimed funds online for the first time to increase transparency.
In my current role as Lake County Treasurer, I've demonstrated these principles by overseeing over $3 billion in fund distribution, negotiating record investment earnings that returned over $3.2 million directly to schools, libraries, and local governments, and publishing unclaimed funds online for the first time to increase transparency.
The State Comptroller serves as the chief fiscal watchdog for Illinois, ensuring that public funds are collected, managed, and disbursed responsibly. This includes maintaining accurate accounting of state expenditures, promoting transparency through accessible public reporting, and ensuring that financial systems are modern and efficient. The Comptroller must also use the office’s platform to advocate for long-term fiscal stability—balancing short-term obligations with the state’s future needs.
As Lake County Treasurer, I've lived these responsibilities firsthand by modernizing financial systems, cutting fees, streamlining payment processing, and ensuring every dollar authorized under my name serves the public good.
As Lake County Treasurer, I've lived these responsibilities firsthand by modernizing financial systems, cutting fees, streamlining payment processing, and ensuring every dollar authorized under my name serves the public good.
I remember watching the fall of the Berlin Wall on TV in 1989. I was about nine years old. At the time, I didn’t fully grasp the politics of it, but I can remember people celebrating. As a first-generation Korean American, it stuck with me as a symbol of hope and change — that walls can come down, and people can come together after being divided for so long.
Transparency in government spending is foundational to ensure accountability and trust from all Illinoisians. Taxpayers deserve to know where their money goes and what value it creates. Equally important is ensuring timely payments to social service providers, local governments, and small businesses that depend on the state’s reliability. Fiscal stewardship isn’t just about balancing books—it’s about ensuring that resources are deployed efficiently and equitably to strengthen communities.
In Lake County, I've expanded community-based investments by purchasing local bonds and adding credit unions as property tax collection sites, ensuring that working families have greater access to financial services.
In Lake County, I've expanded community-based investments by purchasing local bonds and adding credit unions as property tax collection sites, ensuring that working families have greater access to financial services.
Many people are unaware that the Comptroller’s office has a powerful role in public engagement through fiscal transparency initiatives. Beyond processing payments, the office can publish data, create dashboards, and highlight inequities in state spending. The Comptroller also helps enforce laws that promote local government accountability, such as requiring municipalities to file annual financial reports—tools that empower residents to hold their own governments accountable.
Additionally, the office can advocate for legislative changes that promote fairness—like the legislation I introduced as Treasurer to reduce tax penalties for low-income residents hit with high interest fees, ensuring fairer treatment for working families.
Additionally, the office can advocate for legislative changes that promote fairness—like the legislation I introduced as Treasurer to reduce tax penalties for low-income residents hit with high interest fees, ensuring fairer treatment for working families.
Yes, because managing state finances requires both technical knowledge and a deep understanding of how government systems interact. Experience in public administration helps navigate budget processes, intergovernmental relationships, and compliance requirements. However, that experience should be complemented by a reform-minded approach—someone willing to modernize systems, build coalitions, and innovate in the public interest.
A strong Comptroller should have executive management experience, expertise in finance, data management, and a demonstrated history of successful organizational leadership. Equally essential are skills in communication and coalition-building to make fiscal data understandable and actionable to our taxpayers. Ethical leadership, technological fluency, and a commitment to continuous improvement are also critical for adapting state financial systems to the needs of a modern, diverse Illinois.
I'm the only candidate in this race with direct, executive-level experience managing billions of public dollars and staff. This hands-on experience is irreplaceable—every dollar that flows through my office is authorized under my name, and I'm accountable for those decisions.
I'm the only candidate in this race with direct, executive-level experience managing billions of public dollars and staff. This hands-on experience is irreplaceable—every dollar that flows through my office is authorized under my name, and I'm accountable for those decisions.
See all of our endorsements at https://www.voteforhollykim.com/endorsements
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
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Candidate Illinois Comptroller |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on November 8, 2025
