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Illinois Comptroller
| Illinois Comptroller | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $135,669 |
| 2012 FY Budget: | $109,800,600 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Illinois Constitution, Article V, Section 1 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
| Susana Mendoza | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 8, 2022 |
| Last election: | November 6, 2018 |
| Other Illinois Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Comptroller • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Director • Insurance Director • Natural Resources Director • Labor Director • Illinois Commerce Commission | |
The Comptroller of the State of Illinois is the chief financial officer of the government of Illinois. The comptroller is an elected position selected by voters during the federal midterm elections (i.e. 2018, 2022, 2026 and 2030).
Current officeholder
The current officeholder is Susana Mendoza (D), who won election on November 8, 2016. She was elected to serve out the remaining two years of former Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka's term. Topinka was first elected in November 2010 and served until December 9, 2014, when she passed away due to complications from a stroke suffered the previous day. Mendoza was sworn into office on December 5, 2016.[1][2]
Filling vacancy after election
The process of filling the vacant comptroller's office generated discussion about how to fulfill appointment requirements in the Illinois Constitution. The governor is tasked with filling vacancies in state executive offices, though the length of the appointment is up for debate. A scenario that gained support from legislative leaders and analysts involved appointment of an interim comptroller by outgoing Gov. Pat Quinn (D) through the remainder of Topinka's previous term ending in January 2015. State Senate President John Cullerton (D) called for a special election in 2016 to prevent Munger from serving a full term intended for an elected official.[3]
Quinn called for a special session of the Illinois State Legislature to convene on January 8, 2015, to address the possibility of a special election for the remainder of Topinka's new term. Quinn and Attorney General Lisa Madigan (D) advocated for a 2016 special election in order to give the public a chance to replace Topinka. Rauner and Republican state legislators countered that a constitutional amendment was the only legal path to a special election.[4] On the first day of the special session, legislators approved a bill requiring a special election in 2016 for the comptroller's office. This bill, signed by Quinn prior to leaving office, requires special elections for vacancies in the offices of attorney general, secretary of state, comptroller and treasurer.[5]
Munger ran for re-election in the 2016 special election, but lost to Susana Mendoza (D).[6]
Authority
The office of comptroller is authorized by Article V, Section 1 of the Illinois Constitution.
Article V, Section 1
| Officers: The Executive Branch shall include a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller and Treasurer elected by the electors of the State. They shall keep the public records and maintain a residence at the seat of government during their terms of office. |
Qualifications
Here is a list of the standard qualifications necessary under Illinois state law in order to be considered for the comptroller's office:
- To be eligible to hold the office of Governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, comptroller or treasurer, a person must be:
- a United States citizen, at least 25 years old
- a resident of this State for the three years preceding his election (Illinois Constitution, Article V § 3)
Elections
According to Article V, Section 2 of the state constitution, comptrollers shall hold office for four years beginning on the second Monday of January after their election and until their successors are qualified. The office was elected in the general election in 1978 and every four years thereafter.
2018
- See also: Illinois Comptroller election, 2018
Illinois held an election for comptroller on November 6, 2018. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to participate in the Democratic or Republican primary elections was December 4, 2017, while independent and third party candidates had until June 25, 2018, to file.
2016
The general election for comptroller was held on November 8, 2016.
Susana Mendoza defeated Leslie Munger, Claire Ball, and Tim Curtin in the Illinois comptroller election.
| Illinois Comptroller, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Susana Mendoza |
49.45% | 2,676,244 | |
| Republican | Leslie Munger | 44.43% | 2,404,723 | |
| Libertarian | Claire Ball | 3.46% | 187,017 | |
| Green | Tim Curtin | 2.67% | 144,559 | |
| Total Votes | 5,412,543 | |||
| Source: Illinois Secretary of State | ||||
2014
| Illinois Controller, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Judy Baar Topinka Incumbent |
49.6% | 1,775,983 | |
| Democratic | Sheila Simon | 45.7% | 1,636,593 | |
| Libertarian | Julie Fox | 4.8% | 170,534 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0% | 176 | |
| Total Votes | 3,583,286 | |||
| Election results via Illinois State Board of Elections | ||||
Vacancies
Article V, Section 7 of the Illinois Constitution addresses vacancies in the office of comptroller. If the comptroller...fails to qualify or if his office becomes vacant, the Governor shall fill the office by appointment. The appointee shall hold office until the elected officer qualifies or until a successor is elected and qualified as may be provided by law and shall not be subject to removal by the Governor.
Duties
The comptroller's main duties include maintaining the state's fiscal accounts, ordering payments into the treasury and issuing warrants against any funds held by the treasurer.
The specific duties of the comptroller are outlined in Article V, Section 17 of the Illinois Constitution.
Article V, Section 17, Comptroller - Duties: "The Comptroller, in accordance with law, shall maintain the State's central fiscal accounts, and order payments into and out of the funds held by the Treasurer."
Divisions
The comptroller's office is further split into six departments:[7]
- The taxpayer information and consumer affairs department
- The cemetery care department
- The local government department
- The public accountability
- The research and fiscal department
- The electronic commerce department
State budget
- See also: Illinois state budget and finances
The budget for the Office of the State Comptroller in Fiscal Year 2012 was $109,800,600.[8]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
The salaries of elected executives in Illinois are determined by the Illinois State Legislature as mandated in the state constitution. Article V, Section 21 of the Illinois Constitution also notes that executives cannot receive additional compensation beyond their salaries nor can their salaries be changed during current terms:
Article V, Section 21 of the Illinois Constitution
| Text of Section 21:
Compensation Officers of the Executive Branch shall be paid salaries established by law and shall receive no other compensation for their services. Changes in the salaries of these officers elected or appointed for stated terms shall not take effect during the stated terms.[9] |
2016
In 2016, the comptroller received a salary of $135,669, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2015
In 2015, the comptroller received a salary of $135,669, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2014
In 2014, the comptroller received a salary of $135,669, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2013
In 2013, the comptroller received a salary of $139,669, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2012
In 2012, the comptroller was paid an estimated $135,669, according to the Council of State Governments.
2010
In 2010, the comptroller was paid an estimated $135,700, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Illinois Comptroller has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
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Contact Information
Main Office
201 Capitol
Springfield, IL 62706-0001
Phone: (217) 782-6000
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka dies at age 70," December 10, 2014
- ↑ Illinois Comptroller, "Illinois Comptroller Mendoza takes oath and announces transition team members," December 5, 2016
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Speaker Madigan rules out special session on Topinka successor," December 11, 2014
- ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "Gov. Quinn calls special session on comptroller vacancy," December 18, 2014
- ↑ Fox 2 Now, "Quinn signs 2016 comptroller special election bill," January 10, 2015
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedelection2016 - ↑ Illinois Department of Comptroller, "Departments" accessed July 28, 2012
- ↑ Operating Budget Book“Illinois State Budget Fiscal Year 2013,” 5.39," accessed June20, 2013
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedil - ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 14, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2013, Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed September 5, 2012
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