While a few downstate counties had not reported complete election results as of Wednesday, the biggest chunk of outstanding ballots appeared to come from Chicago. The Chicago Board of Elections was still waiting on reported vote totals from 28 city precincts and expected to have those figures added to unofficial results by Wednesday evening, said agency spokesperson Max Bever.<\/p>\n
Additionally, nearly 88,000 city mail-in ballots had been outstanding as of Election Day, though Bever said the board did not expect all of those ballots would be returned.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis election is not over,\u201d Villa said in a statement Tuesday night. \u201cThere are still too many outstanding ballots in the mail and in drop boxes before a candidate is declared a winner. We will wait until more votes from the people of Illinois are counted.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"State](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/CTC-L-comptroller-Villa-01.jpg\")
State Sen. Karina Villa, a candidate for the comptroller’s office, greets supporters during an election night watch party at Sky Banquets in West Chicago, March 17, 2026. (James C. Svehla\/for the Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n
Addressing an enthusiastic crowd Tuesday night at the Plumbers Union Local, Croke, joined by her husband and their three children, said she was confident based on the numbers that she was on track to become the Democratic nominee.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs your next comptroller, I will work every day to make sure Illinois pays its bills on time, manages taxpayer dollars responsibly and brings transparency to the way we spend our money,\u201d she said. \u201cYou work hard for every single dollar. The state should show you how these dollars are spent.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Democratic nominee will face Republican candidate Bryan Drew, an attorney from downstate Benton, in a November election that will also see contested races for secretary of state and attorney general.<\/p>\n
Democratic incumbent Alexi Giannoulias, unchallenged in Tuesday\u2019s primary, is expected to square off against Joliet resident Diane M. Harris for secretary of state. The precinct committeewoman and retired Commonwealth Edison employee bested Chicagoan Walter Adamczyk, 53% to 47%, in Tuesday\u2019s GOP primary, unofficial AP results showed.<\/p>\n
Democratic Attorney General Kwame Raoul will face a November election challenge from former Chicago Ald. Bob Fioretti.<\/p>\n
State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, a Democrat, will seek a fourth term but has no official opposition, including by any Republicans, marking the first time in at least 90 years that a major political party did not have any candidate file to run in a primary election for statewide office, according to Frerichs\u2019 campaign.<\/p>\n
With Gov. JB Pritzker set for another matchup against Darren Bailey, who won Tuesday\u2019s GOP primary<\/a> for governor, that leaves the comptroller\u2019s contest as the only unresolved statewide race heading into the November election.<\/p>\n Unlike the Illinois treasurer, who handles the state\u2019s investments and oversees a college savings program, the comptroller pays the state\u2019s bills, monitors fiscal compliance, records transactions and contracts, and issues reports that guide the governor and legislature on budget decisions. In one of its more obscure functions, the office also licenses certain private cemeteries.<\/p>\n