Treasurer of Illinois · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Illinois treasurer race?
Mike Frerichs has the strongest record in the Illinois treasurer race. Mike Frerichs scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Mike Frerichs's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Max Solomon (5 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Mike Frerichs
On the ballot as Michael W. Frerichs
67 / 100
Public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 67
Republican
Max Solomon
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 5 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Mike Frerichs
- On the record2025
The compliance examination of his office's nonfiscal duties for fiscal 2024 and 2025 had no modified opinion and four findings, three repeated from the prior examination.
- On the record2025-08-15
Gov. JB Pritzker vetoed Senate Bill 246 in August 2025, a Frerichs-backed plan for a treasurer-run investment pool for nonprofits.
- On the record2025-11
No Republican filed for treasurer for the March 2026 primary; his campaign said it was the first time in at least 90 years a major party fielded no candidate for a statewide office.
- On the record2021-10-21
A 2016 class action, Kolton v. Frerichs, argued Illinois kept the interest on unclaimed property; a federal judge approved a settlement in October 2021 requiring the state to pay interest to owners.
Sources: NBC Chicago, Oct. 21, 2021, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, Kolton v. Frerichs (2017), via FindLaw
- Credit2025-06
Auditors gave an unmodified opinion on the treasurer's office fiscal 2023 and 2024 financial statements (Fiscal Officer Responsibilities).
- Credit2025-11
Morningstar kept Bright Start, the college savings plan his office runs, at a Gold rating in 2025, one of five states' plans rated Gold, citing cost-effective investment options.
Source: InvestmentNews, Nov. 12, 2025
Max Solomon
- On the record2026-03-17
Ran as a write-in candidate in the March 17, 2026 Republican primary for treasurer, needing 5,000 votes to win the nomination.
- On the record2022-06
As a 2022 candidate for governor, said he did not believe Joe Biden was rightfully elected president in 2020, per Capitol News Illinois.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Mike Frerichs. Committee Friends of Frerichs, created 1998, is active with reports on file at the State Board of Elections. No ethics, court or campaign finance finding found; PolitiFact has no file on him.
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections, Friends of Frerichs (committee 14111)
Max Solomon. Committee Friends of Max Solomon, created 2013, is active; its second-quarter 2026 report was filed July 3, 2026. No ethics, court or campaign finance finding found.
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections, Friends of Max Solomon (committee 25411)
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Mike Frerichs. No public record found.
Max Solomon. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Mike Frerichs. Holds news conferences on office programs, including a March 2026 briefing on expanded ABLE disability savings accounts.
Max Solomon. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Mike Frerichs. Champaign County Board member and auditor, state senator 2007 to 2015 and treasurer since 2015 with no formal censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Max Solomon. No public record found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Mike Frerichs. Sworn treasurer since Jan. 12, 2015 with no finding of misuse of office and no action to reject certified results found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Mike Frerichs
Max Solomon. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Mike Frerichs. Illinois treasurer since 2015, nearly three terms. State senator for District 52, 2007 to 2015, and earlier Champaign County auditor.
Source: Ballotpedia, Mike Frerichs
Max Solomon. Attorney who teaches political science and law-related classes as an adjunct at South Suburban Community College. No government service found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Max Solomon
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Mike Frerichs. Sitting treasurer whose office invests about $26 billion in state funds and $15 billion in pooled municipal assets; launched The Vault, an online investment transparency portal.
Max Solomon. No public record found.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Mike Frerichs. Two channels documented: news conferences and a campaign podcast interview (2022). Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey, though he completed it in 2022.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Mike Frerichs, Capitol News Illinois, Sept. 22, 2022
Max Solomon. One channel documented: he completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021 for his governor run. Has not completed the 2026 survey.
Source: Ballotpedia, Max Solomon
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Mike Frerichs. Born in Champaign; returned to Gifford, served on the Champaign County Board and lives in Champaign. In-state share of contributions not available.
Source: Ballotpedia, Mike Frerichs
Max Solomon. Hazel Crest attorney born in Lagos, Nigeria; his committee has listed a Hazel Crest address since 2013. In-state share of contributions not available.
Sources: Capitol News Illinois, June 24, 2022, Illinois State Board of Elections, Friends of Max Solomon (committee 25411)
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Mike Frerichs. Heads the treasurer's office, which invests about $26 billion in state funds and $15 billion in municipal assets and runs a college savings program holding almost $17 billion.
Max Solomon. Practicing attorney; campaign committee reports on file, including an on-time second-quarter 2026 report. No Board fine found.
Source: Illinois State Board of Elections, Friends of Max Solomon (committee 25411)
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Mike Frerichs. Bright Start, the direct-sold college savings plan his office runs, kept a Morningstar Gold rating in 2025, one of five states so rated. He reported $1.2 billion in investment interest by 2022.
Sources: InvestmentNews, Nov. 12, 2025, Capitol News Illinois, Sept. 22, 2022
Max Solomon. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Mike Frerichs. No public record found.
Max Solomon. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Mike Frerichs. Runs the state's unclaimed property system, which any resident can search on the treasurer's website. No published return totals were opened.
Max Solomon. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Mike Frerichs. No public record found.
Max Solomon. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Mike Frerichs. Auditors gave an unmodified opinion on the office's fiscal 2023 and 2024 financial statements, and the fiscal 2024 and 2025 nonfiscal compliance examination had no modified opinion, with four findings.
Sources: Illinois Auditor General, Treasurer Fiscal Officer Responsibilities audit, years ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, Illinois Auditor General, Treasurer Nonfiscal Officer Responsibilities compliance examination, two years ended June 30, 2025
Max Solomon. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in the Illinois treasurer race?
Mike Frerichs has the strongest record in the Illinois treasurer race. Mike Frerichs scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Mike Frerichs's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Max Solomon (5 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the Illinois treasurer race in 2026?
Mike Frerichs (Democratic, incumbent), Max Solomon (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Mike Frerichs a good candidate for Treasurer?
Mike Frerichs scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 67 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Max Solomon a good candidate for Treasurer?
Max Solomon has public evidence on 5 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Illinois race scored, and the Illinois 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.