Michael W. Frerichs, the incumbent Illinois state treasurer, is running for a fourth term in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
The Democrat faces Republican Max Solomon.
Frerichs has held the office since 2015, when he was first elected in November 2014, according to the Illinois State Treasurer's website. He was re-elected twice and began his third term in January 2023. He is the 74th person to serve as Illinois treasurer. Park Ridge and Niles voters will see this statewide race on their ballots.
Candidate information
- Party: Democratic
- Office sought: Illinois Treasurer
- Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
- Birthdate: July 28, 1973, according to his Wikipedia page
- Hometown: Gifford, Illinois
- Education: Rantoul Township High School (1991); bachelor's degree, Yale University (1995); Mandarin Chinese studies, National Cheng Kung University
- Certification: Certified Public Finance Officer, earned while serving as Champaign County auditor
Frerichs is the son of a Teamster truck driver and a university secretary who was an AFSCME member, according to his official biography. He was a first-generation college graduate when he earned his degree from Yale.
Experience and public service
Before winning the treasurer's office, Frerichs served in several elected and appointed roles in central Illinois:
- Champaign County Board member (2000–2002)
- Champaign County auditor (2002–2007)
- Illinois state senator, District 52 (2007–2015), where he chaired the Agriculture and Conservation Committee and the Committee on Higher Education
Beyond elected office, Frerichs founded a technology start-up in Champaign County, taught English in Taiwan and served as a volunteer firefighter, according to the treasurer's office website.
In professional associations, he served as president of the National Association of State Treasurers in 2024 and president of the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers in 2022 and 2023. He also serves as vice chair of the Illinois State Board of Investment.
On the issues
No issue responses or policy positions from Frerichs were available in the materials reviewed for this profile.
Endorsements
Frerichs has received endorsements from the AFL-CIO, the Chicago Federation of Labour, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399, Equality IL, Citizen Action Illinois, Cook County Democrats and Personal PAC, among others, according to BallotReady. Several endorsements were recorded during his 2022 race and have not been independently verified for the 2026 contest.
Candidate information was drawn from the Illinois State Treasurer's website, BallotReady and Wikipedia. No candidate questionnaire responses were available for this profile.
