Attorney General of Illinois
| Illinois Attorney General | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $186,400 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $193,765,000 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Illinois Constitution, Article V, Section 1 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Attorney General of Illinois Kwame Raoul | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | 2026 |
| Last election: | 2022 |
| 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 | |
TheAttorney General ofIllinois is the highest legal officer of the state ofIllinois. Originally an appointed office, it is now an office filled by election through universal suffrage. Based inChicago andSpringfield, he or she is responsible for providing legal counsel for the various state agencies including theGovernor of Illinois andIllinois General Assembly. He or she also conducts all legal affairs pertaining to the state.[1]
The position of Illinois Attorney General was established December 3, 1818, based on guidelines adopted by a state constitutional convention. The first person to fulfill the duties of the office was Daniel Pope Cook, who only served 11 days. He was later elected to theUnited States Congress;Cook County was named in his honor.[2]
Illinois has a Democratictriplex. The Democratic Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.
Current officeholder
The current Attorney General of Illinois isKwame Raoul (D). Raoul assumed office in 2019.
Authority
The attorney general's office is authorized byArticle V, Section 1 of theIllinois 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
To be eligible to hold the office of attorney general, a person must be:
- a United States citizen, at least 25 years old
- an Illinois resident for the three years preceding his or her election(Illinois Constitution, Article V § 3)
Note: These standard qualifications apply to all of Illinois' constitutional executive offices, includinggovernor,lieutenant governor, attorney general,secretary of state,comptroller andtreasurer.
Elections
UnderArticle V, Section 2 of thestate constitution, the attorney general shall hold office for four years beginning on the second Monday of January after their election and until their successors are qualified. They shall be elected at the general election in 1978 and every four years thereafter.
Election results
See also: Illinois Attorney General election, 2030
There are noofficial candidates yet for this election.
See also: Illinois Attorney General 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
Democratic primary for Attorney General of Illinois
IncumbentKwame Raoul (D) is running in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Illinois on March 17, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Kwame Raoul | |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. | |||
 = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary
Republican primary for Attorney General of Illinois
Bob Fioretti (R) andAndy Williams Jr. (R) are running in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Illinois on March 17, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Bob Fioretti | |
 | Andy Williams Jr. (Write-in) | |
| There are noincumbents in this race. | |||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
See also: Illinois Attorney General election, 2022
General election
General election for Attorney General of Illinois
IncumbentKwame Raoul (D) defeatedThomas DeVore (R) andDan Robin (L) in the general election for Attorney General of Illinois on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kwame Raoul (D) | 54.4 | 2,219,420 |
 | Thomas DeVore (R) | 43.5 | 1,774,468 | |
 | Dan Robin (L) | 2.2 | 89,664 | |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 4,083,552 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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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Democratic primary
Democratic primary for Attorney General of Illinois
IncumbentKwame Raoul (D) advanced from the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Illinois on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kwame Raoul | 100.0 | 830,578 |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 830,578 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary
Republican primary for Attorney General of Illinois
Thomas DeVore (R) defeatedSteve Kim (R) andDavid Shestokas (R) in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Illinois on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Thomas DeVore | 44.2 | 316,726 |
| Steve Kim | 34.7 | 248,652 | ||
 | David Shestokas | 21.1 | 151,045 | |
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 716,423 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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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See also: Illinois Attorney General election, 2018
General election
General election for Attorney General of Illinois
Kwame Raoul (D) defeatedErika Harold (R) andBubba Harsy (L) in the general election for Attorney General of Illinois on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kwame Raoul (D) | 54.7 | 2,488,326 |
 | Erika Harold (R) | 42.7 | 1,944,142 | |
 | Bubba Harsy (L) | 2.5 | 115,941 | |
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 4,548,4090 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for Attorney General of Illinois
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Illinois on March 20, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kwame Raoul | 30.2 | 390,472 |
 | Pat Quinn | 27.2 | 352,425 | |
| Sharon Fairley | 12.7 | 164,304 | ||
 | Nancy Rotering | 9.5 | 123,446 | |
 | Scott Drury | 7.9 | 102,193 | |
| Jesse Ruiz | 5.4 | 70,158 | ||
 | Renato Mariotti | 4.0 | 51,902 | |
 | Aaron Goldstein | 3.0 | 39,196 | |
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. | Total votes: 1,294,096 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary
Republican primary for Attorney General of Illinois
Erika Harold (R) defeatedGary Grasso (R) in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Illinois on March 20, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Erika Harold | 59.2 | 389,197 |
 | Gary Grasso | 40.8 | 268,688 | |
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. | Total votes: 657,885 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Vacancies
Article V, Section 7 of theIllinois Constitution addresses vacancies in the office of attorney general. If the attorney general's office becomes vacant, the governor will appoint a replacement to serve until a successor is duly elected.
Duties
As per theIllinois Constitution, "the attorney general shall be the legal officer of the State, and shall have the duties and powers that may be prescribed by law."(Illinois Constitution, Article V § 15)
The attorney general serves as the state's chief legal officer and the office provides a broad range of services including consumer protection, community engagement and outreach, victim assistance, public health and safety, and other services.[4]
Divisions
As of January 7, 2021, the Illinois Attorney General's Office has 11 division areas of service:[5]
- Protecting Consumers
- Advocating for Women
- Keeping Communities Safe
- Advocating for Older Citizens
- Safeguarding Children
- Defending Your Rights
- Preserving the Environment
- Helping Crime Victims
- Enduring Open and Honest Government
- Building Better Charities
- MethNet
Campaign finance
The Attorney General ofIllinois is responsible for prosecuting campaign finance complaints on a case-by-case basis. Campaign finance reports can be referred to the attorney general at any time regardless if it involves criminal or civil law from theIllinois State Board of Elections.[6]
State budget
- See also:Illinois state budget and finances
The budget for the Office of the Attorney General in Fiscal Year 2025 was $193,765,000.[7]
Compensation
The salaries of elected executives in Illinois are determined by theIllinois State Legislature as mandated in the state constitution.Article V, Section 21 of theIllinois 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 salariesestablished by law and shall receive no other compensationfor their services. Changes in the salaries of these officerselected or appointed for stated terms shall not take effectduring the stated terms. |
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $186,400, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[8]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $163,200, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[9]
2021
In 2021, the attorney general received a salary of $160,800, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[10]
2020
In 2020, the attorney general received a salary of $160,800, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[11]
2019
In 2019, the attorney general received a salary of $156,541, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[12]
2018
In 2018, the attorney general received a salary of $156,541, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[13]
2017
In 2017, the attorney general received a salary of $156,541, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[14]
2016
In 2016, the attorney general received a salary of $156,541, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[15]
2015
In 2015, the attorney general received a salary of $156,541, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[16]
2014
In 2014, the attorney general received a salary of $156,541, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[17]
2013
In 2013, the attorney general receiveda salary of $156,541. This figure comes from theCouncil of State Governments.[18]
2012
In 2012, the attorney general was paid an estimated$156,541. This figure comes from theCouncil of State Governments.
2010
In 2010, the attorney general was paid an estimated $156,600 according to theCouncil of State Governments.[19]
Historical officeholders
There have been 42 Illinois attorneys general general since 1819.[20]
| List of Former Officeholders from 1819-Present | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Tenure | Party | ||
| 1 | Daniel Pope Cook | 1819 - 1819 | |||
| 2 | William Mears | 1819 - 1821 | |||
| 3 | Samuel D. Lockwood | 1821 - 1823 | |||
| 4 | James Turney | 1823 - 1829 | |||
| 5 | George Forquer | 1829 - 1832 | |||
| 6 | James Semple | 1833 - 1834 | |||
| 7 | Ninian W. Edwards | 1834 - 1835 | |||
| 8 | Jesse B. Thomas, Jr. | 1835 - 1836 | |||
| 9 | Walter B. Scates | 1836 - 1837 | |||
| 10 | Usher F. Linder | 1837 - 1838 | |||
| 11 | George W. Olney | 1838 - 1839 | |||
| 12 | Wickliffe Kitchell | 1839 - 1840 | |||
| 13 | Josiah Lamborn | 1840 - 1843 | |||
| 14 | James A. McDougall | 1843 - 1846 | |||
| 15 | David B. Campbell | 1846 - 1848 | |||
| 16 | Robert G. Ingersoll | 1867 - 1869 |  Republican | ||
| 17 | Washington Bushnell | 1869 - 1873 | |||
| 18 | James K. Edsall | 1873 - 1881 | |||
| 19 | James McCartney | 1881 - 1885 | |||
| 20 | George Hunt | 1885 - 1893 | |||
| 21 | Maurice T. Moloney | 1893 - 1897 | |||
| 22 | Edward C. Akin | 1897 - 1901 | |||
| 23 | Howland J. Hamlin | 1901 - 1905 | |||
| 24 | William H. Stead | 1905 - 1913 | |||
| 25 | Patrick J. Lucey | 1912 - 1917 | |||
| 26 | Edward J. Brundage | 1917 - 1925 | |||
| 27 | Oscar E. Carlstrom | 1925 - 1933 | |||
| 28 | Otto Kerner | 1933 - 1938 | |||
| 29 | John Edward A. Cassidy | 1938 - 1941 | |||
| 30 | George F. Barrett | 1941 - 1949 | |||
| 31 | Ivan A. Elliott | 1949 - 1953 | |||
| 32 | Latham Castle | 1953 - 1959 | |||
| 33 | Grenville Beardsley | 1959 - 1960 | |||
| 34 | William L. Guild | 1960 - 1961 | |||
| 35 | William G. Clark | 1961 - 1969 | |||
| 36 | William J. Scott | 1969 - 1980 | |||
| 37 | Tyrone C. Fahner | 1980 - 1983 | |||
| 38 | Neil F. Hartigan | 1983 - 1991 |  Democratic | ||
| 39 | Roland W. Burris | 1991 - 1995 | Democratic | ||
| 40 | Jim Ryan | 1995 - 2003 | Republican | ||
| 41 | Lisa Madigan | 2003 - 2019 | Democratic | ||
| 42 | Kwame Raoul | 2019 - present | Democratic | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the termsIllinois Attorney General. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact Info
Capitol Address:
Office of Attorney General
100 West Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 814-3000
Toll Free Phone: (800) 964-3013
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑Illinois Attorney General, "About Us," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑Biographical Director of the United States Congress, "COOK, Daniel Pope, (1794 - 1827)," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑Illinois State Board of Elections - 2010 General Election Results
- ↑Illinois Attorney General, "About" accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑Illinois Attorney General, "Index," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑Illinois State Board of Elections, "A guide to campaign disclosure," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑State of Illinois Office of Management and Budget, "Fiscal Year 2025 Budget," accessed January 16, 2025
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 15, 2025
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑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
- ↑Illinois Attorney General, "History," accessed July 28, 2012
