2016 Illinois Comptroller special election

Topinka died in December 2014, shortly after being re-elected to a second term in November, but before that second term began, outgoing Democratic Governor Pat Quinn (who lost his own bid for re-election) appointed his former budget chief Jerry Stermer to fill the remainder of Topinka's first term, allowing Governor-elect Bruce Rauner to make his own appointment for what would have been Topinka's second full term.[4]

In an early January 2015 special session, the Democratic-led Illinois General Assembly approved a bill requiring that a special election be held at the next regular statewide election for any vacancy in any statewide executive office that occurs more than 28 months before the end of the term. Governor Quinn signed the bill shortly thereafter.[5] Whoever incoming Governor Bruce Rauner appointed to fill Topinka's second term would serve only until a 2016 special election, instead of serving the full four-year term. The special election law received criticism from Republicans, who described it as a move to weaken Governor Rauner by shortening the term of his appointee.[4]

For the state-run primaries (Democratic and Republican), turnout was 35.94%, with 2,755,220 votes cast.[6][7] For the general election, turnout was 67.41%, with 5,412,543 votes cast.[6][7]

• Susana Mendoza, City Clerk of Chicago[8][9]

• Daniel Biss, state senator[3][8]

• Leslie Munger, incumbent Comptroller[2][9]

• Claire Ball, corporate accountant, U.S. Cellular[10][11]

• Tim Curtin, former international representative for United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America Local 925 national staff[12]