Bio
Holly Kim is the Lake County Treasurer, currently serving her second term, and is running for Illinois Comptroller in the four-way Democratic primary on March 17, 2026. She earned a high school diploma from Glenbrook North High School and a bachelor's degree from Northeastern Illinois University. If elected, she would make history as the first Asian American elected to a statewide constitutional office in Illinois. Kim was first elected Lake County Treasurer in 2018 and reelected. As Lake County Treasurer, she oversees an office that processes and cuts $73.5 million in checks and $2.8 billion in ACH distributions annually — a function she argues is directly analogous to the Comptroller's core work. Under her leadership, the Lake County Treasurer's office secured record investment earnings of over $3.2 million in a single year, representing a 200%+ increase from when she took office. She serves as a Commissioner for the Bank On Illinois initiative under the Illinois Comptroller's Office, giving her direct familiarity with the statewide operation. She is affiliated with Mano a Mano, the Hanul Family Alliance, the Illinois Asian American Caucus, the Democratic Party of Lake County, and the Fremont Township Democrats. The four-candidate Democratic primary also includes Rep. Margaret Croke (top fundraiser), Rep. Karina Villa, and Rep. Stephanie Kifowit. Kim carries the explicit endorsement of outgoing Comptroller Susana Mendoza. Kim has described her background in technology and process improvement as core to her platform, including pushing back against misuse of license plate reader data as a Village Trustee in Mundelein in 2013.
Prior office: Lake County Treasurer (2018–present, serving second term); Village Trustee, Mundelein (prior); Township Director, Fremont Township