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Cohen Barnes D

Democratic candidate for State Representative District 76

March 19, 2024 primary: lost with 2,104 votes (32.0%)

Worth a look

Worth a look Late reports

5 large contributions ($7,000) reported on an A-1 after the deadline

A contribution of $1,000 or more must be reported to the State Board of Elections within 5 business days (2 in the last 30 days before an election the candidate is on the ballot for). The latest: $1,000 from Mary Jo and Henry E. Barnes, received 2024-01-11, reported 2024-04-02: 55 business days, 50 past the deadline.

What to check
  • The receipt date is what the committee reported; a correction or a typo there changes the count.
  • A contribution received and returned within the same quarterly period needn't be reported on an A-1.
  • The Board decides on fines and can waive them (inadvertence, clerical error, days late).
The entries (5)
NameDateA-1 filedBusiness daysAllowedAmount
Mary Jo and Henry E. Barnes2024-01-112024-04-02555$1,000
Steve Irving2024-01-222024-04-02495$2,000
Stephen Dike2024-01-292024-04-02445$1,000
Anu Garg2024-03-012024-03-0632$1,000
Dan Archer2024-03-182024-03-2132$2,000
Rule: Large contributions reported late
“A political committee shall file a report of any contribution of $1,000 or more electronically with the Board within 5 business days after receipt of the contribution, except that the report shall be filed within 2 business days after receipt if (i) the contribution is received 30 or fewer days before the date of an election”10 ILCS 5/9-10(c) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how findings work

Context Late reports

2 contributions of $1,000 or more ($2,000) with no A-1 found

Each contribution of $1,000 or more must be reported on an A-1 within days of receipt, ahead of the quarterly report. These appear on a quarterly report, but no A-1 entry from the same contributor for the same amount within a week of the date was found. The largest: $1,000 from Konrad Martin on 2023-12-18.

What to check
  • The A-1 may list the contributor under another spelling or a different amount (a split check).
  • A contribution received and returned within the same period needn't be reported on an A-1.
  • Search the committee's A-1 filings on the State Board of Elections' site to confirm.
The entries (2)
NameReported onDateAmount
Konrad MartinQuarterly2023-12-18$1,000
Kevin MartinQuarterly2023-12-18$1,000
Rule: Large contributions with no A-1 found
“A political committee shall file a report of any contribution of $1,000 or more electronically with the Board within 5 business days after receipt of the contribution”10 ILCS 5/9-10(c) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how findings work

Campaign money

$76,016raised, 76 itemized contributions, plus $6,734 in small ones
$30,000from the candidate (incl. loans)
$103,284spent
$11,288cash on hand on December 31, 2024; $30,000 in debts
Where their money comes from (besides their own)

IndividualsBusinessesTrade, professional and issue groupsLabor unionsParties and legislative caucusesOther candidates and officeholders

Compare with all state candidates →

How it was spent: $103,284

Mail and literature$60,317
Staff pay$18,200
Office, printing and supplies$7,467
Print ads and billboards$6,640
Radio$4,531
Other (as described)$3,638
Digital and online$1,577
Legal, accounting and fees$545
Travel and meals$368

Largest payees: Breaker Press Company $57,950 Mail and literature · Pooja Ballantine $18,268 Staff pay · Shaw Media $6,640 Print ads and billboards · Starved Rock Media $3,493 Radio · Union Signs and Printing $2,892 Office, printing and supplies · Faranda's $2,243 Other (as described) · Jeff Wagoner Design $2,000 Mail and literature · AOC Impressions, LLC $1,196 Office, printing and supplies

Grouped by the purpose each payment lists (“direct mail”, “consulting”), so the groups are approximate; a consultant's payments to others (ads, mail) show under the consultant.

Top contributorsTypeTotal
City Hall Suites, LLC
DeKalb
Business or group$10,000
Friends of Lance Yednock
Ottawa
Business or group$5,000
Sean Tenner
Consultant · KNI Communications · Chicago
Person$3,000
Carpentry Advancement PAC Fund
Chicago
Business or group$2,500
Heat & Frost Insulators & Allied Workers Local 17 - Political Action C
Tinley Park
Business or group$2,500
Laborers' International Union of North America Local #32
Rockford
Business or group$2,500
Dan Archer
Principle · DPC Technology · Jacksonville
Person$2,000
Mary Jo and Henry E. Barnes
Retired · Retired · Rogers
Person$2,000
Steve Irving
Owner · Irving Construction · 2000
Person$2,000
Weaver Construction, Inc.
Sycamore
Business or group$2,000
2675 Sycamore Road Development LLC
DeKalb
Business or group$1,700
355 State Street Suites, LLC
DeKalb
Business or group$1,700
Oakland & Sycamore Road Development,LLC
DeKalb
Business or group$1,700
JJK 343, LLC
Oak Brook
Business or group$1,500
The Terraces at DeKalb
Chicago
Business or group$1,500

Committee: Vote for Barnes (every report they filed is on the State Board of Elections' site). Data current as of October 12, 2026.

Their donors also gave to

Their largest donors who also funded other 2024 state candidates.

DonorTo themCandidates fundedBy party
City Hall Suites LLC
Business · Dekalb
$10,0002
Friends of Lance Yednock
Candidate or officeholder committee · Ottawa
$5,00010
Sean Tenner
Consultant, KNI Communications · Chicago
$3,00013
Carpentry Advancement Political Action Committee Fund
Group or PAC · Chicago
$2,50065
Laborers' International Union of North America Local #32
Labor union · Rockford
$2,5002
KNI INC
Business · Chicago
$1,0012
Sheet Metal Workers Local 219
Labor union · Rockford
$1,0003
Good Government Council
Group or PAC · Springfield
$50028
Richard Katz
Dekalb
$2502
Mark Cordes
Dekalb
$2002