Worth a look
Context How the money was spent
$3,083.72 paid by the campaign to the candidate
Campaign money may go to a candidate or their family only as pay for work actually done; reimbursing campaign costs they paid out of pocket (mileage, travel, supplies) is common and allowed. The purposes the campaign wrote are listed with each payment. Not counted: $5,000 repaying the candidate's loans to the campaign or returning their money, which the law allows.
What to check- Whether each payment is a reimbursement for campaign costs, or pay for work done.
- Family is matched by last name and the home address on file with the Board; relatives elsewhere aren't found.
The entries (7)
| Name | Who | Purpose (as reported) | Date | Amount |
|---|
| Dan Ugaste | the candidate | Mileage | 2026-03-31 | $977 |
| Dan Ugaste | the candidate | Mileage | 2025-09-30 | $762 |
| Dan Ugaste | the candidate | Mileage | 2025-12-29 | $588 |
| Dan Ugaste | the candidate | Mileage | 2025-06-30 | $433 |
| Dan Ugaste | the candidate | Mileage | 2025-03-31 | $309 |
| Dan Ugaste | the candidate | Tolls | 2025-03-31 | $9 |
| Dan Ugaste | the candidate | Tolls | 2025-09-30 | $7 |
Rule: Mileage, reimbursements and pay to the candidate
“For payments to a public official or candidate or his or her family member unless for compensation for services actually rendered by that person.”10 ILCS 5/9-8.10(a)(11) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how findings work
Context Contribution limits
1 source gave more than the contribution limit ($200 over in all)
A candidate's committee may accept only so much from one source in an election cycle: in 2025–26, $7,300 from an individual, $14,600 from a corporation, union or association, and $72,800 from a PAC or another candidate's committee. The most over: John Bryan gave $7,500 in the primary cycle, against a limit of $7,300 for an individual.
What to check- Excess returned to the source (or given to charity) within 30 days of the Board's notice isn't a violation; a refund the committee listed under another name or purpose isn't subtracted here.
- Two different people with the same name and ZIP code would be added together.
- Spouses are separate sources, as are a business and the person who owns it.
- Whether a corporation's or union's own PAC gave instead (the PAC limit applies to it).
The entries (1)
| Name | Kind | Cycle | Contributions | Given | Limit | Over |
|---|
| John Bryan | an individual | primary | 2 | $7,500 | $7,300 | $200 |
Rule: Contributions over the limit
“During an election cycle, a candidate political committee may not accept contributions with an aggregate value over the following: (i) $5,000 from any individual, (ii) $10,000 from any corporation, labor organization, or association, or (iii) $50,000 from a candidate political committee or political action committee.”10 ILCS 5/9-8.5(b) (adjusted for inflation each odd year, 9-8.5(g)) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how findings work
Context Late reports
1 contribution of $1,000 or more ($1,500) 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: $1,500 from NRG Energy on 2025-12-03.
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 (1)
| Name | Reported on | Date | Amount |
|---|
| NRG Energy | Quarterly | 2025-12-03 | $1,500 |
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
$252,035raised, 206 itemized contributions, plus $6,565 in small ones
$0from the candidate (incl. loans)
$114,494spent
$40,563cash on hand on June 30, 2026; $18,881 in debts
$115,218 of it in 46 large contributions reported on A-1s since their last quarterly report (through June 30, 2026): $1,000 or more from one source must be reported within days, ahead of the next quarterly.
House Republican Organization $29,812 2026-10-02 · Illinois Republican Party $10,406 2026-10-02 · IL Bankers PAC $10,000 2026-07-30 · Realtor PAC $5,000 2026-09-21 · Caterpillar Employees Political Action Committee $3,500 2026-07-11 · Ameren $3,000 2026-07-30 · Comcast $3,000 2026-08-24 · PCI Gaming Authority $3,000 2026-09-08 · John Bryan $2,500 2026-09-21 · Chicago J. Dineen Lodge #7 PAC $2,500 2026-09-08
Where their money comes from (besides their own)
23%48%16%
IndividualsBusinessesTrade, professional and issue groupsLabor unionsParties and legislative caucusesOther candidates and officeholders
Compare with all state candidates →
How it was spent: $114,494
Contributions to other committees$44,326
Consultants and field$21,001
Other (as described)$20,455
Donations and sponsorships$6,998
Travel and meals$5,338
Polling$5,000
Fundraising and events$4,620
Mail and literature$4,521
Office, printing and supplies$1,982
Digital and online$254
Largest payees: HRO $35,000 Contributions to other committees · Dan Ugaste $8,084 Travel and meals · Regal Polling $8,000 Consultants and field · Dunloe Group $6,751 Consultants and field · M3 Strategies $5,765 Polling · Elect Inc. $5,250 Consultants and field · Premier Mailing & Printing $4,521 Mail and literature · McNally's Traditional Irish Pub $2,788 Fundraising and events
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 contributors | Type | Total |
|---|
House Republican Organization
Morris | Business or group | $29,812 |
Realtor PAC
Springfield | Committee | $21,000 |
IL Bankers PAC
Springfield | Committee | $13,000 |
Illinois Republican Party
Springfield | Business or group | $10,406.40 |
John Bryan
President · Geneva Construction · Sugar Grove | Person | $10,000 |
Ameren
St. Louis | Business or group | $6,000 |
CAR of Illinois
Springfield | Committee | $6,000 |
Comcast
Philadelphia | Business or group | $6,000 |
Chicago J. Dineen Lodge #7 PAC
Chicago | Committee | $5,500 |
IHA PAC
Springfield | Committee | $5,500 |
Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor Management PAC
Countryside | Committee | $4,000 |
Community BancPAC
Springfield | Committee | $4,000 |
Credit Union Political Action Council
Naperville | Committee | $4,000 |
Caterpillar Employees Political Action Committee
Peoria | Committee | $3,500 |
Manufacturers PAC
Spingfield | Committee | $3,500 |
Committee: Citizens for Dan Ugaste (every report they filed is on the State Board of Elections' site). Data current as of October 12, 2026.