Candidates › State Senate

David M Koehler D

Incumbent, Democratic candidate for State Senator District 46

June 28, 2022 primary: won with 11,382 votes (100%) · November 8, 2022 general: won with 38,672 votes (100%)

Also ran for State Senator in 2024 ($828,618 raised).

Worth a look

Worth a look Late reports

2 large contributions ($81,610.83) 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: $80,610.83 from The Strategy Group, received 2022-11-17, reported 2023-01-14: 37 business days, 32 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 (2)

Name	Date	A-1 filed	Business days	Allowed	Amount
The Strategy Group	2022-11-17	2023-01-14	37	5	$80,611
Charter Communications	2022-10-24	2022-10-28	4	2	$1,000

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 How the money was spent

$16,132.43 in payments described as a vehicle purchase, lease or payment

The Election Code bars campaign money for club and gym dues, clothing, vehicles not used mainly for the campaign, and tuition, each with exceptions. These payments' descriptions name one of those.

What to check

Club: renting a club for a specific campaign event is allowed; dues aren't.
Clothing: costumes or items worn to advertise the campaign are allowed.
Vehicle: allowed when used primarily for the campaign or government duties.
Tuition: allowed for education directly tied to the official's duties.

The entries (23)

Name	Kind	Purpose (as reported)	Date	Amount
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-01-12	$701
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-02-22	$701
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-03-18	$701
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-04-19	$701
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-05-18	$701
Ford Motor Company Civic Action Fund	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-06-18	$701
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-07-19	$701
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-08-18	$701
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-09-20	$701
Ford Motor Company Civic Action Fund	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-10-18	$701
Ford Motor Company Civic Action Fund	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-11-18	$701
Ford Motor Company Civic Action Fund	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-12-20	$701
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2022-01-18	$701
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2022-02-18	$701
Ford Motor Company Civic Action Fund	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2022-03-18	$701
Ford Motor Company Civic Action Fund	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2022-04-18	$701
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2022-05-18	$701
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2022-06-21	$701
Ford Motor Company Civic Action Fund	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2022-07-18	$701
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2022-08-18	$701
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2022-09-19	$701
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2022-10-18	$701
Ford Credit	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2022-12-19	$701

Rule: Car leases and other restricted spending

“For membership or club dues charged by organizations, clubs, or facilities that are primarily engaged in providing health, exercise, or recreational services”10 ILCS 5/9-8.10(a)(7) ✓ 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 Accel Entertainment Gaming LLC on 2022-01-12.

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
Accel Entertainment Gaming LLC	Quarterly	2022-01-12	$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

$868,092raised, 275 itemized contributions, plus $10,557 in small ones

$2,445from the candidate (incl. loans)

$635,510spent

$353,373cash on hand on December 31, 2022

Where their money comes from (besides their own)

13%44%40%

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

Plus $2,445 of their own money and from their other committees. Compare with all state candidates →

How it was spent: $635,510

Mail and literature$222,469

Other (as described)$190,759

Staff pay$77,400

Office, printing and supplies$50,472

Contributions to other committees$45,541

Donations and sponsorships$20,300

Travel and meals$13,332

TV and streaming ads$8,404

Legal, accounting and fees$2,610

Fundraising and events$1,784

Largest payees: The Strategy Group $333,889 TV and streaming ads · Jennifer Allison $39,618 Travel and meals · United States Department of the Treasury $20,679 Other (as described) · Weaverridge Golf Club $19,025 Other (as described) · Peoria Labor Temple Association $16,800 Office, printing and supplies · Verizon $14,299 Office, printing and supplies · Ford Credit $11,228 Other (as described) · Internal Revenue Service $10,743 Other (as described)

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
The Strategy Group Chicago	Business or group	$80,610.83
Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor Mgmt. PAC Countryside	Committee	$65,900
LiUNA Chicago Area Laborer's Political League Burr Ridge	Committee	$62,900
Carpentry Advancement PAC Chicago	Committee	$59,900
IBEW Illinois PAC Washington	Committee	$59,900
Illinois Pipe Trades PAC Account Springfield	Committee	$50,000
North Central IL Laborers' District Council PAC Peoria	Committee	$35,000
ISDF Oak Park	Business or group	$24,899.39
IPACE Springfield	Committee	$20,000
Illinois Laboer's Legislative Committee Springfield	Committee	$20,000
Marquis Energy LLC Hennepin	Committee	$16,500
Health Care Council of IL PAC Springfield	Committee	$15,000
UAW IL PAC Lincolnshire	Committee	$11,200
SEIU Healthcare IL IN PAC Chicago	Committee	$11,000
Boyd Gaming Corp. las Vegas	Committee	$10,000

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

Outside spending for and against them

$69spent supporting them

$0spent opposing them

Spender		Amount
Illinois Farm Bureau ACTIVATOR general · 2022-10-26	for	$69

Independent expenditures reported by other committees since January 1, 2021. The candidate doesn't control them.

Companies on the state register

Corporations and LLCs the Secretary of State lists David M Koehler as an officer, manager or member of.

Company	Their role	Status	Gave to the campaign
PALM ENTERPRISES, INC. Corporation, since 2004 · file 63941646	president	Dissolved · last annual report 2006	—
WORKPLACE SYNERGISTICS, LLC LLC, since 2001 · file 00516953	member	Involuntarily dissolved · last annual report 2003	—

From the Secretary of State's business records of October 13, 2026, matched by name and ZIP code against the address the State Board of Elections has for the candidate (or by name when the company itself gave to their campaign). Someone listed only at another address isn't found; search the Secretary of State's business entity search by file number for the full record.

Their donors also gave to

Their largest donors who also funded other 2022 state candidates.

Donor	To them	Candidates funded
The Strategy Group Business · Evanston	$80,611	2
Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor Mgmt PAC Labor union · Countryside	$65,900	12
IBEW Illinois PAC Labor union · Washington	$59,900	63
Carpentry Advancement PAC Group or PAC · Chicago	$59,900	39
Illinois Pipe Trades PAC Account Group or PAC · Springfield	$50,000	28
North Central Illinois Laborers' District Council PAC Labor union · Peoria	$37,500	11
ISDF Business · Oak Park	$24,899	20
IPACE Group or PAC · Springfield	$20,000	38
Marquis Energy LLC Business · Hennepin	$16,500	21
Health Care Council of Illinois PAC Group or PAC · Springfield	$15,000	85
UAW Illinois Political Action Committee Labor union · Lincolnshire	$11,200	24
SEIU Healthcare IL IN PAC Labor union · Chicago	$11,000	87
Boyd Gaming Corp. Group or PAC · Las Vegas	$10,000	2
SEIU Illinois Council PAC Fund Labor union · Chicago	$10,000	29
Ameren Illinois Business · St. Louis	$9,500	96