Candidates › State Senate

Emil Jones III D

Incumbent, Democratic candidate for State Senator District 14

June 28, 2022 primary: won with 20,381 votes (100%) · November 8, 2022 general: won with 49,237 votes (100%)

Also ran for State Senator in 2026 ($214,839 raised).

Worth a look

Worth a look Contribution limits

1 source gave more than the contribution limit ($500 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: Tunji Ladipo gave $6,500 in the primary cycle, against a limit of $6,000 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
Tunji Ladipo	an individual	primary	2	$6,500	$6,000	$500

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

Worth a look Late reports

9 large contributions ($16,000) 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 Joseph Orlando, received 2021-02-02, reported 2021-03-16: 28 business days, 23 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 (9)

Name	Date	A-1 filed	Business days	Allowed	Amount
Joseph Orlando	2021-02-02	2021-03-16	28	5	$1,000
S. S. Syntec,LTD	2021-02-04	2021-03-16	26	5	$1,000
Pandemic Solutions, LLC	2021-02-09	2021-03-16	23	5	$2,500
American Medical Lab	2021-02-17	2021-03-16	19	5	$5,000
Gail Montenegro	2021-02-17	2021-03-16	19	5	$1,000
Ambulance Transportation Inc	2021-03-04	2021-03-16	8	5	$1,000
Ambulance Transport, Inc.	2021-03-04	2021-03-16	8	5	$1,000
MZI Group, Inc	2021-03-08	2021-03-16	6	5	$2,500
Bollinger Connolly Krause LLC	2021-03-08	2021-03-16	6	5	$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

$10,421.43 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 (10)

Name	Kind	Purpose (as reported)	Date	Amount
Capital One Auto Finance	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-07-07	$1,658
Capital One Auto Finance	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2022-05-25	$1,658
Capital One Auto Finance	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2022-07-18	$1,658
Capital One Auto Finance	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-01-24	$921
Capital One Auto Finance	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-02-24	$921
Capital One Auto Finance	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-03-25	$921
Capital One Auto Finance	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-10-15	$711
Capital One Auto Finance	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-11-15	$711
Capital One Auto Finance	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-12-15	$711
Capital One Auto Finance	a vehicle purchase, lease or payment	Car lease payment	2021-09-24	$553

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 ($1,000.66) 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: $1,000.66 from Phillips 66 on 2021-03-01.

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
Phillips 66	Quarterly	2021-03-01	$1,001

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

Context Late reports

1 quarterly report filed late (up to 3 days)

Quarterly reports are due by the 15th of the month after each quarter. The report for the quarter ending 2022-03-31 was due 2022-04-15 and filed 2022-04-18.

What to check

A paper report postmarked 3 days before the deadline is on time; the Board records when it arrived.
The Board assesses fines for late reports and may waive them.

The entries (1)

Quarter ending	Due	Filed	Days late
2022-03-31	2022-04-15	2022-04-18	3

Rule: Quarterly reports filed late

“A political committee shall file quarterly reports no later than the 15th day of the month following each period.”10 ILCS 5/9-10(b) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how findings work

Context Missing details

3 payments ($2,155.47) with no purpose given

Every itemized payment on a report must say what it was for. These leave it blank.

What to check

The committee may have amended the report to add the purposes.
Whether each payment is a reimbursement, pay for work, repayment of a loan the candidate made to the campaign, or something else.

The entries (3)

Name	Date	Amount
Capital One Auto Finance	2022-01-19	$1,476
Amazon	2022-10-04	$440
Office Depot	2022-01-31	$240

Rule: Payments with no purpose given

“the full name and mailing address of each person to whom expenditures have been made by the committee or candidate within the reporting period in an aggregate amount or value in excess of $150; the amount, date, and purpose of each of those expenditures”10 ILCS 5/9-11(a)(12) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how findings work

Context Missing details

4 of 12 donors giving over $500 listed with no employer or occupation

For anyone who gives more than $500 in a reporting period, a report must list their occupation and employer, or say the committee made a good-faith effort to find out. These list neither.

What to check

The committee may have filed an amendment adding them.
A retiree or someone not employed should still be listed as such.

The entries (4)

Name	Date	Amount
Victoria Hand	2022-01-17	$5,000
Stephen Morill	2022-01-17	$5,000
Gail Montenegro	2021-02-17	$1,000
Joseph Orlando	2021-02-02	$1,000

Rule: Donors with no employer or occupation

“if the contributor is an individual who contributed more than $500, the occupation and employer of the contributor or, if the occupation and employer of the contributor are unknown, a statement that the committee has made a good faith effort to ascertain this information”10 ILCS 5/9-11(a)(4) ✓ quoted from the saved copy · how findings work

Campaign money

$291,051raised, 204 itemized contributions, plus $1,275 in small ones

$0from the candidate (incl. loans)

$173,474spent

$170,898cash on hand on December 31, 2022

Where their money comes from (besides their own)

10%49%27%13%

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

Compare with all state candidates →

How it was spent: $173,474

Other (as described)$77,399

Legal, accounting and fees$40,000

Office, printing and supplies$28,135

Staff pay$10,000

Travel and meals$9,307

Mail and literature$4,501

Fundraising and events$3,632

Contributions to other committees$250

Donations and sponsorships$250

Largest payees: Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP $40,000 Legal, accounting and fees · Progressive Insurance $35,132 Other (as described) · WDB Marketing $19,062 Office, printing and supplies · Minuteman Press $15,003 Office, printing and supplies · Capital One Auto Finance $11,897 Other (as described) · Hawkinson Nissan $6,768 Other (as described) · Martin Brandon $5,000 Staff pay · Brian Vandolah $5,000 Staff pay

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
Opportunity Financial, LLC Chicago	Business or group	$12,000
TCS Group Chicago	Business or group	$12,000
Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor Managemnet PAC Countryside	Committee	$8,000
Ben Lazare Consulting Springfield	Business or group	$7,500
Realtor Political Action Committee Springfield	Committee	$7,500
SEIU Health Care IL IN PAC Chicago	Committee	$7,000
Tunji Ladipo Medical Doctor · Roseland Hospital · Evanston	Person	$6,500
Comcast Philadelphia	Business or group	$6,000
LS Power Tomorrow, LLC East Brunswick	Business or group	$6,000
LTHS Revocable Trust Chicago	Business or group	$6,000
Liuna Chicago Laborers District Council PAC Burr Ridge	Committee	$6,000
TGS Revocable Trust Suite 3605	Business or group	$6,000
Dent-IL-PAC Springfield	Committee	$5,500
American Medical Lab Alsip	Business or group	$5,000
Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois PAC Springfield	Committee	$5,000

Committee: Friends of Emil Jones III (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.

Their home

$100,000 – $200,000estimated market value, 2026 assessment

$335,800median home value in Cook County (Illinois: $280,700)

The Cook County assessor's estimate of the market value of the home at the address Emil Jones III filed with the State Board of Elections, shown as a range; the address isn't published here. Assessments trail the market and can be appealed, so treat it as a rough figure. How this works. Medians: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024.

Companies on the state register

Corporations and LLCs the Secretary of State lists Emil Jones III as an officer, manager or member of.

Company	Their role	Status	Gave to the campaign
EMIL JONES III, LEGAL DEFENSE FUND LLC LLC, since 2023 · file 13470944	manager, registered agent	Not in good standing · last annual report 2025	—
THE CURL CLINIC LLC LLC, since 2020 · file 09001336	manager	Not in good standing · last annual report 2025	—

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
Opportunity Financial LLC Business · Chicago	$12,000	2
Realtor Political Action Committee Group or PAC · Springfield	$8,000	134
Ben Lazare Consulting Business · Springfield	$7,500	70
Ameren Business · St. Louis	$7,000	38
SEIU Health Care IL IN PAC Labor union · Chicago	$7,000	6
LIUNA Chicago Laborers' District Council PAC Labor union · Burr Ridge	$6,500	91
LS Power Tomorrow, LLC Business · East Brunswick	$6,000	60
Comcast Business · Philadelphia	$6,000	50
TGS Revocable Trust Business · Chicago	$6,000	2
DENT-IL-PAC Group or PAC · Springfield	$5,500	133
Neil Bluhm President, JMB Realty · Chicago	$5,000	3
Health Care Council of Illinois PAC Group or PAC · Springfield	$5,000	85
Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois PAC Group or PAC · Springfield	$5,000	97
Stephen Morill Lobbyist, Morill & Associates · Chicago	$5,000	9
Victoria Hand President, Washington Memory Gardens · Lemont	$5,000	3