Candidates › State Senate

Maria Peterson D

Democratic candidate for State Senator District 26

June 28, 2022 primary: won with 15,528 votes (100%) · November 8, 2022 general: lost with 44,247 votes (100%)

🔓 Contribution limits are off in their race (limits off for race).

Worth a look

Context Late reports

1 contribution of $1,000 or more ($1,000) 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 Alfred Mcconnell on 2022-10-05.

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
Alfred Mcconnell	Quarterly	2022-10-05	$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

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

Campaign money

$478,307raised, 450 itemized contributions, plus $46,068 in small ones

$38,240from the candidate (incl. loans)

$419,638spent

$9,568cash on hand on December 31, 2022; $39,756 in debts

Where their money comes from (besides their own)

26%14%47%

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

Plus $2,500 of their own money and from their other committees. Compare with all state candidates →

How it was spent: $419,638

Other (as described)$261,595

Consultants and field$73,113

Office, printing and supplies$30,573

Digital and online$21,441

Polling$14,300

Staff pay$10,051

Legal, accounting and fees$3,457

Fundraising and events$2,719

Contributions to other committees$1,488

Mail and literature$300

Largest payees: Boca Media Group $142,267 Other (as described) · Adelstein & Associates $97,707 Other (as described) · KMM Consulting, LLC $34,933 Consultants and field · Onyx Communications $17,462 Office, printing and supplies · Mia Phifer $17,000 Consultants and field · PAD Consulting $12,500 Digital and online · Change Research $9,300 Polling · Renee Schaeffer $9,000 Consultants and field

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
Democratic Party of Illinois Chicago	Business or group	$222,646.98
Greater Palatine Area Democrats Palatine	Committee	$50,000
Jorge Cavero Physician · Self · Hinsdale	Person	$12,500
UAW Illinois PAC Lincolnshire	Committee	$10,000
Abigail Pucker Retired · None · Chicago	Person	$6,000
American Federation of State County and Municipal Workers Washington	Committee	$5,000
Friends of Omar Aquino Chicago	Committee	$5,000
Lake County Democrats Lake Zurich	Committee	$5,000
Lake County Federation of Teachers Local 504 COPE Gurnee	Committee	$5,000
Marci Suelzer Campaign Committee Island Lake	Committee	$5,000
Janet Smith Not Employed · Not Employed · North Barrington	Person	$4,000
Roman Chmiel Business Owner · Self · Lake Forest	Person	$3,000
Karen Lennon Manager · Wessex 504 Corporation · Chicago	Person	$3,000
Personal PAC Chicago	Business or group	$2,618.06
Michael Peterson Banker · Citibank · New York	Person	$2,500

Committee: Maria for 52 (every report they filed is on the State Board of Elections' site). Data current as of October 12, 2026.

Companies on the state register

Corporations and LLCs the Secretary of State lists Maria Peterson as an officer, manager or member of.

Company	Their role	Status	Gave to the campaign
FITCORE, INC. Corporation, since 2000 · file 60974047	president, registered agent	Good standing · last annual report 2026	—
FRIENDS OF MARIA PETERSON INC. Corporation, since 2024 · file 74645666	president, registered agent	Good standing · last annual report 2026	—
KENNETH W. PETERSON, CPA, LTD. Corporation, since 2003 · file 62623357	secretary	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
Democratic Party of Illinois Party or caucus committee · Chicago	$222,647	73
UAW Illinois Political Action Committee Labor union · Lincolnshire	$10,000	24
Lake County Democrats Group or PAC · Lake Zurich	$6,130	11
Abigail Pucker Retired, Retired · Chicago	$6,000	2
Marci Suelzer Campaign Committee Group or PAC · Island Lake	$5,000	2
Friends of Omar Aquino Candidate or officeholder committee · Chicago	$5,000	11
Lake County Federation of Teachers Local 504 COPE Labor union · Gurnee	$5,000	3
Personal PAC Group or PAC · Chicago	$2,618	62
Jorge Cavero Doctor, Cavero Medical Group · Hinsdale	$2,500	2
Ram Villivalam Public Service, State of Illinois · Chicago	$2,250	5
Karen Lennon Manager, Wessex 504 Corporation · Chicago	$2,000	2
Citizens for Karina Villa Candidate or officeholder committee · West Chicago	$1,500	10
Administrative District Council 1 of Illinois Group or PAC · Elmhurst	$1,300	57
Mary Beaubien Retired, Retired · Barrington	$1,250	4
Kelly Mazeski Payroll administrator, Johnsburg Dental · Barrington	$1,000	2