Campaign money
$16,330raised, 21 itemized contributions, plus $3,575 in small ones
$20,250from the candidate (incl. loans)
$18,165spent
$7,008cash on hand on June 30, 2026; $12,620 in debts
$7,000 of it in 3 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.
Illinois Democratic Party - Don Harmon $5,000 2026-09-29 · Citizens to Elect Pro-Choice Candidates PAC $1,000 2026-08-06 · Ed Gogol $1,000 2026-07-15
Where their money comes from (besides their own)
24%43%33%
IndividualsBusinessesTrade, professional and issue groupsLabor unionsParties and legislative caucusesOther candidates and officeholders
Plus $1,130 of their own money and from their other committees. Compare with all state candidates →
How it was spent: $18,165
Staff pay$14,000
Office, printing and supplies$2,751
Legal, accounting and fees$1,000
Other (as described)$190
Fundraising and events$173
Mail and literature$50
Largest payees: Miracle Jenkins $15,000 Staff pay · Minuteman Press $2,597 Office, printing and supplies · Minuteman Press Chicago $205 Office, printing and supplies · Friends of Christine Hamm $190 Other (as described) · Elle's Deli and Bagels $173 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 |
|---|
Illinois Democratic Party - Don Harmon
Chicago | Party | $5,000 |
McHenry County Democratic Women
Crystal Lake | Committee | $3,000 |
Rutland Grafton Democrats
Huntley | Committee | $2,500 |
Ed Gogol
Retired · Retired · Crystal Lake | Person | $1,175 |
Sarah Mertens
Supervisor · CCSD 47 · crystal lake | Person | $1,129.56 |
Citizens to Elect Pro-Choice Candidates PAC
Rockford | Committee | $1,000 |
Alicia C. Cosky
Sycamore | Person | $500 |
Jackie and Dean Norem
Cherry Valley | Person | $500 |
George Benjamin
Huntley | Person | $250 |
Randall Rapp
Harvard | Person | $250 |
Ariel Jenkins
Lake in the Hills | Person | $225 |
Nancy Hardy
Huntley | Person | $200 |
Bobbi Mcfarland
Hinckley | Person | $200 |
Timothy Seitz
Palatine | Person | $200 |
Brent and Margaret Stolzle
Pingree Grove | Person | $200 |
Committee: Citizens for Sarah Mertens (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 Sarah Mertens as an officer, manager or member of.
| Company | Their role | Status | Gave to the campaign |
|---|
SAH DOH KUK SUL OF CRYSTAL LAKE, LLC
LLC, since 2022 · file 12235216 | manager, registered agent | Voluntarily dissolved · last annual report 2024 | — |
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.