Candidates are beginning to join the race for Kane County treasurer in the 2026 election, with incumbent Chris Lauzen and two challengers announcing their campaigns.
Along with Lauzen, the field at this point includes current Kane County Auditor Penny Wegman and Connie Cain, who says she’s a former Treasurer’s Office employee.
Lauzen, a Republican, previously served as a state senator in the 21st and 25th districts, then served as the Kane County Board chair from 2012 until 2020, when he withdrew from his reelection bid, according to past reporting.
In 2022, Lauzen ran for and was elected the county’s treasurer, for which he’s now seeking another term.
In a press release, Lauzen said that, if elected, this would be his final term as treasurer. He cited the impending retirements of four staff members in the Treasurer’s Office in the next few years and the need to recruit, train and bring up to speed their replacements as a reason for seeking another term.
Pointing to, for example, earning $20 million in annual county interest income as treasurer, Lauzen in the release called himself the “serious, experienced and proven ‘anti-tax increase’ candidate” for the post.
Current Kane County Auditor Penny Wegman has also thrown her hat in the ring for the treasurer seat.
Wegman, a Democrat, has been serving as the county’s auditor since 2020, when she ousted incumbent Terry Hunt, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. Before that, she was a Kane County Board member and previously served as president of the Kane County Regional School Board, according to past reporting.
Calling the auditor position the “watchdog over government spending,” Wegman said in a statement on her website that she works “diligently to provide transparency over how your tax dollars are spent” and keeps “efficiency and accountability at the forefront.”
The field of candidates vying for the seat also includes former Treasurer’s Office employee Candida “Connie” Cain.
Cain served as the director of Financial Operations for the Treasurer’s Office from May 2023 to December 2024, according to hiring and termination reports from Kane County’s Human Services Committee.
She previously ran unsuccessfully as a Republican to be the state representative for the 66th District in 2022, according to Illinois State Board of Elections records. She also ran unsuccessfully to join District 300’s school board in 2023.
Now, she’s running for Kane County treasurer as a Democrat, per her filing with the State Board of Elections.
The primary election for the Kane County treasurer seat, as well as other county offices like the county sheriff, will be held on March 17, 2026, according to the Kane County Clerk’s Office. The general election will be held on Nov. 3, 2026.
mmorrow@chicagotribune.com
