Collin Corbett, an Independent from Palatine, is running for Illinois governor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He is certified for the ballot and faces J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, and Darren Bailey, a Republican. The governor signs or vetoes legislation, sets the state budget and appoints agency directors.

Asked why he is running, Corbett said in our candidate questionnaire: "Illinoisans feel stuck. Everything costs more, and we are being asked to do more with less. Better-paying jobs are hard to find. All while we watch our family and friends move away."

He added: "We feel stuck because our broken political system is grinding Illinois to a halt."

Candidate information

Party: "Independent"

Education: "High School"

Family: "Married to Abbey. One son, Theodore Rex (T Rex), expecting a second child, and a rescue dog, Dustin."

Occupation: "Political strategist and small business owner. Currently on a leave of absence from my companies for this run."

Previous elected or appointed office: "N/A"

Experience and public service

Corbett said in our questionnaire: "Over the past two decades, I have recruited and trained over 3,500 everyday people to help them get involved in the political process. I founded Cor Strategies, EmpowerPolitics, and Long9 Studio, through which I have advanced nearly 1,200 organizations and campaigns throughout the country."

According to BallotReady, Corbett served as founding visionary at Cor Strategies from 2009 to 2026 and co-founded EmpowerPolitics in 2025.

Asked what accomplishments qualify him, Corbett said in our questionnaire: "I pioneered a community engagement process that brings residents, local businesses, and government leaders together to set priorities and decide what level of taxation they prefer."

On the issues

Affordability and cost of living

Asked about his top priority, Corbett said in our questionnaire: "How unaffordable our state has become is the single biggest issue for working families. In a recent survey, 21% of Illinoisans said the state is affordable compared to 57% who said it is too expensive."

He said he would address costs by "finally lowering property taxes, holding state spending in check, providing relief at the pump, bringing down energy costs, reining in unchecked data center growth, reducing health care costs, and building new affordable, quality housing while stabilizing the value of current housing."

Economy and jobs

On the economy, Corbett said in our questionnaire: "In JB Pritzker's Illinois, big out-of-state corporations get tax breaks while local small businesses pay the full weight of our state's oppressive tax and fee burden. I will scale back these giveaways and instead help our small-to-midsize businesses, manufacturers, and family farmers."

Pensions and property taxes

On pensions, Corbett said in our questionnaire: "Decades of politicians underfunding pension funds and high Tier 1 benefit structures mean state funding is consumed paying off legacy debt service while a massive portion of every property tax dollar is diverted to service historical pension debt."

He said he would, in his first year, "freeze discretionary spending and put in place transparent accountability standards that measure the impact of our tax dollars."

Education

On K-12 funding, Corbett said in our questionnaire: "Illinois covers just 24.5% of local school budgets, down from 27% when JB Pritzker took office. The national average is 45%. School districts are forced to make up the shortfall through increased property taxes."

Data centers and energy

On data centers, Corbett said on his campaign website that he would "pause all tax incentives for data centers until strict regulations are put in place that ensure data centers pay all their energy costs, limit water usage, and contribute to a property tax relief fund for Illinoisans."

Public safety

On public safety, Corbett said in our questionnaire: "I will ensure our communities are safe and people feel safe by holding criminals accountable while rehabilitating offenders so they turn away from a life of crime. I will protect the improvements made under the SAFE-T Act while increasing detainable offenses and judicial discretion."

Government reform

Corbett also calls for structural changes. On his campaign website, he said he would pursue "ending partisan gerrymandering with fair maps, giving voters more choice through open primaries, reducing the power of party bosses through campaign finance reform, and increasing transparency in campaign finances."

Candidate responses were collected through the Surround Sound News candidate questionnaire. Answers are presented verbatim.