Public records indicate that Illinois is one of 12 states and DC that require or allow lobbying firms to register, instead of individual lobbyists. Because lobbying firms often employ many lobbyists, the tobacco industry may be able to mask from public view the actual number and names of individual lobbyists who are working on their behalf in this state.

The homepage map shows the number of individual tobacco industry lobbyist registrations and the total tobacco industry lobbying firm registrations (the totals from the blue rows in each chart below). Because the same individual lobbyist or lobbying firm may represent more than one tobacco company, the data are separated by total number of lobbyists/firms and total number of registrations.

The tan rows show the total number of individual lobbyists and individual firms. The tan box at the top shows the combined total number of individual lobbyists and firms.

The blue rows show the number of lobbyist and lobbying firm registrations. The blue box at the top shows the combined total number of registrations for lobbyists and lobbying firms. When the same lobbyist or firm represents more than one tobacco company, this blue number will be higher than the tan number.