A guide to help you nd your polling place, learn about who’s running in your district and understand what’s on your ballot.
YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT RANKED CHOICE VOTING EXPLAINED PAGE 20
HOW TO FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE PAGE 19
ILLINOIS ’ BALLOT QUESTIONS DEMYSTIFIED PAGE 24
GENERAL ELECTION GUIDE
Candidates often win without broad support
Negative campaigning is rewarded
Voters only get one choice per position
Vote splitting can defeat the most representative candidates
Majority winners are guaranteed
Positive campaigning is rewarded
Voters have more choice and therefore more voice
Votes can be transferred to candidates who share similar views
Cesar
Cesar Chavez Frederick Douglass
Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez
Where and how to vote in the November 2024 election
There are multiple options for making your voice heard in the elec tion
By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter
Whether you’re on the fence about voting, unsure how to vote or adamant about making your heard, it’s essential to have all the deadlines, do and don’ ts in mind as the November 2024 g eneral election rolls around.
This year’s official Election Day is Nov. 5, where voters will decide not only the new President of the United States but also the outcome of numerous local-, state- and federal-level questions or races as well. But what are all the deadlines to make sure your ballot counts?
DEADLINES
To vote, the first step is to re gister. To re gister to vote in Illinois, you must be a United States citizen and a resident of Illinois at least 30 days before the election. You have to be 18 years old by the date of election. You cannot be serving a jail or prison sentence and cannot have claimed the right to vote anywhere else.
Qualified residents can re gister to vote online. The re gistration system will close at 11:59 p.m. Oct. 20 and reopen Nov. 7. Residents already re gistered to vote can also use this online portal to change their existing re gistration or double-check that they are all set.
To register to vote by mail, the application must be postmarked by Oct. 8. To register to vote in person, qualified residents can do so all the way up to and during Election Day on Nov. 5.
After re gistration, it’s important to decide how you want to vote and to have a voting plan in place. Some prefer to vote early to avoid the r ush and to have peace of mind ahead of time. Any qualified voter can do so at a site established by the election authority.
In suburban Cook County, voters can cast an early ballot starting Oct. 21 through Nov. 4 at the Oak Park Village Hall at 123 Madison St. Voting hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.
Residents of Oak Park and River Forest age 60 and up, or any age individual with a disability, can use the Oak Park Township’s curb-to-curb bus service from 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to a village news release. The rides are first come, first served and can be scheduled up to a week in advance by calling the township.
Others like to vote by mail. To do so, a ballot has to be requested by mail between Aug. 7 and Oct. 31. In-person requests must be made by Nov. 4.
To ensure the mail-in ballot counts, it must be postmarked by Election Day on Nov. 5 and received within two weeks. Voters can also return their ballot in a drop box location, which can be found online, from Oct. 21 to Nov. 4.
Military personnel and United States citizens that are overseas have to follow additional requirements
WHERE TO VOTE
But if you want to vote in person on Election Day, it’s important to be prepared and know where to go. Voters can find their specific polling location for Election Day with the zip code and street address of their voter registration through the Illinois State Board of Elections.
OAK PARK
In Oak Park, there are 20 polling locations, all of which are classified as accessible:
■ Hatch Elementary School at 1000 N. Ridgeland Ave.
■ Whittier Elementary School at 715 N. Harvey Ave.
■ John Hedg es Administrative Center at 218 Madison St
■ Oak Park Public Library Maze Branch at 845 Gunderson Ave.
■ Abraham Lincoln Elementary School at 1111 S. Grove Ave.
■ Oliver Wendell Holmes Elementary School at 508 N. Kenilworth Ave.
■ St. Giles Parish – McDonough Hall at 1101 Columbian Ave.
■ The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association at 178 Forest Ave.
■ Oak Park Public Library at 834 Lake St.
■ Oak Park and River Forest High School at 201 N. Scoville Ave.
■ Washington Irving Elementary School at 1125 S. Cuyler Ave.
■ William Beye Elementary School at 230 N. Cuyler Ave.
■ West Central SDA Church at 1154 Wisconsin Ave.
■ Longfellow Elementary School at 715 Highland Ave.
■ Oak Park Conservatory at 615 Garfield St.
■ Horace Mann Elementary School at 921 N. Kenilworth Ave.
■ Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School at 325 S. Kenilworth Ave.
■ Oak Park Township at 105 S. Oak Park Ave.
■ Park District of Oak Park Dole Center at 255 Augusta St.
■ Percy Julian Middle School at 416 S. Ridgeland Ave.
RIVER FOREST
In River Forest, there are four polling locations:
■ Roosevelt Middle School at 7560 Oak Ave.
■ Village of River Forest at 400 Park Ave.
■ River Forest Community Center at 8020 Madison St.
■ The Sheridan at River Forest at 800 N. Harlem Ave., which is not listed as accessible.
What is ranked choice voting and how could it work in Oak Park?
A guide to the binding referendum that will be on the ballot in November
By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter
In November, Oak Park residents will have the opportunity to vote to implement ranked choice voting for village board elections in a binding referendum.
What is ranked choice voting?
It is different from the way most people are used to voting. In Oak Park and most places in the United States, voters choose one candidate.
But ranked choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. If one candidate has a majority of votes, they win. But if no candidate has a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. Voters who ranked that candidate as their first choice have their votes transfer red to their second choice. This re peats until one candidate has a majority.
How could it work in Oak Park?
If the referendum in Oak Park passes, by a simple majority, RCV would be used to elect village board members beginning in April 2027. This includes village trustees and the village president, but not the village clerk, board of education members, park district commissioners, township trustees, county commissioners, or any other offices.
Rebecca Williams, a statewide organizer with FairVote Illinois since August 2022, said they decided to limit the referendum to the village board because those positions tend to see multiple candidates running, meaning RCV could make more of a difference. Other positions, such as board of education members, etc., are also not
within Oak Park’s home rule legal ability to change.
In Oak Park, candidates for village president will have to receive 50% of the vote plus one of first rankings to win. But candidates for village trustee only have to receive 25% plus one of first rankings to win. If no candidate passes those thresholds, RCV will come into play
The village is not the first to adopt this voting system. Evanston was the first in the state to adopt ranked choice voting for local elections in November 2022 and is expected to implement the system in April 2025. If it is adopted here, Oak Park would be the second municipality in Illinois to
The referendum is binding, meaning if it is approved, it will be enacted as law. Oak Park can implement it because it’s a home rule municipality, meaning it can exercise any power unless specifically prohibited from doing so by state law. Voters can still choose to only vote for one candidate if they want. They can also still choose to write in a candidate.
“Volunteers have been working toward this milestone for months, and now we’re one step closer to bringing more choices and better re presentation to voters across the state of Illinois,” said Andrew Szilva, FairVote Illinois’ executive director, in a news release.
Who is behind the e ort?
Volunteers from FairVote Illinois, VOICE Oak Park, the League of Women Voters of Oak Park-River Forest and other Oak Parkers worked to g et enough signatures to ensure the RCV referendum would be on this f all’s ballot. To g et the question on the ballot, 1,900 signatures had to be collected, determined as 8% of votes cast for “governor” in the preceding election. FairVote Illinois submitted 3,254 signatures in August.
Ranked choice voting, according to FairVote Illinois, is the f astest-growing nonpartisan voting refo rm in the United
gives voters more choice, saves money spent on elections and discourages ne gative campaigning.”
Williams said FairVote Illinois is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works to educate and advocate for RCV across the state.
“It’s also encouraging more choice on the candidate side,” Williams said. “Oak Park has had some history of occasionally candidates dropping out because they were concerned that they would split the voter, be spoilers, with other similar candidates. With ranked choice voting, that’s no longer so much of a concern.”
Bruce Lehman, an organizer for VOICE Oak Park since October 2017, said VOICE Oak Park was started to help give residents a greater voice in local gover nment. He said he got involved with the push for RCV mainly to help prevent vote splitting among candidates who have similar agendas
“When we told people what ranked choice voting does … there was a clear majority of the people who talked with us who thought that ranked choice voting should be adopted,” Lehman said.
Williams also said she’s optimistic the referendum will pass in Oak Park because residents were positive about it during the signature-gathering process. Municipal elections tend to have a low voter turnout, Williams pointed out. RCV will hopefully help voters feel that their voice matters, she said.
“Evanston chose RCV for their elections, and we’re confident that Oak Park will do the same,” Szilva said in the statement. “Fixing politics starts at the ballot box, and by working to bring RCV to Illinois, we’re working to ensure that voters’ voices are heard.”
Trustees Susan Buchanan, Ravi Parakkat and Brian Straw have endorsed RCV for Oak Park, along with for mer Village Clerk Teresa Powell.
Are there downsides to RCV?
Some criticisms of ranked choice voting are that it’s too complicated, that it’s too expensive to implement, that it violates the “one person, one vote,” system or that a vote might not count.
Ranking c andidates c an be more c omplicated than selecting one. But a ccording to an A laskans for Better E lections news release, 85% of A laskans found RC V “simple” in the 2022 C ong ressional special election. RankedVote also has an online example of how to use r anked choice voting
GENERAL ELECTION GUIDE 2024
Eva Carson. On August 5, 2024, volunteers from FairVote Illinois and VOICE submitted 3,254 si gnatures to the Oak Park Village Clerk to put a ranked choice voting referendum on Oak Park’s November ballot.
Some argue it’s expensive to update voting equipment and training to implement ranked choice voting, according to RankedVote. But the upfront costs could eliminate the need for expensive r unof f elections, too.
There’s also a critique that RCV violates the “equality principle” or the “one person, one vote” system of democracy. But RCV does not allow a voter to cast multiple votes. It only allows the voter to show their preference among candidates to determine who receives their one vote.
Additionally, there’s an argument that if all the candidates a voter ranks are eliminated, their vote will not count. However, in a “regular” election, votes can still be exhausted when a voter chooses a candidate that doesn’t make it to the “final two.”
Could it be adopted beyond Oak Park?
In Illinois, the state is studying whether RCV is a viable election system. A task force was supposed to submit a re port by July 1, 2024, but the deadline was extended to June 30, 2025.
Williams also said FairVote Illinois is working to gather signatures for RCV in Skokie, too. Implementation of RCV might not change the makeup of local governments a ton, she said, but it will hopefully encourage more choice for voters and inspire more candidates to run.
“It’s been a common thing in cities where candidates are encouraged not to run in that cycle because of vote splitting,” she said. “There’s also certain areas, such as
Skokie, where there’s been very, very ne gative local campaigning. And with ranked choice voting, it tends to incentivize more civil campaigning because of the fact it’s no longer a zero-sum game.”
RCV would be more likely to represent Oak Park voters and elect candidates with the broadest support, Lehman said. He said that the more local municipalities adopt RCV, the more likely it could be to trickle up toward national elections.
Members of FairVote Illinois, VOICE Oak Park and the League of Women Voters of Oak Park-River Forest will be conducting educational ef for ts until Nov. 5 to inform Oak Park voters about RCV, Lehman said. If voters have questions or want to volunteer to help, they can also visit www. rcvforoakpark.org to learn more.
FAIRVOT E ILLINOIS
(from le to right) Rebecca Williams, Bruce Lehman, Manolo Avolos, Katie Stabb,
GENERAL ELECTION GUIDE 2024
What to know about election security and fraud prevention
The Cook County Clerk’s O ce provides crucial information to voters
IBy LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter
n the United States, there’s a common concern among voters about election security and the integrity of the voting process. It’s important to have the facts from a reliable source to trust in transparency of elections and to ensure your vote counts.
According to a NPR/PBS News/Marist poll published in October, 58% of Americans say they are very concerned or concerned that voter fraud will occur in the 2024 election.
So, how can their concerns be assuaged? With accurate information. The Cook County Clerk’s Office is one such reliable source that works on a local level to protect democracy by securing a fair election and preventing fraud.
Edmund Michalowski, deputy clerk of the elections division in the Cook County Clerk’s Office, said people need to have faith that an election is fair and free.
software to detect and block artificial intelligence, as well as preventing breaches.
“You have to come to a trusted source,” Michalowski said. “[Election-related information] is really a lot for people to take in. They just need to take a deep breath and understand that the Cook County Clerk’s elections department is here to help them.”
How does the Cook County Clerk’s O ce keep voters’ data secure?
The elections division in the Cook County Clerk’s Office has experts in election operations, logistics, cybersecurity and information technology. According to its website, there has never been a successful legal case taken against the division or its employees alleging fraud.
The Clerk’s Office also has a cybersecurity group, whose duty is to protect its networks, machinery, software and data. The office uses analytics and authentication
Threats from third parties around the world do come in and are more common with contentious presidential elections, Michalowski said. But if there ever is an issue with the technology or a cybersecurity concern, Michalowski said the office would lock down anything that could be vulnerable and resolve the issue.
“We’ve b een ve ry successful in blocking [ third pa rt y i nterference],” Michalowski said.
Voters concerned about election integrity can also participate as a poll watcher. Poll watchers can observe the conduct of the election in a polling place including by visually comparing voters’ signatures against their registration. Citizens can also serve as an election judge during early voting or on Election Day. Michalowski encouraged young voters to get involved with elections and help foster democracy by working in these roles. Interested parties can find more information at cookcountyclerkil.gov.
The public can also observe election recounts and testing of election equipment at the Clerk’s elections operations centers. And anyone can file election complaints with the Clerk’s Office or seek public election information through Freedom of Information Act requests
What are the voter quali c ations that prevent illegal voting?
Illinois requires identification to re gister to vote. To re gister to vote in Illinois, an individual must be a United States citizen, 18 years old by the general election date and a resident of Illinois for at least 30 days prior to the election. They also must submit two for ms of identification. T hose identifications do not have to be a photo ID but one must include the voter’s current address, Michalowski said. Some examples include a driver’s license, a state ID card, a student ID, a credit card,
a social security card, a utility bill or a bir th certificate.
On Election Day, a voter must provide their signature to confirm their identity. It’s a good idea for voters to update their signature at their polling place ahead of time to ensure there’s no confusion with their ballot.
When a person dies, the Clerk’s Office removes them from the list of re gistered voters. They do this by cross referencing the voter database against government death records or through family members contacting the office.
How can voters trust mail ballots?
When a voter applies for a mail ballot, the Clerk’s Office verifies their infor mation through re gistration records before mailing the ballot. When a voter receives it, the ballot must be signed on the exterior of the envelope before being mailed back or dropped off.
That signature is then verified by three bipartisan judges through re gistration records. These judges are trained in signature verification. If a signature is completely different, Michalowski said, the judges will ask for further identification.
Mail ballots are then counted after polls close on Election Day.
Mail ballots can be dropped of f at more than 50 early voting sites in Cook County. A licensed and bonded courier service picks up and delivers the ballots each day. The courier and an election judge at each location must ag ree on the number of ballots each day and place them in a sealed envelope for transport.
Voters can track their mail ballot to ensure it was counted through the Clerk’s Office. If a voter sees their ballot was not received or authenticated, there’s time to cure that ahead of time and produce any necessary identification.
“Our democracy depends on us,” Michalowski said. “It’s an honor to serve the citizens of Cook County.”
Who are the U.S. 7th District House candidates, Danny Davis and Chad Koppie?
Davis, the longtime incumbent, is up against Koppie for the U.S.
House’s 7th Distric t
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
One of the largest legislative offices on the ticket this election is that of the United States House of Representatives’ 7th District — a cong ressional seat that represents much of Chicago’s West Side, plus suburban Oak Park and Forest Park Incumbent Danny Davis and Chad Koppie will both be on the ballot for the position that is a two-year term.
In the March primary, Davis walked away with more than 52% of the Democratic vote, or more than 42,240 votes cast, according to Ballotpedia. Koppie, the lone Republican contender, gar nered more than 5,600 votes in the heavily Democratic area.
Here’s what to know about the candidates. Neither responded to interview requests by time of publication.
CHAD KOPPIE, REPUBLICAN
Chad Koppie is an Ar my veteran, retired Delta Airlines jet captain, and has been a far mer his whole life. Koppie has served on the Kane County Re gional Board of Schools since 2007 and as the board’s president. He was a Rutland Township trustee from 1983 to 1987, then a member of the District 300 School Board from 1987 to 1991. Koppie has run for the U.S. Senate multiple times — in 1992 for the Conserva tive Party of Illinois, in 1996 for the U.S. Taxpayers Party, and in 2008 for the Constitution Party.
U.S. REP. D ANNY DAVIS , INCUMBENT, DEMOCR AT
Davis has been a representative for the 7th District since 1997. He is the 24th longest- standing member of Congress, having sponsored nearly 7,000 bills and voted over 16,000 times in Congress.
Over his tenure, Davis has be come known as a powerful advocate for criminal justice reform, health care, education, women’s and LGBTQ rights.
He serves on several Caucasus including the Congressional Black munity Health Center’s Caucus, Equity Progressive Caucus, and the Urban Caucus Davis also co-chair of the Caucus on and signed the Second Chance Act during the Obama administration, which provided $1.2 billion to help to ex-offenders trying to re-enter public life. Davis’ work on criminal justice reform also includes ef for ts to remove federal student aid limitations for those with felony drug convictions.
hood Home Visiting program, ich funded $5.2 billion nationally and $119 million in Illinois to imfamily safety, along with the health of mothers and children. He also helped increase funding for the first time in 15 years to $3.55 billion for national guaranteed child care Davis consistently bring money to organizations in his district. Among others, these include Ashunti Residential Management Systems in Austin, which offers supportive ho were for merly homeless; Bethel New Life in Austin, a nonprofit with a community wellness hub; Mount Sinai Hospital for an expansion of its ICU. ts expand past helping with funding and grants. In February, he helped push for the home of Percy Julian, an Oak Park scientist, to become a national historic site.
Koppie’s website lays out his views on certain issues:
■ On the budget and economy, Koppie said he promises to fight for legislation that cuts all government spending, from every cabinet and agency, by at least 3% a year until the budget is balanced. He said he’s also for tax cuts and wants to abolish the Federal Reserve.
■ Koppie said he is anti-abortion and, if voted into Congress, vows to protect all human life. On his website, he speaks of a bill he wants to pass that would place restrictions on fathers’ driver’s licenses and credit cards — allowing them to only commute to work or medical appointments, and restrict the purchase of alcohol, until they are up-to-date on child support.
■ As a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, Koppie said he will defend the Second Amendment.
■ Koppie said he supports building a wall on the border between the U.S. and Mexico and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in arresting and deporting “all illegal aliens.”
■ Koppie said he supports a ceasefire in Ukraine, largely to increase grain and fertilizer exports from Russia and Ukraine.
When it comes to education, Davis has led effor ts to disaggregate education data to reveal disparities in the education of Black students. He’s also fought to protect educational opportunities for students with disabilities and those who are homeless or foster youth.
Davis is also a proponent of strengthening families, nationally and locally. He led the creation of the Maternal Infant and Early Child-
Over the last year, Davis was reappointed to the Committee on Ways and Means. He’s also the Subcommittee Ranking Member of the Worker and Family Support Subcommittee. In 2021, the subcommittee reduced U.S. child poverty by 50%, according to Davis
Before becoming a member of Cong ress, Davis was an educator and community organizer. He also served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners and was alderman of the 29th Ward.
What are the tax, reproductive rights and elections interference questions on my ballot this year?
The state will ask voters three questions in November. Here’s what they mean
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
This election season, most eyes are on the biggest race of them all: the presidential race. As important as it is to make your pick b etween Vi ce President K amala Harris and for mer President Donald Trump, I llinois residents are also bein g asked to we igh in on matters that do n’ t involve a choice b etween candidates
Come Election Day, your ballot will ask you to vote on three statewide ballot measures, the maximum number allowed under state law. All three are considered advisory questions, meaning Illinois officials will not be bound by the results; instead, the questions are intended to give the state a sense of how voters feel about each subject. Sometimes, ballot measures can be worded in ways that are confusing or may cause people to vote the opposite way that they intend to. Luckily, all three in Illinois this year are worded affirmatively, so a “yes” vote means you support the initiative in question while a “no” vote means you oppose it
ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE
The first question is on the topic of assisted re productive health care. Voters will be asked whether “medically assisted re productive treatments” should be covered by any health insurance plan in the state that provides full pregnancy coverage. The question itself mentions in vitro fertilization, one of the most common fertility treatments.
ELEC TION INTERFERENCE
The third question on the ballot considers recourse in cases of election interference. Voters will be asked if candidates up for election on ballots in Illinois — for all races, not just those at the state or local level — should be subject to civil penalties if they attempt to interfere or do interfere with the of ficial duties of an election worker. The question specifies civil penalties, which most often take the form of fines
According to the Center for Disease Control, its preferred ter m, “assisted re technology,” includes any fe treatment that involves handling ovarian eggs or embryos. Treatments that involve someone taking medicine to encourage egg production and those where only sperm is handled, such as artificial insemination, are not included
T he second ballot measure, on the subject of income tax, is relatively straightforward. Voters will be asked if Illinois should amend its constitution to create a new 3% tax on income above $1 million. If voters pass the ballot measure and Illinois of ficials choose to follow through, funds raised by the extra tax will be earmarked and dedicated to property tax relief
All three ballot measures were approved by the Illinois General Assembly in May as part of Public Act 103-0586. In approving these three questions, state lawmakers rejected a fourth advisory question.
Under Illinois law, when more than three measures are submitted for inclusion on ballots, the state operates by a first-come-first-serve policy, meaning this question was the last one to be initiated. for Disease Co eproductive fertility andling king se
According to WBEZ, the state estimates it will rake in at least $4.5 billion each year if such a tax goes into ef fect.
That question would have asked voters if any person or entity, including schools and clinics, would require the written consent of a minor’s parent or guardian before it can provide non-emergency medical services or any services related to gender identity or “modification,” including therapy.
3% TAX ON WEALTHIEST CITIZENS
Who are Robert Sumrell Jr. and Kimberly Lightford?
The two are running for the State Senate’s 4th Distric t
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
The race for the State Senate’s 4th District is between Kimberly Lightford, the Democratic incumbent, and Republican Robert Sumrell Jr.
Illinois’ 4th District covers Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, plus parts of Oak Park and Forest Park. Here’s what voters should know about Lightford and Sumrell. Neither candidate responded to interview requests by publication.
Lightford was elected to the Illinois Senate in 1998.
She’s considered a champion of education issues and has been a part of the Senate Education Committee for 22 years as a sitting member, vice chair, or chair.
Lightford is credited with starting Illinois’ universal preschool for all progr and, in 2000, helped to require the State Board of Education to give students access to breakfast at school. In 2009, she aided in establishing the Illinois Hope and Opportunity Pathways through Education Program, helping re-enroll students who dropped out of high school.
Lightford is also well-known for supporting fair pay.
She was the lead sponsor in the legislation that, in 2003, established the Illinois’ Equal Pay Act. In 2018, Lightford helped pass the African American Equal y Act. Last year, she sponsored legislation guaranteeing paid leave for Illinois rkers.
According to her website, Lightford helped pass a measure in 2019 to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025.
Sumrell Jr. served in the Navy and has a master’s Public Health Administration. His current work involves assisting the elderly and disabled, according to his website.
If elected to the State Senate’s 4th District, Sumrell Jr. said he would prioritize creating more resources and addressing immi tion. His website lays out his views on a few key issues:
■ He promises to advocate for equal educational resources and opportunities.
■ He said he doesn’t think Lightford has transparently addressed migrants coming to her district and wants more opportunities related to migrants.
■ If elected, he will provide grants and resources to local entrepreneurs through his Back to Business Reform initiative. He will also address abandoned buildings in his district and find g rants to rebuild communities
In 2017, in an ef fort to reduce teen suicide and address mental health, Lightford led the ef fort requiring schools to perform social and emotional screenings for students as a part of their entry exams.
In 2019, Lightford became the first Black woman to serve as Illinois Senate Majority Leader. From 2015 to 2021, she was Joint Chairman of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, where she led the caucus’ ef fort in creating an agenda to eliminate systemic racism in Illinois.
■ Sumrell Jr. wants police reform and to address law enforcement’s implicit bias through retraining, education and wellness checks for police.
■ He is against new taxes without refor ms and vows to address District 4’s fiscal challenges.
KIMBERLY LIGHTFORD, DEMOCR AT
ROBERT SUMRELL JR., REPUBLICAN
GENERAL ELECTION GUIDE 2024
Who is running for Cook County State’s Attorney?
Eileen O’Neill Burke, B ob Fioretti and Andrew Charles Kopinski are running for the o ce vacated by Kim Foxx, who is stepping down
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
In April last year, Kim Foxx announced she wouldn’t seek reelection this November after two terms as Cook County state’s attorney. Now, others are stepping up to the plate to take her place.
Eileen O’Neill Burke will be on the ballot as the Democratic candidate after beating Clayton Harris III in the primary elections by less than 2,000 votes.
Bob Fioretti, who ran uncontested in the primaries, is the Republican candidate. Andrew Charles Kopinski is running as a Libertarian. Here’s what to know about each of the candidates in this race.
EILEEN O’NEILL BURKE, DEMOCR AT
O’Neill Burke has spent more than 30 years as a defense attorney, judge and prosecutor. She wo as a Cook County assistant state’s attorney for a decade, where she served as supervisor in appeals and argued cases.
She was then a criminal defense attorney for about eight years, resenting people in felonies, ju nile court and misdemeanor court.
In 2008, O’Neill Burke ran trial court, where she served ting elected to the First District Appellate Court in Cook County, a position she stepped down from last year to run for this of fice.
“I have b een on every single s ide of the j ustice system. I have b een in every corner of the c ourtroom, and I have seen the vantage point from every different angle that you c an,” O’Neill Burke said. “I know wh at wo rk s and wh at d oesn’t wo rk , and that’s why I decided to ste p down and r un for this offic e, because experience is needed right now. ”
prolific these guns are, just by enforcing the law,” O’Neill Burke said.
She also mentions supporting, but amending, the Safe-T Act, which Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law in 2021 and cently amended, ending cash bail in Illinois two years later
But the Safe-T Act also changed the state’s attorney role in pretrial detention. Before the judge makes a determination, the state’s attorney needs to file a petition to detain. If they don’t, the judge can’t detain the defendant, even if they’re a serial killer, O’Neill Burke said.
“It’s become exponentially more important who the state’s attorney is and that they are implementing criteria, procedures and training for those people who are in the detention courts,” O’Neill Burke said.
If elected, O’Neill Burke promises to recruit for County’s Restorative Justice Bureau, expanding restorat justice and deferred prosecution programs. These progr are a collaborative approach where the judge, state’s ney and defense attorney work together to decide how to help those committing nonviolent offenses back on track.
“I’m a believer in these programs because I’ve seen them work,” O’Neill Burke said. “The recidivism rates are significantly less than those going through a re gular felony trial call.” And restorative justice programs often cost a fraction of what it does to incarcerate someone, she said.
ROBERT W. FIORET TI , REPUBLICAN
100 state verdicts, federal verdicts and appellate cour t decisions.
T he main i ssues that O’Neill Burke is r unning on include removing g uns from the streets, a ddressing the root c auses of c rime and rebuilding the State’s A ttorney ’s Of fic e.
O’Neill Burke said Chicago saw 764 shootings this summer. She said many of these shootings weren’ t with handguns, but with guns that have a switch and extended magazine, making gunfire harder to control. She favors an assault weapons ban.
“We can change the behavior, and we can change how
If elected, O’Neill Burke has also committed to creating a Choice Protection Unit at the State’s Attorney’s Office.
After Roe v. Wade was overturned in the Supreme Court in 2022, giving states the right to outlaw abor tions, Illinois saw a 70% increase in abortions last year, including many where people crossed state lines to access the Cook County Health system – the largest provider of reproductive services to women in Illinois, according to O’Neill Burke.
With the influx of people coming to Illinois for abor tions, “It’s not a question of if we are also going to have people coming here from out of state to interfere with those services. It’s a question of when,” O’Neill Burke said.
So, she has helped develop a task force of service providers, politicians and Planned Parenthood employees to discuss how to address ordinance violations like picketing, and criminal charges like stalking and harassment, plus legislation to prevent them.
O’Neill Burke said that restorative justice programs and a Choice Protection Unit will help the State’s Attorney’s Office to recruit law students for an office that is understaffed — mainly in the felony trial division, which Burke said is the most important division.
O’Neill Burke said she would triage the felony trial division to ensure those attorneys have adequate support. She would do this by inviting retired judges and state’s attorneys to come help train those attorneys.
“I’ve tried cases in every courtroom in Cook County,” Fioretti said, including some in sur rounding counties and throughout Illinois.
Fioretti also won the election to serve as Alderman of the 2nd Ward on the Chicago City Council in 2007 and 2011. And he served as 2nd Ward Democratic committeeman for two ter ms
T he first week of October, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. endorsed Fioretti for state’s attor ney.
If elected, Fioretti said he’ll enforce the law as w ritten.
“I’m not going to coddle violent criminals,” he said. He added that he’ll work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to remove immigrants who have committed violent crimes.
“The current philosophy in that office, and including for my Democratic opponent, is that the criminal defendant is the good guy, the police are the bad guys, and the victims don’t count,” Fioretti said. “I am definitely looking to change that and, at the same time, restore the rule of law and break the cycle of crime and cor ruption that we see is so prevalent.”
Fioretti also said he would also pursue politicians who participate in day-to-day corruption that passes as standard practices, bolstering the office’s investigative division. He said he’s been putting together a team of people working in investigative areas on how
Kopinski has work accountant, attorney, entr neur and real estate broker. His legal career has largely centered around transactional law involving real estate, asset protection and debt collection.
“Alarming trends in crime have shifted my attention and focus on criminal la Kopinski, who is near ished with his associate’s degree in law enforcement and criminal justice at Oakton Colle ge in Des Plaines
Kopinski said he decided to run to improve the decreasing quality of ing from crime in the area.
“Crime has spread out from certain high crime areas,” Kopinski said. carjackings and shootings are taking previously high-quality areas,” he said.
GENERAL ELECTION
Kopinski said his biggest goal would be to decrease these crimes “to help significantly reduce violent crime and property crime in Cook County so that the people feel safer and more optimistic. They will want to continue to live and do business in Cook County.”
When it comes to the current state of the office, Kopinski has a list of things he’d like to change.
“The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office is not working well, as evidenced by the high turnover rate and the increase in property crime in Cook County,” Kopinski said. “High-quality prosecutors, like those at the top of other professions, work hard and are determined to contribute to society to make it better by pursuing justice against criminals.”
Foxx’s soft-on-crime policies, he adds, are “demoralizing” for these prosecutors.
they take tips and follow up with leads.
Fioretti said he’ll help get illegal guns of f the streets by working with law enforcement and organizations that are currently in place to prevent gun violence. To tackle the issue, he said he’ll meet with those in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, plus other federal and state agencies that address gun violence.
Re garding the Safe-T Act, Fioretti said that judges need more discretion when it comes to pretrial detention.
“Some of the crimes — such as aggravated battery upon a police officer, aggravated battery on an elderly individual, the illegal
lthough the Protect Illinois ommunities Act, passed at the start of 2023, requires citire gister assault weappinski said he doesn’t think those who fail to do so should be prosecuted, according to WTTW
According to his website, pinski opposes increasing penalties for gun possession. When it comes to the Safe-T ’t support the eliminaash bail. He said it sends the mesthat Illinois is soft on crime, and that a low bail should be instated instead. pinski said that he also wouldn’t continshoplifting cases, which elon must have stolen at least ve 10 prior convictions to be prosecuted. He said he would revert to the $300 threshold before prosecution.
Policies Kopinski supports includes creating opportunities to reduce prison stays, limiting or prohibiting police officers’ roles as School Resource Officers, reclassifying low-level drug offenses from felonies to misdemeanors, plus deprioritizing prosecution for cannabis possession, consensual sex work, and driving without an up-to-date license or re gistration.
Kopinski said he would engage with those he represents through online communication and town halls to ensure that he is held accountable.
“I will consider supporting reasonable reform proposals that promote transparency and lead to the implementation of best practices and evidence-based decision making, which will serve Cook County best,” Kopinski said.
possession of a machine gun — are types of crimes that need to have detainable offenses,” Fioretti said, though they don’t currently under the Safe-T Act.
Like his opponents, Fioretti would also aim to increase staffing at the State’s Attorney’s Office, he said by welcoming back prosecutors who resigned from Foxx’s office.
“I’m going to stand up for victims and return professionalism to the State’s Attorney’s Office,” he said. “People will know where I stand, how we want to administer justice, how we seek justice for the victims in this county.”
Essential Civics
ANDREW CHARLES KOPINSKI , LIBER TARIAN
GENERAL ELECTION GUIDE 2024
Leslie Collazo takes on La Shawn Ford in the 8th District House race
The incumbent faces a challenge from newcomer Collazo, a real estate agent
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
The Illinois House of Representatives’ 8th District covers Chicago’s West Side, along with Brookfield, Forest Park, North Riverside, Oak Park and Proviso Township.
The battle for the two-year ter m for the state House seat will be between La Shawn Ford, who has represented the 8th District since 2007, and real estate agent Leslie Collazo
INCUMBENT LA SHAWN FORD, DEMOCR AT
A licensed teacher and real estate broker, Ford was motivated to run again to represent the 8th District because, he said, he can now do more as a legislator than before
“Knowing what I know now, and knowing the process of Springfield and the relationships that I built, it just makes me a stronger member,” Ford said. “I have the ability now to get things done that I couldn’t get done when I was first elected.”
For example, although Ford has been pushing for a comprehensive high school in Austin since he first became a state representative, he only recently started building coalitions of House and Senate members who support such a high school, including Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Emanuel “Chris” Welch.
Ford has been a big proponent of education and hopes to create a new high school in Austin while continuing to support Michele Clark Magnet High School. Throughout his tenure, Ford has sponsored legislation for educational summer programs for students performing below grade level and to increase access to early childhood education and care
Another one of Ford’s goals, if he is reelected, is to continue connecting locals with employment oppor tunities. He said a big way to implement that is by building and supporting small businesses
Ford created Illinois’ Small Business Empowerment and Workforce Development Task Force and created a loan program for ex-offenders who start businesses. In addition to re gularly hosting small business summits and job fairs, Ford also for med the State Representative La Shawn K. Ford’s Business Growth and Creation Committee to offer training and resources to businesses.
Ford also wants to pass more health care legislation if he wins another term. In previous years, Ford has passed legislation sup-
porting HIV/AIDS patients and led efforts to improve care for Alzheimer’s patients
As co-founder of the West Side Heroin Task Force, Ford works to prevent drug use on the West Side. He’s also led efforts to make sure health insurance companies cover recovery housing for those dealing with substance abuse.
Ford is working with the general assembly to make it so that those struggling with substance abuse who are arrested can go to a treatment center instead of jail, and he is collaborating with the West Side Heroin Task Force to create public policy
“Incarcerating a person in a county jail is way more costly to taxpayers than making sure that we get people on the road to recovery,” Ford said.
In late 2022, Ford proposed House Bill 0002, which proposes the opening of pilot overdose prevention sites in Illinois, where people can go for supervised consumption and access to behavioral health experts.
Ford views most of the legislation he’s a part of through social justice and civil rights lens
Ford worked with the Black Caucus to eliminate cash bail last year. He created a commission to address the economic problems in Black communities and passed legislation prohibiting employers from paying Black employees lower wages.
Ford has also introduced bills to help integrate ex-offenders back into society. He introduced the State Employment Application Act, which would make it so state employers can’t ask if an applicant has been convicted of a non-violent criminal offense. To increase employment for ex-offenders, Ford passed legislation allowing ex-offenders to seal criminal records for some non-violent offenses. He was the chief House sponsor of legislation that provides grants for those who are exonerated of their crimes to attend a public college
Ford also said he wants to see improvements in public safety on the West Side. He said he supports increased police presence in areas with high rates of violence and advocates for the Chicago Police Department to undergo an audit to evaluate their response times, and to make recommendations on improving those times in communities of color
Other initiatives Ford said he’s working toward include allowing people in prison to vote, which he’s been pushing for over a decade, plus advocating for voter ID cards with photos and for psychedelics as a medical resource for those with PTSD
Ford hopes that, if reelected, he can build more coalitions around these issues, something he said takes time but provides support for legislation.
“Before you ever try to attempt to build public policy and get people on your side, you have to first let people know who you are, and it takes years for people to connect,” Ford said. “Running again is an opportunity for me to go back and be a stronger voice for the 8th District.”
LESLIE COLL AZ O, REPUBLICAN
Leslie Collazo was born and raised in Chicago and currently lives in North Austin. She said she decided to run for the Illinois House of Re tives as a way to impact policy change her neighbors.
“I just reached a point where I felt li I could no longer sit on the sidelines with the political climate Collazo said. “I just want to see the families and citizens in the district thriving, because we’re not thriving right now under the current policies that we’re living under.”
Currently in real estate, Collazo has a background in teaching at a charter school and in the nonprofit sector.
“Working in the nonprofit world, you really have to leverage all the resources that you have and do a lot with very little,” Collazo said about a skillset she’s developed. She said she’s worked closely with the community and small businesses to pool resources and improve neighborhoods.
Collazo’s platform includes improving the economy for working class families like hers and lowering taxes.
She also wants to increase support for first responders, who she said are understaffed and overworked.
“If I’m having an emergency in my home, I can’t af ford to wait 15, 20, 30 minutes for law enforcement to arrive,” Collazo said. She added that, while it was great to see the Chicago Police Department step up for the DNC, “the people in my community felt like we could use that type of support in our neighborhoods that are riddled with crime right now.”
Collazo also said she supports small businesses and said, if elected, she’ll work to grow those businesses, rather than them shutting down. Collazo sees small businesses struggling to offer their employees health
care and other benefits, and g etting enough financing to purchase properties
When it comes to education, Collazo said her philosophy revolves around the f amily unit.
“When children have a supportive, loving, nur turing, structured environment in their home, they can achieve great things in sports, in school,” Collazo said. “We can give kids state-of-the-art schools with teachers who have doctorate de grees and all the technology and all the cool things. But at the end of the day, if they don’t have the support that they need in the home… how do they show up in these great facilities that we provide?”
One of the ways Collazo would look to provide more support at home is through transportation, since many parents have to take their kids to school themselves with CPS’ bus driver shortage
Collazo also said she believes in families having a choice where to send their kids.
As someone who’s seen how selective enrollment schools operate, Collazo said she wants to see all Chicago Public Schools workin g at that level of excellence.
“I do n’ t know if they ’re f ully f unded differently, but even where they lack in f unding, they have such an active bo dy of parents who are willing to j ump in and p ut some time and ef fo rt in to supp lement where there’s gaps in the budg et,” C ollazo said of how she’d li ke to see selective enrollment schools emulated S he a dded that she knows it ’s more of a c omplex i ssue than parental pa rt icipation, wh ich many don’ t have the time for, but it is possibl e.
While Collazo reco gnizes that if elected,
Collazo’s ght to run
Collazo jumped in the race for the State House’s 8th District after the primary elections. She joined as a slated candidate, a legal process where a candidate can petition to get on the ballot after the primaries.
But as she gathered signatures, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill to eliminate the slating process.
So, Collazo filed a lawsuit against the Illinois State Board of Elections. A circuit court in Springfield ruled in favor of Collazo, and the Illinois Supreme Court upheld that decision.
“Had that bill gone into effect,” Collazo said, “La Shawn Ford would have been the only candidate on the ballot for this office, and the choice for voters would have been made for them.”
“I felt that that was really unfair to the voter and robbing them of having a choice,” Collazo added. “Options are always good, and now they have one.”
she’ ll need administrative assistance to field constituents’ feedback, right now, her phone number is on all her campaign material, and she personally answers emails.
“I’m just your average citizen who is suffering alongside my neighbor,” Collazo said. “I’m definitely an underdog in this race, but I have heart, and I really care.”
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