GUIDE | Who is on your Illinois midterms ballot?
There’s a big election happening tomorrow (Tues, Nov. 6). No – it’s not the presidential election. That doesn’t come back around until Nov. 3, 2020. And no – it’s not the Chicago mayoral election, which doesn’t happen until Feb. 26, 2019. But THIS particular election is equally important.
It’s the midterms, the combination of US congressional, state gubernatorial, and other state-wide races that occur once every two years.
In Illinois, we’ll be heading to the polls to vote on everything from US representatives and our state governor, to Cook County judges and various amendments to local and state constitutions.
Therefore, don’t let anyone tell you that Tuesday’s vote doesn’t matter. And, most importantly, don’t get caught lacking on your research.
Below, we’ve compiled a mini guide to kickstart your research of who is on the Illinois ballot. Of course, this varies slightly depending on your location in Illinois. For a more comprehensive ballot based on your zip code, head over to Ballotready.org.
Also, keep in mind:
- Illinois has same-day registration at the polls. Click here to figure out which ID to bring with you to register, and click here to find your polling place.
- You can vote in Illinois if you have a felony conviction, but are no longer in prison.
- The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.
U.S. House of Representatives
The US Congress is comprised of the House of Representatives and the Senate. At this time, the Republican party controls both chambers – which gives President Donald Trump, the Republican leader, more power to fund the construction of a Mexico border wall, or make another attempt to repeal Obamacare.
Why Black Chicago should care? Well – because whoever we elect from our districts to represent us in Congress will either feed into Trump’s legislative agenda or kill his plans.
District 1: Chicago's South Side, southern Cook County & Southwest to Joliet
District 2: Chicago's South Side, southern Cook County, Will County and Kankakee County
District 3: Cook County including southwest suburbs and Bridgeport
District 4: Cook County, including Humboldt Park, Pilsen and Little Village
District 5: Cook and DuPage counties including Chicago's North and Northwest sides, O'Hare Airport and Oak Brook
District 6: Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane and McHenry counties
District 7: Cook County, including Chicago's Loop, South Side and West Side, and Western suburbs
District 8: Cook, DuPage and Kane counties including Carol Stream, Schaumburg, Elgin and Elk Grove Village
District 9: North suburban Cook County and Rogers Park in Chicago
District 10: Lake County and northern Cook County
District 11: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will counties
Illinois Governor
The gubernatorial race is the biggest statewide election. This office is responsible for the state’s budget, and implementing any state laws.
Why Black Chicago should care? Well – remember the Illinois budget impasse? Those nearly two years or so when Gov. Bruce Rauner and the General Assembly couldn’t agree on a budget. That affected the functionality of many state agencies, including schools, colleges and universities.
Illinois Attorney General
The attorney general is the state’s top law enforcement office.
Why Black Chicago should care? Well – as the top law officer, this role will be responsible for deciding big issues such as House Bill 40, which would allow abortions in Illinois if Roe v. Wade is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court; alongside immigration and marijuana legislation.
Cook County Judges
Of all the races happening on Tuesday, the judicial races may be the most important for Black Chicago. Think about it. These are the people who are presiding over all criminal and civil cases in Cook County – including murder trials, divorce cases, and traffic ticket contestations.
According to the Chicago Reader’s Maya Dukmasova, here are a few names to look out for:
- Matthew Coghlan: a criminal division judge who, according to the Chicago Council of Lawyers, “can be condescending and otherwise disrespectful toward non-white lawyers and defendants in his courtroom. Coghlan is currently being sued by two exonerated men who say he worked with a Chicago Police detective to frame them for murder when he worked as a prosecutor.
- Maura Slattery Boyle: an Injustice Watch review found that Boyle is the harshest sentencer in the county. She favors prison terms over probation for less serious crimes.
For more comprehensive research on the judges on Tuesday’s ballot, visit Injustice Watch.
Sources: Ballotready.org, Chicago Sun-Times, and Facebook.