Testimonials
“We need a leadership who will follow the will of their constituents. A leadership who understands the needs of all Skokie residents in the varied neighborhoods.”
— Bonnie Zarch
“These proposals represent best practices around the country. Having nonpartisan elections will reduce unnecessary conflict and allow unaffiliated people to run for office. Council districts will create better representation and enable more people to run for office. Staggered terms create a smoother transition from year to year. These measures will put Skokie at the forefront of good governance.”
— Doug Linkhart, President of the National Civic League
“Electoral reform is foundational for the just and right representation of all in decisions that matter to the whole community.”
— Rev. Mark Sloss, Pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Evanston, IL
“I worked in Skokie for 12+ years and continue to do so even though I no longer have a Skokie business office. I would love to see Skokie’s leaders represent a greater population of the village so that all its residents’ voices can be heard. Thank you Skokie Alliance for Electoral Reform for getting these questions on the ballot. Skokie residents, now is the time your voice matters to make change for future leadership. Your future is truly in your vote.”
— Dr. Dawn Olson, DN
“Engagement in local politics is crucial so that people not only feel as though they have a voice, but are also able to see a straight line from the votes they cast to the changes they need for a more livable and enjoyable community.”
— Matt Jarvis
“This is what grassroots democracy is all about. People banding together, not for profit, nonpartisan, for causes they believe in. We want to make sure everybody counts, everybody in, nobody left out, not just the insiders. The people who started our country understood that democracy is a precious gift, a divine gift. And we want to use that democracy to make Skokie and Illinois and everywhere else a better place. Let the will of the people be the law of the land!”
— Former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn
“The current electoral process was not designed to include Black leaders and has denied Black women access to government leadership opportunities for almost 60 years. 60 years is an awful long time to have an electoral process that does not allow equal consideration of the preferences and needs of all of Skokie’s citizens.”
— Jasmine Sebaggala
“Every Skokie area deserves representation and [V]illage [B]oard members who are accountable to residents!”
— Anonymous
“It is essential that we have a more diverse group of community leaders who actually listen to the people of Skokie. In addition, people in our community simply have not had options of who to vote for. In my opinion, our choices have been restricted by those within. It seems that if a potential candidate isn’t willing to play by ‘the rules’ of the Trustees, that person is not welcome to run for a seat.”
— Lisa Friedman
“Skokie should represent all the people instead of just one small section.”
— Anonymous
“We deserve to choose who is best to represent us… not to have our representatives chosen for us. [T]he current system is one that elects people who are accountable to their party — and we deserve people accountable to THE PEOPLE.
— Anonymous
“I support the referendums because I believe they will increase voter turnout and ensure the Village's electoral system is fair and equitable. I think Skokie residents want change and this helps push the conversation forward.”
— Kandice Cooley Jones, District 69 School Board Member
“I want my elected officials to listen to me and take my opinion into consideration and not just rubber stamp their agenda!”
— J. Beladi
“True democracy in action is when grassroots movements evolve in communities around getting referendums on the election ballot so that the people can vote on decisions that affect their communities. These electoral reforms will stop the one-party rule in Skokie and will allow more voices into the electoral process that will better represent all of Skokie's wonderfully diverse neighborhoods.”
— Reclaim NW Suburbs
“I support these referenda because they will help expand citizen participation in their local government. A healthy democracy depends on civic engagement and broad community representation at every level.”
— Soo La Kim, District 65 School Board Member
“As a resident of Skokie for more than 30 years and as a former elected school board member, I am proud to support electoral reform in Skokie. Under the current local election system, candidates who wish to run for village office must go through a closed process that involves a Caucus Party slating committee where some Village employees have an outsized decision-making role in determining who gets slated and gets preferential ballot treatment. With the exception of the Village, all locally elected boards in Skokie (school boards, park board, library board) have non-partisan elections and staggered terms…Given the history of most trustees being concentrated in one section of Skokie, hybrid representation is a good step toward ensuring that all sections of Skokie have board representation.”
— Andrea Rosen, Former District 73.5 School Board Member
“We deserve true democracy and representation! We deserve our voices to be heard and to have a choice!
— Anonymous
“We’ve been under single-party rule for 50+ years. We’ve had the same mayor for 20+ years. In effect, we’ve had a local government that has been able to control everything. They’ve had more than enough time … we need new ideas, new attitudes, and a new vision for [Skokie’s] future.”
— Emi Yamauchi
“In today's electoral system, we need to look for ways to improve our democratic process, increase voter turnout, and ensure fairness and integrity. The Skokie Alliance for Electoral Reform ballot initiatives will offer voters a choice on improving transparency, voter turnout, and choice of candidates in our local elections. I am happy to endorse the campaign and sign the petitions for them to appear on the ballot. I hope Skokie residents will make their voices heard on these important issues in the November election.”
— Denyse Wang Stoneback, Former Illinois State Representative, 16th District
“I want to feel like I have a voice and a choice in our local politics. I want to feel like there is something to vote for -- I want choice and freedom in our elections, not a rubber stamp endorsement of an agenda I don't believe in. As a longtime resident and parent in Skokie, I haven't felt heard or listened to for years. Instead I feel as though I'm being ignored, silenced, dismissed.”
— Anonymous
“I’m tired of Skokie’s “rubber stamp” Board not listening to the residents’ concerns. They are elected to represent us, not serve their own political careers. Enough is enough.”
— Anonymous