We are your neighbors and cumulatively we’ve lived in Skokie for more than a century. Imagine voting in a presidential election and seeing only one name on the ballot. You’d likely fear for your democracy. That is the problem we’re facing in Skokie — municipal elections are rarely contested, rendering our votes meaningless and depressing voter turnout to 9%.
Skokie residents with concerns ranging from affordable housing to traffic safety are frustrated that the all “at-large” Village Board leaves them with no representative who lives where they do.
Skokie Alliance for Electoral Reform, a nonpartisan grassroots group, has proposed three moderate, pro-democracy referendums to address these issues – Nonpartisan Elections, Staggered Terms, and Hybrid Representation. About 4,000 Skokie residents signed petitions to get each referendum on the November ballot and we’re urging you to vote yes for all three.
Nonpartisan elections ensure candidates have to campaign on their positions and merits, not uninformative party labels. (No one has run as a Democrat or Republican in Skokie since 1969.) Further, ballot listing advantages for the party in power will be removed, leveling an unfair playing field that has given us one-party rule for almost 60 years.
Staggered Terms will align our elections with the library, park district, and school board, at no additional cost to taxpayers. Balancing change with stability, this will introduce choice on the ballot and increase voter turnout.
Hybrid Representation combines four district trustees for local responsiveness with two at-large trustees who, along with the mayor and clerk, will represent all of Skokie.
All three referendums are endorsed by numerous elected, faith, and community leaders and organizations, including the nonpartisan League of Women Voters. Learn more at SkokieElectoralReform.org
Please vote yes for the three referendums at the bottom of your ballot to ensure a strong democracy for Skokie.
Michael Koplow
Jorge Kurganoff
Tari Rubenstein
Melvin Weintraub
J. Philippe Polycarpe
