Evanston Voters Cite Taxes, Jobs Among State's Biggest Issues

EVANSTON, IL — Early voting has begun in Evanston ahead of the March 17 primary election. In responses to a recent survey, local voters identified high taxes, low wages and health care as the biggest issues facing the state ahead of the vote.

Democrats will be voting to how to allocate 155 pledged delegates to this summer's national convention in Milwaukee to nominate a candidate to challenge President Donald Trump. Republicans will be selecting from five candidates for the party's nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.

All of the self-identified Evanston residents who responded last month to the unscientific poll said they had enough information about the candidates to make an informed decision.

About half of local respondents to the informal Patch survey identified as Democrats and 10 percent as Republican. Roughly a third described their political affiliation as independent, which included voters who said they planned to vote straight Republican as well as those planning to vote in the Democratic party primary.

About 70 percent said they were "very likely" to vote. The only respondents who said they were "very unlikely" to vote in the primary said they planned to vote for the president in November.

Opinions regarding Trump's impeachment, without exception, were predictably divided along party lines.

"Absolutely not," one Republican answered when asked whether they supported the president's impeachment, "he secured our borders, made peace with Russia, stopped the killing of babies, and put employment at an all time high."

All Democratic respondents said they supported impeachment, with one saying they did so "realizing the futility of the process."

"[The House of Representatives] did a poor job of getting information for the impeachment thereby wasting time and our taxpayers money," answered an Evanstonian identified as independent. "The house and senate have become too partisan. We need our representatives to be working for what’s best for this country and not by being loyal to their party without regard of the people."

A respondent who did provide a political affiliation was more philosophical about the whole thing.

"Let God be the judge," they said. "Voters selectively believe or disbelieve what they want."

Local voters also split along party lines in their opinions about a new law that requires a polling place at Cook County Jail be established to allow pre-trial detainees to vote. Republicans said it would "encourage forgery and fake voters" and lead to increased voter fraud. Democrats said detainees who have not been convicted of crimes should be allowed to vote.

Most respondents said national politics would not have an impact on their vote. But a self-identified dependent said it would, saying, "our representatives need to work on bills that are needed to help the people and not be bullied by either party."

When asked to list the biggest issues facing Illinois ahead of the primary, answers provided by self-identified Evanstonians included, "Jobs & health care for all," "Inequality, wages," "High taxes and climate policy," "high taxes, high crime."

In addition to picking candidates and delegates, Evanston voters will consider a referendum question to confirm that elected officials do not need to be affiliated with a party.

"Shall the City's offices of mayor, city alderman, and city clerk be elected in nonpartisan elections," it asks, "and, if necessary, non-partisan primaries commencing with the election to be held in 2020 and thereafter?"

The question was placed on the ballot after city staff discovered there was no record of the city ever adopting non-partisan elections via referendum, a requirement under state law. Another referendum question — one that would have established a new procedure for the introduction of citizen-initiated ordinances — was tossed off the ballot by the local electoral board in a decision affirmed by a Cook County judge last month.

Only voters who request Democratic Party ballots will have a say in local Cook County judicial elections, with no Republicans contesting any seats in the area.

Many Evanston elected officials have endorsed candidates in the race for the county's 9th subcircuit, where eight candidates are running for two open positions as circuit judges. Two of them were found "not qualified" by local bar associations.

Early voting in Evanston runs through March 16 in Room G300 at the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave. Find hours below.

Weekdays
March 2-6, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
March 9-13, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
March 16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturdays
March 7, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
March 14, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sundays
March 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
March 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

More information about voting in Evanston