Skokie Referendum Mythbusters

Q: What’s the problem with the current system?

A: Skokie currently has one of the most exclusive electoral systems in Illinois – no other comparable municipality combines partisan elections, non-staggered 4-year terms, and all at-large representation. This restrictive system has resulted in an average of 1.1 candidates running per seat and 9% voter turnout for the last 20 years and single-party rule for almost 60 years.

Q: Are districts the same as wards? Will there be conflicts over resources?
A: No! Hybrid Representation creates electoral districts, NOT wards. The districts will be drawn to ensure geographic representation and to address decades of underrepresentation in large parts of the village. Funds will not be allocated to the trustees elected from the districts, and all decisions will be voted on by the entire Village Board. There will be no aldermen with budgets to spend as they see fit. All village resources and services will continue to be managed village-wide by our professional Village Manager. What electoral districts will do is make sure that (1) every quadrant of Skokie has at least one voice on the Village Board that makes policy and zoning decisions, (2) residents have a local point of contact for concerns, and (3) candidates can run for office without needing the financial resources to campaign across an entire village of 68,000 people. With the balance of a board elected half at-large and half from districts, we can have the best of both worlds and avoid the extremes of either system, ensuring both local representation and village-wide cooperation.

Q: Will staggered terms raise our taxes?
A: No! There will be no additional cost to taxpayers. All the other elected boards in Skokie – schools, library, and park district – already stagger their terms. So staggering the Village Board terms will simply bring the Village Board elections into alignment with all our other Skokie-specific elections. This change will only add a race to an existing ballot, costing taxpayers nothing.

Q: Will removing party labels from the ballot make elections less transparent?
A: No! At the local level, current party labels tell voters almost nothing about a candidate’s positions or values. No one has run as a Democrat or Republican in Skokie since 1969. The only party label voters currently see is for the Skokie Caucus Party. The SCP includes Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, but they all run under the same party label on the ballot, so voters don’t know which is which. SCP candidates don’t currently campaign on their own merits or positions – only as names on a party slate. Nonpartisan elections will actually increase transparency by encouraging individual candidates – who can still be backed by their party – to distinguish themselves to voters by running on their individual merits and positions. Voters will have access to the information needed to vet candidates, no longer having to rely on a single party committee to be the gatekeepers. Ultimately, nonpartisan elections will level the playing field for all candidates and get rid of the top-ballot position advantage for the established party in the current partisan system. All of Skokie’s other elected boards – which oversee our wonderful library, parks, and schools – already have nonpartisan elections.

Q: Is Skokie too small for districts?
A: No! Skokie has about 68,000 residents and is the 18th largest municipality in Illinois. Many smaller municipalities have districts. Each of the proposed 4 electoral districts will have about 17,000 residents – larger than Lincolnwood and 88% of all the municipalities in Illinois!

Q: Is the Skokie Alliance for Electoral Reform opposed to the Skokie Caucus Party?
A: No! The Skokie Alliance for Electoral Reform is a nonpartisan group of Skokie residents from across the political spectrum. The Alliance does not support or oppose any political party. We only want a fair, inclusive electoral system to revitalize Skokie’s democracy and better serve the voters in our village. We know that the problem is not any party but, rather, a system that advantages the party in power, discouraging competition and leaving voters with no choice on the ballot. We have never opposed the Skokie Caucus Party. These reforms will actually improve the Skokie Caucus Party, as elected officials who face competition in elections are statistically more productive and responsive to voters. In fact, our supporters, petition signers, volunteers, and endorsers include members of the Skokie Caucus Party (including the former party chair).

Q: Will these referendums disrupt Skokie?
A: No! The first two referendums will simply bring Village Board elections into alignment with all the other elected boards in Skokie – park district, library, and schools – that already have nonpartisan elections and staggered terms. And the third referendum – Hybrid Representation – will address decades of underrepresentation in large parts of Skokie on the Village Board in matters of policy and zoning, without disrupting services. All village resources and services will continue to be managed village-wide by the Village Manager. And the hybrid approach – NOT a ward system – specifically promotes cooperation and coalition-building.

Q: Why change the system? Why not start your own party?
A: The root problem is the system, not any given party. Over the decades, others have tried to develop local parties but have lost elections to the single party in power for almost 60 years. The current system is so skewed to advantage the party in power that it makes it almost impossible for a challenger to win. Candidates and parties shouldn’t have to compete based on unfair rules. Let’s level the playing field so everyone can compete with the same rules. Moreover, even if another party did win, the same problems would arise. The inequities inherent in the system mean that any party in power has an automatic electoral advantage, which ultimately decreases candidate and voter participation.

Q: Who supports these referendums?
A: Over 4,000 Skokie residents signed petitions to get these 3 referendums on the ballot, and about 55 organizations and elected, faith, and community leaders (including the local chapter of the League of Women Voters) have endorsed them! The proposed reforms are moderate, commonsense ways to increase candidate and voter turnout and create a more inclusive and fair electoral system. As Doug Linkhart, the President of the National Civic League, has said, the proposed reforms “represent best practices around the country... These measures will put Skokie at the forefront of good governance."

Vote YES, YES, YES to make Skokie a leader in fair, democratic, and representative municipal elections!

For more information, please go to the Skokie Alliance for Electoral Reform’s website or YouTube channel or register for a virtual Q&A session on Thursday, November 3 at 7pm or Sunday, November 6 at 6pm.