SKOKIE, IL (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - A coalition of Skokie residents is looking to change local elections, claiming the current system has led to one party control for half a century.
Members of the Skokie Alliance for Electoral Reform want to ask voters in the fall to move away from partisan elections where all trustees run at large every four years.
Jasmine Sebaggala blamed the system for Skokie's roughly nine percent voter turnout, saying residents have no incentive to vote if only the candidates who win are those slated by the Skokie Caucus Party.
“The candidates endorsed by the Caucus Party have won every village election since 1959. Why waste time going to the polls if the slate of candidates are going to win anyways,” said Sebaggala?
At a recent meeting Ambria Benesch felt trustees ignored objections to the new Carvana Tower because they don't live near it.
She said geographic diversity promoted by electing some trustees from districts rather than village-wide would change that.
“More than the contempt that some trustees showed for the opinions of some residents, I felt like it exemplified the cracks in the system, Benesch said.
The alliance claimed it didn’t take a stand on specific issues but said they've seen a spike in interest after the board voted to approve the Carvana Tower and declare the Old Orchard Mall 'blighted'.
The group plans to gather two thousand signatures by August so it can put three questions on the November ballot.
Trustee James Johnson is part of the alliance, and said they want people voting based on issues, not party affiliation.
He's the only independent on the board and was elected last year after a candidate lost the caucus endorsement over posts on social media.
Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen responded to WBBM, calling the proposals "needlessly confusing and counterproductive". He said electing trustees by district would balkanize the village, which is only eleven square miles and currently uses a manager to ensure equal treatment and services.
In a statement, the mayor said the four new trustees were not members of the Caucus Party prior to their election and he said incumbents did share their stances on issues in campaign literature.
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