What is our Agenda for elections

Good Government

16-year (4 terms) term limits

Serving as an alderman should be considered public service, not a lifelong profession. Allowing members to stay entrenched in office for decades perpetuates corruption, discourages innovation, and doesn’t allow new idealists to serve their city. If members of the city council cannot enact the change they seek in 16 years, then it is time to move on. And those that still yearn to serve the public after 16 years should be encouraged to do so on the state or national level and bring their valuable city experience to the many different layers of our experiment in democracy.

Mobile voting

Our democracy is more robust when more people vote. We should aim to extend voting availability to as many Chicagoans as possible while also maintaining the security of our elections. When more people vote, we get a more connected government and adherence to the people’s will. Mobile voting can play a pivotal role in strengthening our democracy. Mobile voting will allow us to invite new voters into our democracy and make it easier for current voters to get to the polls regardless of what barriers they may face.

Ranked Choice Voting

Our politics have never been more toxic. It does not look to be turning around between social media, cable news, and further political isolation. Rank Choice Voting encourages agreement by having voters rank their favorite candidates, and the winner is then chosen once a candidate has the majority of the votes. This forces candidates to make themselves as popular as possible amongst all voters instead of zeroing in on motivating their base. If we thrive in this country, we need a politics of conclusion, and ranked-choice voting offers a path to that.

The election date moved to April

Elections should encourage voters, candidates, and volunteers to enrich our democracy. By sticking our city elections in the coldest month of the year, we ensure that people are kept out of our democracy. By simply moving election day to April, we can encourage more Chicagoans to get involved in choosing who will lead this city in the future.

Eliminate the ability of alderman to work for lobbying or property tax firms

Chicago has had multiple sitting alderpersons sentenced to prison in the past term and has seen numerous others indicted while still attempting to serve the public. This is unacceptable. For too long, Chicago has been a punch line for political corruption, and we must work together to put an end to it. Sitting members of the city council should not be able to work for lobbying firms or law firms that argue against the city for property tax changes for the rich and politically connected. There is no good argument for an alderman to approve property taxes and then, at the same time, assist in lobbying the city for property tax reprieves for the politically connected and well off.

End aldermanic prerogative

Indicted Alderman Burke shows that the aldermanic prerogative is susceptible to abuse and political corruption. Small businesses and entrepreneurs should not have to beg or bribe their public representatives to get top-tier service from our city. Mayor Lori Lightfoot campaigned to end the aldermanic prerogative, which is past due to implement these much-needed reforms.