Springfield – It’s only four months that the last elections ended, but another election is on the horizon of Illinois: the elections of April 1 for school councils and municipal offices.
Although municipal races and school boards in Illinois are non -partisan, voters can see many of the same political themes that were characteristic of races during the presidential electoral cycle of 2024. The Democratic Party of Illinois applies several of the same tactics it uses during the elections partisan in local races of this year.
“As an Illinois Democratic Party, defending democratic values at each election of non-partisan and supporting elections, because all these local offices have jurisdiction over super critical controls and we think that our party has the best governance platform,” said Ben Hardin, executive director of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
The local elections of 2025 have been the second time that Illinois Democrats have been involved in non -partisan races. After recruiting more than 1,000 potential candidates last year, the State Party supports 270 candidates for a variety of local offices in all state areas.
The party trained the candidates and attached them to the “coaches” experienced in the management of democratic campaigns. Applicants will also be supported by a six -digit advertising campaign by DPI in the coming weeks.
“I think our voters welcome the information,” said Hardin. “They want to know and they need to know who are the aligned candidates.”
This is also part of the party strategy to be more active all year round.
“This is how the party works now,” said Hardin. “We do not return to the closure of the store after an election of mid-term or presidential of the year, lying down in sleep for 18 months, then relive the general elections of next year.”
Hardin admitted that there could be a certain fatigue of voters after the November presidential election, but he stressed that that is why the party wants to ensure that democratic voters are approaching.
“These local offices, if we allow them to be undisputed, in particular with the Trump administration in power, you know with our lack of control of the power wheels at DC, we could allow our state to start sliding towards the local level,” said Hardin.
For example, DPI gets involved in the mayor’s race in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois, where the outgoing mayor Richard Irvin and Aurora Ald. John Laesch compete. The election is the first since Irvin’s unsuccessful campaign for the governor as a republican in 2022. Hardin said it had made Irvin an easy target for a partisan campaign.
“We are dealing with Aurora as the rest of our program through the state,” said Hardin. “In Aurora, you have a city manager that is republican.”
As a candidate for the post of governor, Irvin faced many questions about his republican references. He has often avoided answering all questions about President Donald Trump or his position on abortion when he was facing accusations of opponents that he was not conservative enough. Irvin later co-organized A black republican event at the National Republican Convention last year.
DPI performs a direct mail program this month targeting Irvin. It also plans to reach Democratic voters in Aurora through other awareness advertisements by mail and digital to inform voters which candidates of the city support the party.
Irvin’s campaign did not respond to a request for comments.
Illinois State Elections Council recordings Show DPI also used its resources to support the mayor of Peoria, Rita Ali and the mayor of Calumet City, Thaddeus Jones, who is also a representative of the Democratic State, during the primary elections in February.
Complete accounting of party expenses for municipal elections will only be available in mid-April, when reports are due to the electoral authority of the State.
Conservative influence
Jim Rule, president of the County County County Committee of Tazewell, said that his group was not normally involved in “consolidated elections” as the Morton School Board, which has five candidates for the election – but this year is different.
Four of these candidates are affiliated with republican groups despite the elections at the non -partisan school board.
In Illinois, political parties and individuals can always support and approve all the candidates they wish.
Rule said that its committee had checked and supports the four candidates aligned by the Republicans.
“It is important to get the right people in power,” said Rule. “Listen, we have all heard the expression” every good government begins locally “, and this is a classic example of that. School councils are so much, so vital to have the right people on them for our children. »»
The four candidates of the GOP are supported by the political action committee of the Citizens for Morton Schools, who did not respond to a request for comments.
The representative Bill Hauter, R-Morton, is also involved in the race. He donated $ 1,000 to the group on March 5, according to the State Elections CouncilWhile his campaign provided $ 2,000 of advice.
“I support four major candidates for the Morton School Board in my hometown,” said Haute in a statement. “These are major candidates who each have their own unique qualifications that can help students, parents, teachers and taxpayers from Morton. It will be an election of declaration for our community. »»
Rule said one of the main objectives of Tazewell’s Republicans this electoral cycle is to defeat Dr. Ashley Fischer, a pediatrician presenting himself for the Morton School Board that Hauter described as “too radical for the people and the schools of Morton”.
Fischer said that she was an anti-intimidation defender, which includes respect for all aspects of students’ identities such as race, sex and sexuality.
“We want to send a message not only to Morton residents, but to the community around us,” said Rule. “That it is something that – this awakened program – is something we have to get rid of, and it has no place in the school system, especially with young children.”
Fischer said the Republicans were trying to scare voters.
“They essentially attach hot button subjects to get a response for fear of parents, to try to have them voted against me for fear,” said Fischer. “I have never mentioned a single policy linked to transgender children, except that I think that no child should be the victim of intimidation in school, whatever their race, their orientation, their medical conditions, anything. They are in this group. I don’t think a child should be intimidated. This is my position.
Fischer has also criticized the Republicans for their online rhetoric, which, according to her, promotes hatred.
Fischer’s advocacy was also examined by Moms For Liberty, a right -wing group that advocates conservative programs in schools, such as opposite LGBTQ lessons.
Virg Cihla, president of the County section of Tazewell by Moms For Liberty, said that her group does not approve of any candidate.
The Republican Party of Illinois did not respond to the request for comments on their involvement in the April 1 elections.
Capitol News Illinois is a non -profit non -partisan information service that distributes the coverage of the state government to hundreds of media throughout the state. It is funded mainly by Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.