Ethics and equity are “inextricably intertwined,” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot told a packed room at Reform for Illinois’ annual luncheon last Friday. “The issues can’t be separated from each other.” The newly elected mayor joined moderator Natalie Moore from WBEZ…
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Lori Lightfoot cruised to a commanding victory in the Chicago mayoral runoff on April 2, garnering a nearly 50 point lead over Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. Her victory was fueled in part by deep-pocketed contributors who had backed…
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With votes set to be tallied Tuesday night in Chicago’s heated mayoral race, a close look at who’s funding the campaigns shows the city’s various – and sometimes competing – sectors have a lot riding on certain candidates. In all,…
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Chicago Mayoral Race 2019 | OpaVote Reform for Illinois is exploring ways we might change the way we vote to make it more democratic and accessible. Read more about Ranked Choice Voting, how it could help avoid the “strategic voting”,…
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As we reported earlier this week, many Chicago mayoral candidates have been tapping wealthy donors to fill their campaign coffers. But several have another important income source – themselves. Willie Wilson, Jerry Joyce, and Bill Daley top the list of…
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An analysis of contributions in the 2019 Chicago mayoral race shows that small donors – those who give $150 or less* to their favored candidate – make up a minuscule percentage of most candidates’ fundraising rosters. The numbers highlight the…
Read MoreFourth Quarter Campaign Finance Report: A Cash Divide in Mayoral Race Follows Rich Battle Over Governor’s Seat Illinois is known nationally for its political corruption. Now it’s earning another dubious distinction – the high cost to win public office. Recently released campaign…
Read MoreDark money has reached Illinois politics, with voters increasingly finding themselves facing ads and mailers paid for by unknown sources with unknown motives. Nationally, spending on campaigns by groups who don’t disclose their donors has been rising for more than a…
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Summary State legislative leaders have been using Illinois’ self-funding campaign finance provision to get around contribution caps and funnel millions into party and candidate committees. October saw a flurry of last-minute megadonor activity capping a record-breaking election season. This election cycle…
Read MoreRFI advocates for reforms to make voting easier, more secure, and more accessible for everyone. We worked with lawmakers to pass the Voting Equipment Modernization Project this year and are exploring innovative ways to make our elections work better for administrators and voters alike….
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