Partisan politics infiltrating non-partisan local Illinois elections
It's been just four months since the last election concluded, but another election is on the horizon in Illinois: the April 1 elections for school boards and municipal offices.
Though municipal and school board races in Illinois are nonpartisan, voters may see many of the same political themes that were hallmarks of races during the 2024 presidential election cycle. The Democratic Party of Illinois is applying many of the same tactics it uses in partisan elections to this year's local races.
'We as the Democratic Party of Illinois should be defending Democratic values in every single election in nonpartisan and partisan elections alike, because all of these local offices have jurisdiction over super critical controls and we think our party has the best platform for governance,' Democratic Party of Illinois Executive Director Ben Hardin said.
The 2025 local elections are the second time that Illinois Democrats are getting involved in nonpartisan races. After recruiting more than 1,000 prospective candidates last year, the state party is supporting 270 candidates for a variety of local offices in all areas of the state.
The party trained the candidates and attached them to 'coaches' experienced in running Democratic campaigns. Candidates will also be supported by a six-figure advertising campaign by DPI in the coming weeks.
'I think our voters welcome the information,' Hardin said. 'They want to know, and they need to know, who the aligned candidates are.'
It's also part of the party's strategy to be more active year-round.
'This is how the party operates now,' Hardin said. 'We are not going back to closing up shop after an even-year midterm or presidential election, lying dormant for 18 months and then coming alive again for the next even-year general election.'
Hardin acknowledged there could be some voter fatigue after November's presidential election, but he stressed that's why the party wants to make Democratic voters aware an election is approaching.
'These local offices, if we allow them to be uncontested, especially with the Trump administration in office, you know with our lack of control of the wheels of power in D.C., we could allow our state to start slipping to the right at the local level,' Hardin said.
For example, DPI is getting involved in the mayoral race in Aurora, Illinois' second-largest city, where incumbent Mayor Richard Irvin and Aurora Ald. John Laesch face off. The election is the first since Irvin's unsuccessful campaign for governor as a Republican in 2022. Hardin said that's made Irvin an easy target for a partisan campaign.
'We're treating Aurora like the rest of our program across the state,' Hardin said. 'In Aurora, you've got an executive of the city who is a Republican.'
As a candidate for governor, Irvin faced numerous questions about his Republican credentials. He often avoided answering any questions about President Donald Trump or his position on abortion as he faced accusations from opponents that he wasn't conservative enough. Irvin later co-hosted a Black Republicans event at the Republican National Convention last year.
DPI is running a direct mail program this month targeting Irvin. It also plans to reach Democratic voters in Aurora through other mail and digital outreach advertising to let voters know which candidates in the city the party supports.
Irvin's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Illinois State Board of Elections records show DPI also used its resources to support Peoria Mayor Rita Ali and Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones, who is also a Democratic state representative, during primary elections in February.
A full accounting of the party's spending on municipal elections won't be available until mid-April when reports are due to the state election authority.
Conservative influence
Jim Rule, chairman of the Tazewell County Republican Central Committee, said his group doesn't normally get involved in 'consolidated-type elections' like the Morton School Board, which has five candidates running for election — but this year is different.
Four of those candidates are affiliated with Republican groups despite school board elections being nonpartisan.
In Illinois, political parties and individuals can still support and endorse any candidates they wish.
Rule said his committee vetted and backs the four Republican-aligned candidates.
'It's important to get the right people in office,' Rule said. 'Look, we've all heard the phrase 'all good government starts locally,' and this is a classic example of that. School boards are so, so vitally critical to have the right people on them for our kids.'
The four GOP candidates are backed by the Citizens for Morton Schools political action committee, which did not reply to a request for comment.
Rep. Bill Hauter, R-Morton, is also involved in the race. He has donated $1,000 to the group as of March 5, according to the State Board of Elections, while his campaign has provided $2,000 worth of consulting.
'I am supportive of four great candidates for Morton School Board in my hometown,' Hauter said in a statement. 'They are great candidates who each have their own unique qualifications that can help Morton students, parents, teachers and taxpayers. This will be a statement election for our community.'
Rule said one of the main goals of Tazewell Republicans this election cycle is defeating Dr. Ashley Fischer, a pediatrician running for the Morton School Board whom Hauter called 'too radical for the people and schools of Morton.'
Fischer said she's an anti-bullying advocate, which includes respecting all aspects of students' identities like race, gender and sexuality.
'We want to send a message, not only to the residents of Morton, but to the community around us,' Rule said. 'That this is something that — this woke agenda — is something that we need to rid ourselves of, and it has no place in the school system, especially with young kids.'
Fischer said Republicans are trying to scare voters.
'They're basically stoking hot button topics to get a fear response out of parents, to try to get them to vote against me out of fear,' Fischer said. 'I have never once brought up any policy to do with transgender children, except that I think no child should be bullied in the school, regardless of their race, orientation, medical conditions, anything. They are in that group. I don't think any child should be bullied. That is my stance.'
Fischer also criticized Republicans for their online rhetoric, which she said promotes hate.
Fischer's advocacy has also been scrutinized by Moms for Liberty, a right-wing group that advocates for conservative curricula in schools, such as by opposing LGBTQ lessons.
Virg Cihla, chair of the Tazewell County chapter of Moms for Liberty, said his group does not endorse any candidates.
The Illinois Republican Party did not reply to request for comment about their involvement in any April 1 elections.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
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