Grundy Reporter

During the veto session, State Rep. Jed Davis (R-Newark) uncovered what he deems to be a legislative scheme to drive electoral outcomes. He believes that changes being made to Chicago's school board election timing are a strategic ploy aimed at influencing statewide elections in favor of Democratic candidates.

“It’s shameful and beneath the electorate,” Davis said on Facebook of the effort.

In presenting his argument, Davis highlighted discrepancies between Chicago and the rest of Illinois regarding the scheduling of school board elections. He asserted that while placing elections in the hands of the public is commendable, the alignment of Chicago’s school board elections with general elections appears to be a calculated move to secure electoral victories. 

"This bill aligns the city’s school board elections with general elections, meaning it’s the same time people elect statewide officials like their governor, secretary of state, and treasurer," Davis said in a press release. "Everywhere else in Illinois, school board elections occur during consolidated elections, during off-years, meaning not during general elections. So, we must ask why are we allowing special circumstances for Chicago?" 

According to Davis, the bill’s timing - making school board elections coincide with general elections instead of consolidated off-years like the rest of Illinois - is designed to turn out voters in heavily Democratic areas, influencing statewide elections. Davis vowed to challenge the legislation, emphasizing the need for equality across party lines and urging House and Senate leadership to rectify this issue before finalizing the bill.

He also addressed this issue in a recent edition of "Springfield in 90 Seconds," his video series regarding goings-on in Springfield. According to Davis, there should be 'equality on this issue'. 

"I just got back from Veto where we voted to allow public elections for the school board in Chicago," Davis said in the video. "Big win, right? That is great power with the people. But the bill aligns those elections with the general election. What does that mean? Everywhere else and I mean everywhere else in Illinois, you elect your school board during the consolidated election. Odd number of years, but we’re carving out a special exemption for Chicago and aligning them with even-numbered years. The general election where you also elect your governor, secretary of state, all the statewide offices, including your U.S. senators." 

He continued to question why an exception would be made for Chicago, asserting that this could lead to a surge of Democratic voters who will influence not only school board decisions but also tip statewide races in favor of Democrats.

“So why, why would they make that exception? They are ensuring through the same electoral victories, because they are going to have a surge of voters. People haven’t been allowed to vote for school board in their lifetime. They’re going to come out to vote on that issue. So now at the same time, you’re electing statewide officers, you’re getting a surge of voters in Chicago, predominantly Democrat, that will vote on the school board, great, but then they’ll vote down ticket and ensure that a Republican never wins a statewide race ever again because you are stacking the vote in a heavily Democrat area.”

“We need equality. We can’t give a one party or the other and unfair advantage. We need equality on this issue. Let’s align the school board elections with the rest of Illinois. Why are we carving out and making an exception? I will fight this one as much as I can, even if it means within a court of law, because this is shameful and it is beneath the electorate.”