Macoupin County Voter Guide 2018

Transcription

1 Macoupin County Voter Guide 2018

2 Created by: The Class of Political Science US Political Parties and Elections Why are we doing this: To educate Blackburn college voters on issues that are important to them The following topics were included when looking into candidates: - Health Care - Gun Control - Environmental Issues - Public Education - LGBTQIA+ Rights - Civil Rights - Women s Rights

3 Index: Voters Bill of Rights...1 How to Register to Vote...2 Different Types of Voting...3 Voting in Macoupin County...4 Party Descriptions...5, 6 Office Positions...7, 8, 9 US Representative District , 11 State Governor...12, 13, 14 Lieutenant Governor...15, 16, 17 Attorney General...18, 19, 20 Comptroller...21, 22, 23 Secretary of State...24, 25, 26 State Treasurer...27, 28, 29 State Senator District , 31 House of Rep. District , 33 Macoupin County Treasurer...34 Macoupin County Clerk...34 Judge of Appellate County 4th District...35 Macoupin County Sheriff...35

4 Voter s Bill of Rights: In Macoupin County; you have the right to: - Cast your ballot in a non-disruptive atmosphere free of interference. - Vote if you are in line by 7:00 P.M. - Be a provisional voter if there is a question about your registration status or your eligibility to vote in the election. - Vote a Federal ballot at your old polling place if you have moved within 30 days of the election. - Request assistance in voting, if needed. - Bring newspaper endorsements or sample ballots into the voting booth, but take them with you when you finish voting. - Protect the secrecy of your ballot by using the ballot secrecy folder provided. - Receive a new ballot if you make a mistake or change your mind. - Check for voting errors (overvotes) after marking your ballot in a private and independent manner. - Have your ballot counted fairly and impartially. If you believe these rights have been violated, call the Macoupin County Clerk s Office at (217)

5 How to Register to Vote: There are some requirements to register to vote in the state of Illinois: - Must be a US citizen - Must be at least 18 years of age by Election Day; 17 years of age to vote in a General Primary if individual will be 18 on the following General Election Day - Must have been a resident of the precinct at least 30 days prior to Election Day. Must have 2 forms of ID, at least one showing your residence address: - Driver s License - State ID card - Social Security Number - Current and valid Photo ID - College ID, with contract or lease of residence postmarked from current address - Utility Bill - Bank Statement - Paycheck -Government Check - Other government document with name and address You can register at these locations: -At the Macoupin County Clerk s Office, 201 E. Main, Carlinville, IL (217) At a Secretary of State Driver s License Facility, while applying for or updating your Driver s License or State ID Card - With a Deputy Registrar appointed by the County Clerk - By mail, sending an printable application to the county clerk office - Online at Registration to vote ends 28 days before the election, and lasts for two days after the election. Macoupin County has a Grace Period registration. This is where you are able to register after regular registration ends, and it lasts until 3 days before the election and it is only available in the County Clerk s office. During your grace period registration, you must vote then and there. 2

6 Different Types of Voting: Grace Period Voting: Individuals may register to vote or change their address from the 27th through the 3rd day prior to an election. Grace period voting is only available in the Macoupin County Clerk s Office, 201 East Main, Carlinville, IL. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Provisional Voting: This is when a voter s eligibility is being questioned, so the polling place accepts the vote, but as a provisional vote. The vote is sealed in a locked container until the eligibility case is figured out. The reason for this is so that there is a fair chance to every voter, even those whose eligibility is being questioned. Absentee Ballot Voting: Voting by mail is an option for voters to cast their ballot prior to Election Day. Voters can request a vote by mail online or by calling the Election office at (217) ext 707. Follow the instructions on the forms you receive and must be postmarked by midnight on the day before the election and received within 14 days after the election. Early Voting: Begins September 27th and ends November 5th, the day before Election Day. During this time you may vote early at the Macoupin County Clerk s Office, Monday thru Friday 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Once this vote is cast, you cannot change this once it has been cast and you may not vote in the general election. 3

7 Voting in Macoupin County: In Macoupin County, there are many places to vote in the upcoming elections. Common voting locations: - Churches - Libraries - Municipal buildings - Town halls To find these registered areas, go to: From here, type polling places in the website s search bar in the top right corner of the site, then select enter. Select the Polling Places dataset. On the new page, scroll down to the bottom where it says table preview, press the blue box that says View Data. This will provide the list of the areas to vote and their physical addresses. In Carlinville, there are a few areas where you can vote in-town: - St. Paul s Church at 202 E. Main, Carlinville, IL 62626, - Federated Church at 122 E. 2nd South, Carlinville, IL Emmanuel Activity Center at 125 W. First South, Carlinville, IL Carlinville Library at 510 N. Broad, Carlinville, IL Church of the Nazarene at 610 N. Charles, Carlinville, IL, Bothwell Auditorium, Blackburn College at 700 College Avenue, Carlinville, IL Macoupin County Court House at 201 E. Main St, Carlinville, IL

8 Republican Party: The Republican Party was founded in 1854 to combat slavery. It was originally meant to be a party of big government and more liberal ideas. Sometime around the 1930s, there was a realignment that happened, which sent Republicans to become more conservative and in favor of small government. This is more what they are geared towards about today. The Republican Party is more in favor of traditional family values. They do not have many party stances on the LGBTQIA+ Community. They want to progress in healthcare by getting rid of the Affordable Care Act in order to lower premiums for Americans and are in favor of competition between private insurance companies that our capitalist system was built on. They are strong supporters of the Second Amendment, Republicans also believe higher education should be more affordable, but it should be funded through private loans. Democratic Party: The Democratic Party is the oldest living party in the United States, having existed since The Democratic Party is made up of several core principles, Democrats believe that we are greater together than on our own. They believe that everyone should play fair and by the rules and that America is at its greatest peak when everyone is given a fair shot. The Democratic Party also believes in building an economy that strengthens and lifts all Americans up, rather than solely the Americans at the top. On social issues, Democrats push to make progress on issues like health care, clean energy, pay inequality, equal opportunities for education, and job creation. Libertarian Party: Libertarians focus solely on one thing: liberty. Libertarians want liberty and justice for all, and they do not want to sacrifice any rights for the benefits of others. They believe the most important issue is protection of individual rights. Libertarians defend any peaceful and honest demonstration and also welcome diversity. They believe diversity and freedom are linked and believe a key to governmental success is small, less powerful government. 5

9 Republican Logo Libertarian Logo Democratic Logo 6

10 Office Positions: United States House of Representatives: Members of the House of Representative are elected to a two year term to represent Americans (constituents) based off their elected congressional districts. House members vote on and introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments, and serve on committees. The House of Representatives is made up of 435 elected officials and that number of officials per each state is directly proportional to that state s population. Illinois currently has 18 Representatives in the House. Governor: The office of the governor is responsible for upholding and faithfully executing all state laws, and they are the commander-in-chief of the state s military forces. They would also report the condition of the State, reorganize the state departments, and have the power to grant pardons, reprieves and commutations. They are not subject to any term limits. Lieutenant Governor: The Lieutenant Governor s role is the President over the State Senate, voting in the event of a tie vote, preside as Governor when the Governor is absent from the state or disabled. Upon the death, conviction, impeachment or resignation of the Governor, the Lt. Governor shall become governor for the remainder of the term. Attorney General: The Attorney General is the top legal advisor for the state. They are also the chief law enforcement officer, and they have the power to represent the state in any legal issue. They are basically the lawyer for the state. The Attorney General can put more emphasis on certain issues, which is how they cross over from enforcing the law to influencing policy. They are also in charge of keeping up to date with laws and making sure the Illinois General Assembly is keeping these laws up to date and constitutional. Comptroller: The Office of the Comptroller is similar to that of the State Treasurer. The Comptroller oversees the fiscal accounts for the State. They are responsible for the funds that go into the treasury along with funds coming out. They are also in charge of paying employees and creditors. Their job directly affects the financial budgets given to institutions within the state, like schools, hospitals, etc. 7

11 Office Positions: Treasurer: The Treasurer is required by the State Constitution (Section 18 of Article V) to hold responsibility for the safekeeping and investment of the monies and securities deposited in the public funds of Illinois. The Treasurer is not the state s chief financial officer, a post reserved for a separate elected official, the Illinois Comptroller. The Illinois Constitution provides that the treasurer must, at the time of his or her election, be a United States citizen, at least 25 years old, and a resident of the state for at least 3 years preceding the election. Secretary of State: The Illinois Secretary of State keeps the state records, laws, library, and archives, and is the state s vehicle registration and driver licensing authority. State Senator: An Illinois Senator is part of the upper chamber of the legislative branch for the Illinois General Assembly. Senators are mainly responsible for making laws for the State. They also represent and address the issues that their constituents may have in their district. Senators in the General Assembly have met for a total of 55 days from January to May in the 2018 session. State Representatives: State Representatives introduce and vote on bills in a way that represents the interests of the voters in their district. They also stand by the State Constitution when needed and propose amendments to it when necessary. They can also help voters with legal issues like immigration statues or justice problems. County Treasurer: The County Treasurer is responsible for allocating the county s budget. They also collect the county taxes and disperse them where they need to go. They are responsible for issuing foreclosures. 8

12 Office Positions: County Clerk: The County Clerk administers all Federal, State and County elections. The office is the depository for vital records, including birth, death and marriage records occurring in Macoupin County, they accept the filing of the annual budgets, levies, financial reports and boundary changes of all taxing bodies. They also oversee the payroll and insurance of all County employees, record all documents and records related to land/structure transactions on properties, and handle filing all matters brought before the Board. County Sheriff: The County Sheriff handles all law enforcement on a county-level. They are elected officials who mostly handle the activities of their deputies. Justice of Appellate Court Fourth District: Appellate judges have the honor to hear previously decided cases and determine if the lower court made the right decision. Appellant Judges hear a case in which a party appeals to them when they disagree with the decision and outcome of the trial court. No new evidence is given to Appellate judges; they just review the evidence presented at the Trial Court. Seven judges sit on the Fourth District. 9

13 US Representative District 13: Rodney Davis - Republican Currently serving his third term in office, Republican Rodney Davis represents the 13th district of Illinois. Davis has past experience as the Staff Assistant of the Illinois Secretary of State in , served as the Project Director for Congressman John Shimkus for 16 years, and in 2011 Davis was the Executive Director of the Illinois Republican Party. He attended Millikin University majoring in political science where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Davis has served on Congress since 2013, and before being elected, Davis married his wife Shannon in 1995 and had three sons in Taylorville, IL where they currently reside. He is running for re-election. Davis is pro-life and opposes public abortion funding, and he opposes churches giving out birth control. He favors market-based healthcare and wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act. He received an A grade from the National Rifle Association. His bill Hire More Heroes Act supports the hiring of veterans in small businesses. Davis is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. He also favors immigration reform, but he opposes college benefits for undocumented immigrants. He believes border security is a number one priority. Davis does not favor the EPA s Waters of the U.S. rule that places additional regulations on farmers. 10

14 US Representative District 13: Betsy Londrigan - Democrat Born and raised in Springfield, IL, Betsy Londrigan was a Corps member with Teach for America, where she taught sixth and seventh grade in Maryland. After returning to Springfield to marry and have children, she worked for Senator Dick Durbin. Londrigan currently works with her co-founded organization, Women Rising, which works to recruit, elect, and support female candidates for state and local offices. Londrigan is pro-choice and very passionate about other women s issues including sexual harassment and pay equality. She has a deep respect for the Second Amendment, but favors enforcing background checks and preventing violent criminals from obtaining guns. Londrigan believes healthcare is a right, not a privilege and favors taking steps toward universal healthcare. She favors immigration reform by protecting Dreamers and keeping families united. She supports protecting public land and waters, expanding clean energy, and reducing the use of methane. Wants to make public higher education more affordable for students and have student loan payments be easier to pay. 11

15 State Governor: Bruce Rauner - Republican Bruce Rauner is the sitting Illinois Governor, and he is running for his second term in office. He is a republican, but has no history in politics. He is known for being a multi-millionaire businessperson. Despite being a republican, Rauner is pro-choice. He just recently signed a bill that would expand access to abortions and birth-control coverage beyond what the Affordable Care Act includes. The bill also says that if medical professionals choose not to perform abortions for moral or religious reasons, they have to refer the patient to someone who can perform those services for them. In terms of the wage-gap, Rauner did veto a bill that was designed to close the wage gap. The bill would have banned employers from asking applicants what their previous pay was, because it was seen as perpetuating unfair wages for women based on a previous unequal salary. On the other hand, this bill could have cost employers expenses to go up. In terms of health care, Rauner thinks the Affordable Care Act is too expensive and should be replaced. He has voted in favor of gun control, but will not if it involves regulating small businesses. He voted for banning bump stocks, imposing a 72-hour waiting period to get any gun, not just handguns, and the red flag bill that allows guns to be taken away from people who are a threat to others and themselves. Rauner is pro-nuclear energy, and encourages the reduction of lead in the water. He often does not vote for environmental regulations on business. Education is important to Rauner and he believes Illinois should have significant investment in new technologies for higher education. He supports a parent s right to choose whether they want their child in a public school or a charter school. Rauner signed a bill that would make it easier for transgender individuals to change the gender on their birth certificate. He sees same-sex marriage as a settled issue, but did not initially support it. 12

16 JB Pritzker - Democrat JB Pritzker, first name Jay Robert, was born in 1965 to the Pritzker family. The Pritzkers are one of the wealthiest families in America, nearly topping the America s Richest Family List in Forbes magazine since the beginning of that list in He attended Duke University for a Bachelor s degree in political science and then went on to get his Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University School of Law. Aside from running for Governor of Illinois, Pritzker is also an attorney and a member of both the Illinois State Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Association. Before running for governor, Pritzker had a hand in politics, elections, and Democratic leadership. In 2008, he was the national co-chairman of the Hillary Clinton Presidential campaign and was also a delegate for the 2008 and 2016 Democratic National Conventions. He also founded a national organization to urge people under 40 to vote for Democrats. Pritzker also served on the staff of many members of Congress after coming in last during the 1998 election for a seat in the House of Representatives. Pritzker is pro-choice, and he wants to make sure that all women have access to reproductive healthcare. Pritzker would also like to see an end to the wage gap and to sexual harassment. He believes that gun violence is a health epidemic, and he is fighting for recognition as such so it can be handled and researched properly. He would also like to see universal background checks in place and assault rifles be banned. Pritzker wants to protect the environment by moving our state to renewable energy, putting in place infrastructure for clean air and water, and joining the U.S. Climate Alliance. Pritzker is currently trying to put a five-point plan in place to better public education for young children of the state. Pritzker is an avid supporter of LGBTQIA+ rights and wants to build a diverse administration while also addressing hate crimes against the community through educating the public on issues facing the LGBTQIA+ community. State Governor: 13

17 State Governor: Grayson Kash Jackson - Libertarian Grayson Kash Jackson was born October 4, 1978 in Louisiana. He has an Associate s degree in marine engineering and a Bachelor s in criminal justice. Jackson served 20 years in the U.S. Navy from 1996 to 2016, and has volunteered with local schools, church groups, and Habitat for Humanity. He has previously served as a reserve sheriff s deputy for Lake County, Illinois. He is the Libertarian candidate for Illinois Governor. He hopes to work together to eliminate underlying causes for abortions i.e; financial issues, lack of stable family structure, etc. Jackson hopes to help women find ways to keep their unborn children. His party favors a free market healthcare system where individuals can purchase across state lines. His party opposes laws that attempt to restrict, register, or monitor the ownership, manufacture, or transfer of firearms or ammunition. The Libertarian Party also believes that environmental protection is best left to competitive free markets and that a clear definition of individual rights and responsibilities regarding resources like land, water, air, and wildlife needs to be established. Jackson believes that in regards to public education an increase in choice and competition among public and private schools would benefit students, as well as public schools being funded primarily in two ways: by local taxpayers in the communities served (e.g. property taxes), and by private donations. Jackson believes that sexual orientation, preference, gender, or gender identity should have no impact on the government s treatment of individuals, such as in current marriage, child custody, adoption, immigration or military service laws.

18 State Governor: Sam McCann - Third Party Conservative Sam McCann was born in West Hamlin, West Virginia and currently lives in Plainview, Illinois. He is 48 years old and a Third-Party Conservative candidate for Governor. He never earned a Bachelor s degree, but he studied at Blackburn College and Lewis & Clark Community College. He is currently an Illinois State Senator for the 49th District and has been since He is pro-life and hopes to overturn any legislation that provides easy access to abortions on demand, as he calls them. He will fight for religious freedom, and he will run his office with a downstate approach. He believes that a downstate approach to governor has been missing in Illinois and wants to work alongside President Trump and his ideals. 14

19 Evelyn Sanguinetti - Republican Lieutenant Governor: Sanguinetti was born in Miami, Florida and is the 47th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. Republican candidate Sanguinetti was first elected in 2014, and was sworn into office on January 12, 2015 alongside with Governor Bruce Rauner. Sanguinetti is running for re-election in Sanguinetti was the first Hispanic and first Latina Lieutenant Governor in Illinois history. Before becoming Lieutenant Governor, Sanguinetti served as a member of the Wheaton City Council. Sanguinetti wants to reduce regulatory costs because she thinks it will cause the economy to take off like a rocket. She accepts same-sex marriage as settled. She believes in letting families choose traditional, charter, or private schools. Sanguinetti is also passionate about combating sexual harassment among government employees. 15

20 Lieutenant Governor: Juliana Stratton - Democrat Juliana Stratton is the Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor. She is running alongside Governor candidate J.B. Pritzker. She is currently serving as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 5th District. Stratton grew up on the South Side of Chicago and graduated college from the University of Illinois and DePaul University College of Law. She supports women and is pro-choice. She believes women should have full control over their own bodies and that the government should support them. Stratton wants to reform the criminal justice system and gun control laws. She believes in economic justice and equality. She is also passionate about mental health. Sanj Mohip - Libertarian Sanj Mohip is the Libertarian candidate running for the office of Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. This is the first time Mohip is running for an elected office position. Mohip announced his candidacy in February 2018 and won the Libertarian nomination. Members who are a part of the Libertarian Party are interested in limiting government control to increase individual freedom. Members of this party advocate for the 2nd Amendment, less interaction with government involving education, believe rights of every individual is always important, and if individuals are non-hostile and friendly then they can immigrate to the United States. 16

21 Attorney General: Erika Harold - Republican Erika Harold is the Republican candidate for the Attorney General office in Illinois. She has lived in Illinois her whole life and attended the University of Illinois. She would later go on to attend Harvard Law and work for major law firms in Champaign. Harold does not like the current political state of Illinois and wants to fight against the injustice of the system. If elected, Harold promises to fight for the people of Illinois and not a specific party. Harold won the Miss America contest in 2003, and because of this she lead the fight to end youth violence and bullying. She was awarded the Leadership award from National Center for Victims of Crime. After law school, Harold worked as an attorney for litigation groups such as Sidley Austin LLP and Burke, Warren, and MacKay and Serritella, P.C. She has fought for businesses and religious institutions involving the First Amendment protections. If elected, Harold wants to see new changes in current issues involving the people of Illinois. Her main concerns are criminal justice reform, government accountability, workers compensation reform, public corruption, and government following the rule of law. Harold has been a fighter her whole life and now she wants to fight for the people of Illinois as the Attorney General. 18

22 Kwame Raoul - Democrat Attorney General: Kwame Raoul is the Democrat running for Attorney General in Illinois. Raoul worked for the Cook County Prosecutor s office roughly twenty-five years ago. He also was appointed to fill the seat of State Senator Barack Obama in 2004 when he was moved to the United States Senate. Raoul worked to expand Medicaid in Illinois and guarantee coverage of birth control and mammograms. He co-sponsored a law that would require medical professionals who do not offer abortions for moral or religious reasons to provide their patient with someone else who will do the procedure. He voted for a bill that was designed to close the gender wage gap based on pay history. Raoul supports Medicaid expansion and the Affordable Care Act. He passed legislation to expand the availability of drug treatment facilities, cancer treatment facilities, and HIV prevention and care. He has pushed for gun laws that expand background checks, require gun owners to report lost or stolen guns, and keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. For the environment, he supports enforcement action against polluters, the testing of water for lead, conservation, and using environmental initiatives as means to get people jobs. He is interested in committing as a state to the Paris Climate Agreement and adopting a goal of 100% clean energy by The Chicago Teachers Union supports his candidacy. He supports gay adoption and same-sex marriage. He wants to ban the gay-panic defense and conversion therapy. 19

23 Attorney General: Bubba Harsy - Libertarian Bubba Harsy is the Libertarian candidate for the Attorney General position in Illinois. Bubba attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He has lived in Illinois his whole life, other than going to the American University in Washington D.C., where he studied law. Before running for Attorney General, Bubba was a solo practitioner who helped small businesses and would provide criminal defenses to those who are in need of it. Bubba is running for Attorney General because he is tired of seeing the unequal distribution of justice in Illinois and believes the last three Attorneys General have not done their jobs properly. If elected, Bubba will not take political stances on issues. He will go by the rule of law and go after anyone who goes against what the law says. Bubba wants to help make a difference in the people of Illinois lives by seeing changes in key issues that people are facing every day. One of the big issues Bubba wants to tackle is criminal reform, as well as public education, the legalization of cannabis and hemp, police reform, and healthcare and health insurance reform. These are issues that Bubba wants to see changed and the law followed in these areas of our judicial system. 20

24 Comptroller: Darlene Senger - Republican Darlene Senger is the Republican candidate running for Comptroller in Illinois. She began her career in politics in 2002 when she ran for Naperville City Council. She then served as an Illinois State Representative from 2009 to Senger ran for Congress in 2014, and she is now running for State Comptroller. She is from Indiana and got an MBA in finance from Purdue University. The first thing on Senger s agenda is to save taxpayer dollars to help fix out debt issue. Then, she wants to fix the issue of people inside the government being upfront about payments. Lastly, she wants to update to the office to make it more transparent with the people and try to save money by combining offices. Susana Mendoza - Democrat Susana Mendoza is the Democratic candidate running for Comptroller in Illinois. She began her career in politics in 2001 when she ran for State Representative. She served for over 10 years (6 terms), and then she was elected for two terms as Chicago City Clerk She ran for Comptroller in 2016 and was elected. Mendoza is from the Chicagoland area and graduated college from Northeast Missouri State University. Mendoza s first claim is that she will prioritize the fiscal and moral health need for the state. She directly focuses on nursing homes, hospice, children/adult disabilities, and education. She hopes to make sure she is protecting the taxpayers money so that it is being used for something useful. She also wants to make sure that the state is using up to date technology and strengthen diversity within the department. 21

25 Claire Ball - Libertarian Comptroller: Claire Ball is the Libertarian candidate running for Comptroller in Illinois. She began her career in politics in 2015 when she realized she was tired of the political monopoly, and ran for a College of DuPage Trustee position. She is from the Chicagoland Area, and got an accounting degree from DeVry University. She then went on to the Keller Graduate School of Management. Ball claims she will help with our fiscal responsibility as a state. She believes that Illinois has an issue keeping money in the state. Ball says that she will cut costs within the comptroller s office and then show other offices how to do the same in order to save money for the whole state. Ball also says that she will be timelier than Illinois has been in the past about submitting financial documents, which affects our state. 23

26 Secretary of State: Jason Helland - Republican Jason Helland is the Republican Party candidate for Secretary of State of Illinois. Helland obtained his Associate s degree in applied sciences in law enforcement from Joliet Junior College in He received his Bachelor s degree in political science from the University of St. Francis in 1999 along with obtaining his J.D. from John Marshall Law School in Helland taught as a professor at the University of Francis and was the assistant State s Attorney at the Kankakee County State s Attorney Office. Helland was elected Grundy County State s Attorney in He believes that there should not have been late fees when Jesse White s office stopped sending out reminders. Helland wants to rid the Secretary of State s office of any corruption. 24

27 Jesse White - Democrat Secretary of State: Jesse White is the current Secretary of State. He is 84 years old and was born in Alton, Illinois. He is the first African American to hold this position, and still holds office. He got his degree from Alabama State University. White is a Democrat and is the longest person to serve in this position. Jesse White has been involved in politics for the majority of his life. He was a State Senator in the 8th and 13th Districts of Illinois for close to twenty years. Afterwards he became a Recorder of Deeds for Cook County until he became the Secretary of State in White has provided low-income students with more than $750,000 in college scholarships. He also established a tutoring program for elementary and high school students. He is passionate about safe driving, and used his position in office to crackdown on texting and driving, driving under the influence, and excessive speeding. He is also passionate about increasing the amount of people who sign up to be organ donors. 25

28 Secretary of State: Steve Dutner - Libertarian Steve Dutner is the Libertarian candidate for Secretary of State of Illinois. He received his bachelor s degree in management and leadership from Judson University in He has worked in management and sales, along with being affiliated with toastmasters. Dutner is currently the Vice Chair and SOC representative for the DuPage Libertarians. Along with this, Dutner serves as a Township Committeeman for Hanover Township. Dutner wishes to privatize the Illinois driver services, reduce spending by removing unneeded services, and remove fees to create small business growth and protect liberties. This also includes removing the front license plate of all vehicles to save additional money. Dutner believes that the new textalyzer that plugs into your phone to see if you were texting and driving is unconstitutional. Dutner believes that it is unconstitutional for people to be receiving letters from the Secretary of State stating people need to show proof of insurance. He stated he is a strong supporter for civil liberties. 26

29 Jim Dodge - Republican State Treasurer: Jim Dodge is the Republican candidate for the Illinois Treasurer. Dodge has been a member of the Republican Party for 29 years. He was elected as a Village Clerk for Orland Park, Illinois at 26 years old. This is the first election Jim will be a part of; he has not been involved with political offices for a while. Dodge wants a different style to taxing citizens. He believes there should be more transparency in government. Dodge promises to be loyal to his constituents, and he wants to better State investments so every dollar is being utilized efficiently. He wants to consolidate some government positions and slash other unnecessary plans to reduce costs. 27

30 State Treasurer: Mike Frerichs - Democrat Mike Frerichs is the current Democratic Treasurer of Illinois, first elected in Frerichs has previously served in the Illinois State Senate. He was elected to the Champaign County Board and became the Champaign County Auditor in Frerichs was sworn in as the 52nd District State Senator, which includes parts of Champaign and Vermilion Counties in In the Legislature, Mike chaired the Agriculture and Conservation Committee. He supported providing financial assistance to farmers and pushed for expanded use of alternative fuels. Frerichs chaired the Higher Education Committee, where he tried to reduce Illinois disparities in education funding and expand access to education. In this position, he provides tools to help people invest in themselves. This includes the Secure Choice program, which is designed to help seniors retire, the ABLE program, which will help families plan for those with disabilities, and College Savings to ease access to education by helping individuals pay for college. 28

31 State Treasurer: Mike Leheney - Libertarian Mike Leheney is the Libertarian candidate for Illinois Treasurer. Leheney is running in the general election on November 6, He received a bachelor s degree in finance from the University of Illinois in His professional experience includes working as the manager of financial analysis and treasurer for Cooper s Hawk Winery and Restaurants. He previously worked for Baxter, Cardinal Health, and Ulta Beauty. His platform is based on his two main concepts: responsibility and transparency. He feels like politicians are missing integrity lately, but since he is not involved in the partisan feud between Democrats and Republicans, he believes he has the missing integrity. He states that his team is the people of Illinois, and he is not worried about making a party mad or sticking to one set of beliefs without question. 29

32 State Senator District 48: Seth McMillan - Republican Seth McMillan is running for State Senator in the 48th District of Illinois. He is from Taylorville, Illinois where he graduated high school at Taylorville High School before attending and graduating from SIU- Carbondale. McMillan owns a landscaping company in Taylorville. McMillan believes in the power of small business and less regulations. He is also a big proponent to term limits and wants fair districting across the state when it comes to drawing the district for state senators. Seth is a strong conservative where he believes in protecting the second amendment and protecting the unborn, as he is pro-life. He also wants better funding for local schools. He has served on the Taylorville School Board and is the Chairman of the Republican Party for Christian County. This McMillan s first political campaign and election. 30

33 State Senator District 48: Andy Manar - Democrat Andy Manar is the current Illinois State Senator, and he is from Bunker Hill, Illinois. Manar represents the 48th District of Illinois that covers the counties: Christian, Montgomery, Macoupin, and Madison. He is affiliated with the Democratic Party and was elected to the Senate in He is running for re-election this year. In the past, Manar has been a Macoupin County Board chairperson, the Mayor of Bunker Hill, and a Bunker Hill city council member. Manar is heavy on education and advocated for better schools across his district, especially in Bunker Hill. Manar voted to give courts the ability to confiscate firearms from potentially dangerous individuals. Manar also voted to have LGBT history taught in public schools. He is also working to expand access to higher education by putting more investment in colleges and less in private businesses. He is passionate about expanding healthcare coverage across Illinois and putting some emphasis on mental health and stopping the opioid addiction crisis. 31

34 House of Rep. District 95: Avery Bourne - Republican Avery Bourne is a Montgomery County native who comes from a background of farming. She went to Law School at Washington University in St. Louis. She is the Republican candidate for and current state representative for the 95th district. She is running against Democrat Dillon Clark. Bourne is a supporter of the small businessperson, law enforcement and is pro-life. She believes healthcare costs are too expensive, and wants to help get them under control. Bourne is against any tax raises, especially taxing Illinois drivers per mile traveled. She believes that if there is a need for money, there should be an effort to get funding first before creating taxes. She supports term limits and legislation that calls for no pay if a budget is not in order. Bourne supports the gun laws that are already on the books, but anything more would be an infringement on 2nd Amendment rights. She supports laws that make agriculture easier and more effective. 32

35 House of Rep. District 95: Dillon Clark - Democrat Dillon Clark is a Litchfield and Hillsboro native and is a dedicated Christian. He graduated from Illinois College. He is the Democratic candidate for State Representative against Avery Bourne. He is currently an elected Montgomery County Board member and works as a compliance officer at LNB in Litchfield. He supports the second amendment rights of Americans and wants to protect the rights of veterans. He believes in fighting for fair and affordable education. Clark wants to defend the Middle Class and increase the available care for senior citizens. He believes in Friends to Farmers and protecting agriculture. 33

36 Macoupin County Clerk: Pete Duncan Duncan was elected in 2010, and he is the 27th County Clerk of Macoupin County. His office has the smallest number of employees since He has also been an advocate for more open and transparent government by increasing access to information online. He has put over 40 years of County Board minutes, resolutions, and ordinances online for public access. Duncan, sworn in at age 24, is the youngest county elected official in Macoupin history and one of the youngest county officials in the history of Illinois. He was named one of the Top 25 Under 45 Young Leaders in Macoupin County in 2011 by the Macoupin Economic Development Partnership. He is running unopposed in the General Election. Macoupin County Treasurer: Anne Boehm Anne Boehm is the Democratic candidate and current incumbent of the Macoupin County Treasurer s office. She has been working hard to make life for the people in Macoupin County easier. Anne has tried to lay out the rules and laws for taxpayers to make it as simple as possible. She hopes to continue to do this if re-elected and to try to help as many people as she possibly can. 34

37 County Sheriff: Shawn Kahl Shawn Kahl is from Carlinville, Illinois. Kahl says his focuses are on drugs in Macoupin County. He says drugs nationwide are down; however, they are still a huge problem. Kahl has been involved in law enforcement for 20 years, 16 of them being in Macoupin County. He claims he worked from the ground up, starting out at the bottom of the totem pole being a roadway deputy. He is unopposed. Judge of Appellate Court 4th District: Peter Cavanaugh Cavanagh was born in Springfield, Illinois. He received a Bachelor s of Science in history from Illinois State University and a J.D. from the John Marshall Law School. Justice Cavanagh practiced law from 1997 to 2008 as a general practitioner in Springfield. He is also active in the Sangamon County Bar Association and served as its President in Cavanagh is also an adjunct professor of law and government at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois. In this election, he is running unopposed. He has previously worked as Assistant State s Attorney in Cook and Sangamon County and an Assistant Public Defender in Sangamon and Logan County. He was appointed, elected and retained as resident Circuit Judge of the Seventh Judicial District in His office has no official statement on his political stances regarding issues Blackburn students are most concerned with. 35

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