Research &
Policy Center

Local Economic Recovery from COVID-19 (the “Fair Tax Vote”)

The Illinois Allow for Graduated Income Tax Amendment is on the ballot in Illinois as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 3, 2020. A “yes” vote supports repealing the state’s constitutional requirement that the state personal income tax be a flat rate and instead allows the state to enact legislation for a graduated income tax. A “no” vote opposes this constitutional amendment, thus continuing to require that the state personal income tax be a flat rate and prohibit a graduated income tax.

Education Reform & College Readiness

Issues like education reform and college readiness are on the ballot on November 3, 2020. Presidential candidate Joe Biden proposes an investment in community colleges and training to improve student success and grow a stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive middle class. He also pledged to nominate a former teacher to serve as U.S. Secretary of Education. “Four years of Betsy DeVos is more than enough,” he tweeted in September. Donald J. Trump has proposed extending student-loan forgiveness to all undergraduates if they make 180 months of repayment through an income-driven repayment plan. He also rescinded an Obama-era provision meant to protect transgender students’ rights, to reduce racial disparities in discipline, and to promote racial diversity in schools.

Gun Control & Public Safety

Gun control and public safety measures are on the ballot on November 3, 2020. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has called for federal action on the issue of gun reform, such as  universal background checks and closing the gun show loophole. Presidential Candidate Joe Biden favors an assault weapons ban and “smart guns” – technology that blocks a gun from firing unless the owner’s finger is on the trigger. He opposes gun licensing as ineffective. The Trump administration issued a new rule banning bump stocks, the attachments that enable semi automatic rifles to fire in sustained, rapid bursts. President Trump has clarified his position on expanding gun background checks.

Criminal Justice Reform

Criminal justice reform measures are on the ballot on November 3, 2020. Joe Biden says he will work with Congress to repeal federal mandatory minimum sentences, and will give states an incentive to repeal their mandatory minimum laws. He also says his administration will create a competitive grant program to push states to invest in programs that prevent and reduce incarceration. The Trump Administration’s First Step Act shortened some mandatory minimum sentences, such as from life to 25 years, or from 20 years to 15 years, for various offenses.

Community Policing & Accountability

Community policing & accountability measures are on the ballot on November 3, 2020. While Joe Biden has stated that he does not support defunding the police, he has supported the re-direction of officer funding. President Donald Trump has condemned calls to defund the police. He issued an Executive Order on Safe Policing for Safe Communities, which supports the credentialing of state and local law enforcement agencies, creates databases and information sharing regarding incidents of excessive force, and enhances training for policing mental health, homelessness, and addiction.

Wage Reform & Job Opportunity

Wage reform and job opportunity measures are on the ballot on November 3, 2020. Joe Biden has called for a $15 hourly minimum wage and the creation of 5 million jobs. Through his America First Platform, President Trump has pledged to create 10 million jobs within the first 10 months of renewed term if re-elected.

Donald J. Trump (Republican)

Donald J. Trump took office as the 45th President of the United States in 2017. The former businessman and media mogul had no prior political experience before taking office.

Through his “America First” platform, Trump has pledged to create 10 million new jobs in the first 10 months of his new term, and to find a COVID-19 vaccine. During his first term, he embraced criminal justice reform by signing the First Step Act, lowered tax rates for businesses through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and nominated now Supreme Court Justice, Brett Kavanaugh.

Joseph R. Biden (Democratic)

Joseph R. Biden is a former U.S. Senator (Delaware) and the former Vice President of the United States. He served under President Barack Obama as Vice President from 2009-2017.

He is running to improve economic development by raising the minimum wage and promoting workers rights. He has also pledged to ensure civil protections for African Americans and middle class protectiveness.

Kamala D. Harris (Democratic)

Kamala Harris is the first Black, woman and South-Asian American, Junior Senator for California. She is the former California Attorney General and San Francisco County District Attorney. In the Senate, Harris has advocated for maternal health research, anti-lynching legislation, and the end of cash bail.

Michael R. Pence (Republican)

Vice President Mike Pence is the past former Governor of the state of Indiana. During his gubernatorial tenure he signed the ‘religious freedom law’, which would limit infringement on a person’s ability to practice his or her religion unless the government.

Richard Durbin (Democratic)

Richard “Dick” Durbin is a lawyer, political strategist and the Senior Senator from Illinois. He currently serves as the Democratic Whip, the second highest ranking position among the Senate Democrats. He pioneered the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and is an advocate for civil rights and consumer protection.

Mark C. Curran Jr. (Republican)

Mark Curran is an attorney and public servant. He has previously served as the Lake County Sheriff, Attorney General’s Gang Crime Bureau Chief, a Senior Prosecutor with the Lake County State’s Attorney and a Special Assistant to the United States Attorney.

Curran is running to promote public safety, constitutional rights, just as the Second Amendment, and police and service friendly policies.

Bobby Rush

Bobby Rush is an activist, political strategist and the Representative for Illinois’ 1st Congressional District. He is an original member of the Black Panther Party. He formerly served as a member of the Chicago City Council. He is running to increase African-American participation in the energy workforce, to improve climate change and to advance social justice.

Philanese White

Philanese White is a Renal Technician, entrepreneur, and political strategist. She is running to promote economic development, infrastructure stimulation and crime control.

Robin Kelly

Robin Kelly is a former Illinois State House Representative and the current Representative for Illinois’ Second Congressional District. In the House she sponsored the Orange Book Transparency Act, which lowers prescription drug prices. She is a proponent of expanding access to healthcare, addressing gun safety, and enabling economic development.

Theresa J. Raborn

Theresa Raborn is a businesswoman. She wants to solve the issue of recidivism in the criminal justice system by rehabilitating criminals. She is also an advocate for education reform and the improvement of public schools.

Jesus “Chuy” Garcia

Jesus “Chuy” Garcia is a former Chicago City Alderman, Illinois State Senator, Cook County Commissioner and the current representative for Illinois’ Fourth Congressional District. In the House, he has worked to accelerate immigration reform, affordable education policies, and healthcare reform.

Daniel Lipinski  

Dan Lipinski is an engineer, former educator and Representative for Illinois’ Third Congressional District. In the House, he has worked to reduce the costs of healthcare, enable economic growth in the district and protect social services.

Mike Fricilone

Mike Fricilone is a businessman and political strategist. He is running to reduce tax burdens in the district and to control immigration.

Jesus Solario

Jesus Solario is a political strategist. He is running as an advocate for education reform, workforce development, and immigration reform at the state and national level.

Jeanne Ives (Republican)

Jeanne Ives is a political organizer who has previously served as an Illinois State Representative and on the Wheaton City Council. She is running as a proponent of tax reductions, health insurance reform,  and government transparency.

Tom Hanson (Republican)

Tom Hanson is a real estate agent and has previously run for the Fifth Congressional seat in 2018. He is an advocate for crime control, a reduction in taxes and affordable healthcare.

Mike Quigley (Democratic)

Mike Quigley is a lawyer and the Representative for Illinois’ Fifth Congressional District. In the House he has fought against Russian interference in the U.S. elections, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and immigration reform.

Sean Casten (Democratic)

Sean Casten is an engineer, former clean energy consultant and the Representative for Illinois’ Sixth Congressional District. In the House, he has advocated for climate control,  affordable health care, and infrastructure development. He introduced the Climate Risk Disclosure Act, which requires public companies to disclose exactly how exposed they are to the climate crisis.

Bill Redpath (Libertarian)

Bill Redpath is a businessman and political strategist. He is running to implement policies that reduce government spending, lower taxes and demonstrate real respect for civil liberties.

Danny Davis (Democratic)

Danny Davis is a former Chicago Alderman, Cook County Commissioner and is the current Representative for Illinois’ Seventh Congressional District. In the House, he has advocated for equality for African Americans, Latinx Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans; social and economic justice, and universal access to health care and education.

Craig Cameron (Republican)

Craig Cameron is a construction developer. He is running to ensure constituents’ Second Amendment rights, healthcare reform and tax restructuring.

Raja Krishnamoorth (Democratic)

Raja Krishnamoorthi is a lawyer, former Illinois Treasurer, former Illinois Assistant Attorney General and the Representative for Illinois’ Eighth Congressional District. He is currently the Chairman of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy and is an advocate for consumer protection and anti-teen vaping reform.

Janice D. Schakowsky

Jan Schakowsky is a former Illinois State Assemblywoman and political organizer. She serves in the House Democratic Leadership as a Senior Chief Deputy Whip. She has made winning affordable, quality health care for all Americans her top priority in Congress.

Valerie Ramirez Mukherjee (Republican)

Valerie Ramirez Mukherjee is a businesswoman and political strategist. She is running as an advocate for job creation, federal education reform, and the reduction of tax burdens in IL-10.

Brad Schneider (Democratic)

Brad Schneider is a former businessman and consultant. He is running for a fourth term as the 10th Congressional District’s Representative. In the House, he has advocated for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, gun reform and equal pay for women.

Rick Laib (Republican)

Rick Laib is the former Will County Sheriff. He is running to end abortion, to ensure second Amendment rights, and to ensure free-market rights.

Bill Foster (Democratic)

Bill Foster is a scientist, businessman and the current representative for Illinois’ 11th Congressional District. In the House, he has advocated for and introduced science-based policies for medically assisted opioid treatment and energy research to increase the penetration of renewable electricity sources into our electric grid.

Lauren Underwood (Democratic)

Lauren Underwood is a healthcare specialist and RN who is running for a second term as the 14th Congressional District’s representative. In 2018, she became the youngest Black woman ever elected to Congress. She is an advocate for infant and maternal mortality awareness. She introduced the ‘Lower Insulin Cost Now Act’ and the ‘Healthy Mommies Act’ aimed at promoting healthcare reform.

Jim Oberweis (Republican)

Jim Oberweis is an Illinois State Senator, entrepreneur and former educator. His is an advocate for pro-life, pro-2nd Amendment, and pro-tax cut legislation. He also serves as the Chairman of Oberweis Dairy, a business founded by Jim’s grandfather.

Dana Brzozowski (Democratic)

Dana Brzozowski is a political organizer and philanthropic specialist. She is running as an advocate for social, economic, environmental, and political justice. She is looking to reform our healthcare system by combatting the high costs of services.

Adam Kinzinger (Republican)

Adam Kizinger is a veteran and the representative for Illinois’ Sixteenth Congressional District. He is running to further advancements in national security, economic reform and infrastructure development that targets the challenges faced by rural Americans.

Robert Martwick (Democratic)

Robert Martwick is a former public administrator, criminal prosecutor and the incumbent Senator from the Illinois State Senate’s 10th District. He introduced a bill (HB5318) that became an important part of the Illinois Conceal Carry Legislation, requiring insurance companies inform families of policy holders who died that they had money which they could collect on.

Anthony Beckman (Republican)

Anthony Beckman is a law enforcement officer who is contesting incumbent Robert Martwick. He is a proponent of public safety enforcement, job security, and urban renewal.

Brad Stephens (Republican)

Brad Stephens is the mayor of Rosemont, Illinois, and the incumbent Representative for District Twenty of the Illinois House of Representatives. Prior to becoming mayor, he served as a member of the Rosemont Board of Trustees.

Michelle Darbro (Republican)

Michelle Darbro is a firefighter and contesting incumbent Brad Stephens for the Illinois General Assembly’s Representative District Twenty. She is a proponent for advancements in public safety, economic development and an avid supporter of the law enforcement community.

Herbert Hebein (Republican)

Herbert Hebein is a retired police officer and is contesting incumbent Frances Ann Hurley for the Illinois General Assembly’s Thirty-Fifth Representative District. He is a proponent of lowering taxes and seeks to promote pro-life legislation along with economic development if elected.

Frances Ann Hurley (Democratic)

Frances Ann Hurley is a former political strategist and the incumbent Representative for the Illinois General Assembly’s Thirty-Fifth Representative District. She is the chief sponsor of. HB3897, a bill that would amend the Illinois state School Code to allow for students in special education programs who turn 22 to remain in school until the end of the school year. She is also an advocate for economic and commerce development.

Kathleen Willis (Democratic)

Kathleen Willis is a former educator, public administrator and the incumbent Representative for the Illinois General Assembly’s Seventy-Seventh Representative District. She is an advocate for improving access to quality education and human services and preventing unfair property tax increases on local families.

Anthony Airdo (Republican)

Anthony Airdo is contesting incumbent Kathleen Willis for the Illinois General Assembly’s Seventy-Seventh Representative District. He previously contested Assemblywoman Lewis in the 2018 general election.

Heather Boyle 

Heather Boyle is a political strategist, businesswoman and former public administrator. She is running to ensure efficiency and the health and safety of citizens through the department.

M Cameron “Cam” Davis

Cam Davis is President Barack Obama’s former “Great Lakes Czar” in Washington, D.C. and Chicago from 2009 until 2017 and currently Water Reclamation District Commissioner. He is running to ensure climate control and infrastructure development.

Kimberly Neely Dubuclet

Kimberly Neely Dubuclet is a former Illinois State Representative and a current Water Reclamation District Commissioner. She is running to ensure the protection of the district’s fresh water supply and to protect the natural heritage of the environment.

Kim Foxx (Democratic)

Kim Foxx is a lawyer, political strategist, and the current Cook County State’s Attorney. In 2016, she became the first Black woman ever elected to the position. In office, she is working to minimize the impact of mental health issues, drug addiction and community trauma on our criminal justice system.

Pat O’Brien (Republican)

Pat O’Brien is a former Cook County Circuit Court Judge, former Assistant State’s Attorney and former Assistant Illinois Attorney General. He is running to minimize corruption in the Cook County State’s Attorney Office

Tammie Vinson is an educator and organizer. She worked with the Chicago Public School system and is member of the Chicago Teachers Union. She is also the co-chair of CORE, the Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators.

Rachel Wales is an educator and writer. She serves as  the Worth Township Committeewoman and previously worked as a campaign field organizer on the Southwest side of Chicago with Organizing For Action.

Troy Hernandez is a scientist and organizer. He is a volunteer director of the Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization (P.E.R.R.O.). He is an advocate for environmentalism, women’s rights and animal welfare.

Iris Martinez is a current Illinois State Senator. She was the first Hispanic woman elected to the Illinois Senate in state history and is now an assistant majority leader in the chamber. She is running to ensure competency, compliance and efficiency in the Cook County Clerk’s Office. She has proposed online payments of court costs and filing fees in the clerk’s office.

Barbara Bellar is a licensed physician, a former Illinois State Assembly and Illinois State Senate Candidate. She is running as an advocate for streamlining technology, reducing the duplication of government personnel positions and improved customer service in the Cook County Clerk’s Office.

Tammy Wendt is an attorney and licensed realtor. She is running to combat overinflated tax bills and to ensure fair tax appeals for all property owners.

Dan Patlak is a real estate broker current First District Commissioner of the Cook County Board of Review. IN 2010, he became the first ever full-time commissioner at the Board. Since in office, he has successfully lead the First District’s transition from an obsolete paper filing and review system to a state-of-the-art Digital Appeals Processing System (DAPS).

Edward Gonzalez was born and raised in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood on the Southwest Side. Gonzalez, was a member of Congressman J. Garcia’s in-district constituent services staff, focusing on immigration, social security, veterans’ affairs, criminal justice and education.

Willie Wilson (Willie Wilson Party)

Willie Wilson is a philanthropist, entrepreneur, and recording artist. He has previously run for Mayor and for President of the United States. He proposed a Property Tax Hardship Relief bill to the Illinois State Legislature. Willson is an advocate for Bail Bond Reform, having spent over a quarter of a million dollars for the release of inmates charged with non-violent misdemeanors who are stuck in custody awaiting trial because they can’t afford to post bail.

Danny Malouf

Danny Malouf has experience as a human resource director. He is a former Republican candidate for the 2020 Illinois 14th congressional district election.