Ellie Heider
Contributing Writer
The Chicago mayoral election is coming up, and students at Dominican have been getting involved in voting and campaigning. They have done this through DU Votes and a new program, the Community Action Network, according to Paul Simpson, director for civic learning.
Chicago residents will be voting in the Chicago mayoral election Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2023. There are nine candidates in the running. The four leading candidates are incumbent Lori Lightfoot, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Paul Vallas, and Brandon Johnson. The other candidates are Jamal Green, Sophia King, Kam Buckner, Willie Wilson, and Roderick Sawyer.
If students live in Chicago, they are eligible to vote. The voting hours for the general election on Tuesday are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and students can find their polling place here, according to the Dominican Instagram page for justice, equity, and inclusion, @dominicanjustice.
According to Simpson, this mayoral election may become a “run-off” election. This means that if none of the four leading candidates achieves more than 50% of the vote, then the two leading candidates will go up against each other on April 4.
Simpson helps students advocate and engage with organizations to build economic and social justice in their communities. His office serves as a host and sponsor for DU Votes and the Community Action Network.
DU Votes, started by Chloe Young, a Dominican student, assists with increasing voter registration, election participation, and providing non-partisan information on the candidates. If students approach this organization, it can help them register to vote. Last fall they helped 99 students register, according to Simpson.
The Community Action Network, started last fall by Grettel Gomez-Reyes, a Dominican student,
has set foundations and connections for their team. This club sets out to protest, write letters, and work for community change, said Simpson.
Gomez-Reyes said they have not yet campaigned for the Chicago mayoral election, but she would like to start a partnership with DU Votes by the 2023 fall semester.
Neither group can endorse a candidate, according to Simpson, as it is against Dominican University’s policy.
Simpson said that demands on students’ lives can make it challenging for them to get involved and go to events. If students can get involved, they can talk to Simpson or join DU Votes or the Community Action Network.
