Ballot Measures: Chicago Edition
Good news, everybody! Today we’re going to talk about the Advisory Referendum, one of the hottest topics in politics you may have never heard of. But why? Well, our Chicago friends will be getting up close and personal with ’em when they vote in the municipals on February 26th.
First things first- Find out your ward and precinct here
For the tldr folks, we broke down who’s got what in this graphic. If you want more deets, keep reading!
But what is an Advisory Referendum anyway?
It’s a type of ballot measure. You can think of an advisory (or ‘non-binding’) referendum as an electoral test balloon. Basically, it’s when a question is placed on the ballot in order to gauge public opinion, even though the result of the vote is legally non-binding. In other words, no matter how the vote shakes out, the measure doesn’t become a law, but the result gives lawmakers a sense of what may or may not float. There is such a thing as a binding referendum, which you can read more about here.
In Illinois, an advisory referendum can happen at the state, county and municipal level, and can query the public on all sorts of issues, from whether to give plastic straws the heave-ho to whether Illinois folks can light up some green without a prescription. At the municipal level, getting an advisory referendum on the ballot requires circulating a valid petition and gathering enough signatures in a particular precinct.
Ideally, an advisory referendum is one of the tools of direct democracy, but it can have downsides. Politicians sometimes use them to drum up support for pet initiatives (‘Do you like ice cream and low property taxes?’), to distract voters with dumb questions (‘World peace: Pro or con?’) or to entice single-issue voters to the polls (‘So how ‘bout those guns?’). In the wake of Brexit, hands down the most famous and off-the-rails advisory referendum in history, critics have argued that advisory referenda can threaten democracy by oversimplifying the issues and mobilizing fringe groups.
At the municipal level, however, an advisory referendum can be an important tool for communities and activists to voice their support or opposition to proposals that affect them. Putting an advisory referendum on the ballot requires enough concern among local community members to mobilize and undertake serious grassroots action. It can put legislators or developers on notice and it can signal that there is significant support for future legislation.
Why should I care if it won’t be on my ballot??
So an advisory referendum is two precincts over and you’ve got lots of other important civic duties to attend to. Why tune in?
Keeping tabs on advisory referenda is a way to get a beat on some of the issues that are affecting your neighbors and, since advisory referenda are often used to advocate for future legislation, they’re a good way to see what issues are emerging and which way the wind is blowing.
Keep an Eye Out: Advisory Referenda for Feb. 26th
Now that you’re an expert on the advisory referendum, keep an eye out for the following referenda on the upcoming municipal ballot:
Whether to lift the ban on rent control
What’s the backstory?
The Rent Control Preemption Act of 1997 prohibits rent control in all Illinois municipalities. Lift the Ban, a coalition of community groups, has been advocating for the repeal of this law and introduced two previous referenda covering other precincts and wards in 2018. This referendum also follows two recent legislative proposals, one by state representative Will Guzzardi that would repeal the rent control ban and one by state senator Mattie Hunter that would repeal the ban while establishing rent control and tax incentives for landlords.
Head’s up, there’s three different versions of this question depending on the ward.
1st Version
“Should the State of Illinois lift the ban on rent control to address rising rents, unjust evictions, and gentrification in our community?”
Who will have this question?
1st Ward: precincts 1, 17, 20, 24, 26, and 30
26th Ward: precincts 2, 6, 8, 9, 12, 24 and 40
2nd Version
“Should the State of Illinois lift the statewide ban on rent control in order to stabilize the cost of housing for Chicago’s working families?
Who will have this question?
45th Ward: precincts 11, 15, and 17
3rd Version
“Should the State of Illinois be able to regulate rents to address rising rents, unjust evictions, and gentrification in our communities?”
Who will have this question?
50th Ward: precincts 8 and 13
Community Benefits Agreements related to the Obama Center
What’s the backstory?
The Community Benefits Agreement coalition has been pushing for a CBA between the Obama Presidential Center (OPC) and surrounding areas in Woodlawn and Jackson Park. The agreement would require the OPC’s developers to provide employment opportunities, affordable housing and transportation initiatives in order to prevent the displacement current residents. The OPC has so far rejected calls for a CBA, instead proposing its own list of community commitments.
What will it look like on my ballot?
“Shall our alderman support a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) Ordinance to prevent the displacement of residents from the area surrounding the Obama Center by having: 1) 30% set-aside of affordable housing; 2) Property tax freeze; 3) Funding for local jobs and affordable housing?”
Who will have this question?
5th Ward: precinct 5
20th Ward: precincts 1, 22, 23
Whether to use funds from legalization of marijuana to benefit communities impacted by the war on drugs
What’s the backstory?
Illinois has been inching toward legalizing recreational marijuana since it passed its pilot program for medical cannabis in 2013. Governor Pritzker has declared this a top legislative priority and the Illinois Economic Policy Institute estimates that it will generate $525 million in new tax revenues. With legalization on the horizon, advocacy groups and legislators have begun debating how to craft policies that will put these revenues toward benefitting low-income minority communities disproportionately affected by the criminalization of marijuana.
What will it look like on my ballot?
“In the event that the recreational use and sale of marijuana is legalized in the State of Illinois, should the City of Chicago appropriate tax and other revenues it receives from the sales of marijuana to fund neighborhood reinvestment in low-income, disenfranchised communities hit hard by the war on drugs?”
Who will have this question?
6th Ward: precincts 5, 23, 26
16th Ward: precinct 33
17th Ward: all precincts
24th Ward: precincts 5, 20, 30
28th Ward: all precincts
29th Ward: precincts 2, 3, 16, 26, 28
Community Benefits Agreements related to the El Paseo trail
What’s the backstory?
The El Paseo trail is a proposed 4-mile long multi-use path that will run along the abandoned railroad tracks connecting Pilsen, Little Village and S. Lawndale. The referendum asks about a community benefits agreement to prevent displacement and rising property taxes.
What will it look like on my ballot?
“Should our alderman support a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) Ordinance to prevent the displacement of residents from the area surrounding the El Paseo Trail by having: 1) 20% set-aside of affordable housing; 2) Property tax freeze; 3) Funding for local jobs and affordable housing?”
Who will have this question?
12th Ward: precincts 15, 18
22nd Ward: precinct 15
25th Ward: precincts 12 and 23
