The Village of Skokie invites community members to attend an upcoming public seminar to learn about the election district mapping process and share their initial ideas and input in advance of impending changes to Skokie Village Board elections in 2025.
In November 2022, voters approved three binding referendums that changed Skokie Village Board elections to non-partisan, adopted staggered terms for trustees, and established hybrid representation through the creation of four geographic districts represented by one trustee each and two at-large trustee representatives. Currently, all six Skokie trustees are elected at-large.
Implementing these changes is the responsibility of the Village, and will require the creation and adoption of a map with four geographic districts in advance of the next Village Board election in 2025.
As the Village initiates this process, it will host a free public seminar, “Election District Mapping Basics,” to provide community members with an overview of the laws that govern district mapping and share basic demographic information and other facts about Skokie. Community members will also have the opportunity to share their initial input and ideas regarding districting in Skokie.
The seminar will take place:
Monday, August 14
7 p.m.
Skokie Public Library, Petty Auditorium
5215 Oakton St., Skokie
The meeting will be streamed live on the Village’s YouTube channel, and a recording will be available following the meeting on the Village’s website, at skokie.org/electoralreferendums.
At the meeting, Peter A. Creticos, Ph.D., the Village’s mapping consultant, will provide an overview of the district mapping process and related election laws. Creticos brings more than 40 years of experience in districting and redistricting to Skokie, and most recently worked with the Cook County Board of Commissioners to update the County’s 2021 district map. Attorney Jason Guisinger of Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins (KTJ), the legal firm assisting the Village in implementing these binding referendums in compliance with state election law, will also be present. Guisinger’s practice focuses on areas that include municipal law and election law, and he is a regular speaker and author on issues of legal concern to local government in Illinois.
Following the August 14 seminar, the Village will solicit additional community input as it develops a draft proposed map, which will be presented to the community for feedback at a public meeting tentatively scheduled for Monday, September 11, 7 p.m., at the Skokie Public Library.
The Village anticipates implementing these electoral changes by year-end 2023 to ensure sufficient time for residents and candidates to understand the changes before the next Village Board election in 2025.
Community members can learn more about this process on the Village’s website, at skokie.org/electoralreferendums.