Dear Friends,
Was it the polls or the prognosticators? The deafening noise of the far right? Perhaps it was the news about inflation, wars, and authoritarianism. Whatever reason, we expected the election results to be heartbreaking and we stewed over democracy’s tenacity. That lament was gloriously wrong. It was an historically successful election in rejecting election deniers and extremists. Turns out, voters will show up to defend democracy, or as one high-profile pundit unpardonably said, “turns out Americans can hold more than one thought at once.”
A November poll by Impact Research found that in 71 of the most competitive House districts, concerns about threats to democracy motivated Democrats/independents to show up while helping independents decide to vote for Democrats. The issue also likely moved some Republican voters to cross over and cast ballots for Democratic candidates; 64% of Republicans who voted this way said their biggest concern was the former president’s belief that the election was stolen. Turns out, democracy is a non-partisan issue.
Yes, the election was one battle in an ongoing war and more extremists were elected than we’d like, though not in any of the battleground Secretary of State races. Despite rumblings, only two counties in one state formally declared fraud, and each has given up those misbegotten claims. It was a victory of faith as a diverse majority of voters rejected election lies. Take a well-deserved moment to rejoice and recognize that because of your work, democracy lives to fight another day. Thank you!
It's an important lame duck session in Congress. In addition to funding the government and continuing support for Ukraine, the Electoral Count Act must pass. A bill pending in the Senate is a significant move in the right direction. It would confirm that the Vice President has no power to alter the electoral vote count. It would raise the threshold for how many House and Senate members are needed to object to a slate of electors — currently, it is just one person from each. It would ensure a judicial remedy if a state government unlawfully refused to certify election results. And it would prevent state governments from changing rules after an election. Yes, it is a busy session, but a quick call to Senators Durbin and Duckworth is in order.
Locally, a shout-out and hat-tip to all our Leaguers who worked so hard on passing the Cook County Forest Preserve referendum. Passing a referendum requiring a property tax increase was a challenging task, yet you did it. It passed with over 60% of the vote, guaranteeing the continuing preservation of these natural resources. Thank you!
In other local news, LWVOPRF has asked the Village of Oak Park to place a binding referendum on the April ballot to adopt Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) for future elections of Village President, Clerk, and Trustees. In November, Evanston overwhelmingly voted to place a similar referendum on their municipal April ballot. RCV allows voters to rank candidates in order of their preference as first, second, and so forth so that the candidate with the most support wins even if they are not everyone’s top choice. Oak Park resident and already a proponent? Contact the Village Trustees to let them know of your support. Need more information? Join us December 14, from 6:30-8:30pm, as we sample and rank a flight of four beers at One Lake Brewing. Register below.
Although it is known as the Carol of the Bells, it was originally a Ukrainian folk song titled Shchedryk. It tells the tale of a swallow visiting a farmer in the dead of winter to remind him of the wealth and hope of spring. We fervently wish and pray that the swallow once again visits Ukraine to comfort and inspire her during the season of peace. You can listen to it here.
Wishing you light, joy, and love throughout this holiday month.
Jane and Joan
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