The next general elections, to be held Nov. 8, feature a number of openly gay and lesbian candidates. The following individuals have publicly stated that they are members of the LGBT community and were on the ballot as of late February.
—Catherine Schneider
Race: 11th Subcircuit, Cook County ( Kelly Vacancy )
Website: SchneiderForJudge.com
The skinny: Judicial candidate Schneider has more than two decades' experience as an attorney and is a recognized expert in civil litigation. In addition, she is co-chair of the Women's Bar Association of Illinois' Access to Justice Committee. She is unchallenged in her race.
—Kelly Cassidy
Race: Illinois state representative ( 14th District )
Website: RepCassidy.com
The skinny: Cassidy, who defeated another lesbian candidate, Paula Basta, in March 2014, is this time running unopposed in the Democratic primary—and she has no Republican challenger, either.
—Sam Yingling
Race: Illinois state representative ( 62nd District )
Website: SamYingling.com
The skinny: What's old is new again. Yingling is running unopposed in the primary for his third term. He is the first openly gay House member from outside metropolitan Chicago. And Republican Rod Drobinski of Wauconda is, again, Yingling's opponent for the general election; Yingling prevailed in 2014.
—Greg Harris
Race: Illinois state representative ( 13th District )
Website: GregHarris.org
The skinny: Harris—who was chief co-sponsor of SB10, the legislation that brought about marriage equality in Illinois—has a district that includes several North Side neighborhoods. He was first elected in 2006 and, like Cassidy, is currently running unopposed, ensuring his re-election.
—Andy Kirchoff
Race: Illinois state representative ( 24th District )
Website: AndyFor24.com
Kirchoff is an openly gay Republican, and he's seeking to represent the 24th District, which includes Berwyn, Cicero, Riverside, Brookfield, Stickney and Chicago's Little Village neighborhood. Kirchoff, a healthcare professional, spent several years discerning the priesthood with the archdiocese of Chicago before earning a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Loyola University Chicago. Kirchoff supports LGBT rights and immigration reform, but is also staunchly pro-life and backs the state's concealed-carry law.
( Note: The elections in Berwyn are not until February. The mayoral election in Evanston is in January. )
—Scott Lennon
Race: Berwyn alderman ( 1st Ward )
Lennon has said that he is running for several reasons, including an infrastructure that needs improvement. ( An interview is at WindyCityMediaGroup.com/lgbt/Scott-Lennon-runs-for-Berwyn-aldermanic-post/56816.html . )
—Jeanine Reardon
Race: Berwyn alderman ( 3rd Ward )
Website: BerwynUnited.com/alderman-3rd-ward
Reardon is a hospital chaplain who is running to replace Marge Paul in the 3rd Ward. She is ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and is a rostered leader in the Chicago Metropolitan Synod. ( See a profile at WindyCityMediaGroup.com/ lgbt/Building-Berwyn-LGBT-candidates-on-Feb-election-slate/56739.html . )
—Joe Johnston
Race: Berwyn trustee
Website: BerwynUnited.com/copy-of-township-trustee
Johnston, who works for a renewable energy company, is running for a township trustee post. ( See a profile at WindyCityMediaGroup.com/ lgbt/Building-Berwyn-LGBT-candidates-on-Feb-election-slate/56739.html . )
—Marge Paul
Race: Berwyn city clerk
Websites: "Marge Paulf for Berwyn City Clerk" ( Facebook ) and BerwynUnited/Clerk
Paul is relinquishing her aldermanic seat to run for city clerk. She has called her city clerk candidacy "an important first step in terms of visibility for LGBT residents. I've represented the 3rd Ward for two terms. I handily won the election the first time, and was able to increase that in the second election." ( See a profile at WindyCityMediaGroup.com/ lgbt/Building-Berwyn-LGBT-candidates-on-Feb-election-slate/56739.html . )
—Jose Ramirez
Race: Berwyn alderman ( 2nd Ward )
Website: BerwynUnited.com/alderman-2nd-ward
Ramirez is advocate for various changes, including putting recordings of city council meetings online. "That way everyone [in the community] can participate," he added. "Let's face it, everyone in the community has a different life and different hours." He and his partner, Thomas Stebbins, have been together more than 25 years and were married in November 2015. ( See a profile at WindyCityMediaGroup.com/ lgbt/Building-Berwyn-LGBT-candidates-on-Feb-election-slate/56739.html . )
—Mark Tendam
Race: Mayor of Evanston
Tendam is currently an alderman ( 6th Ward ) in Evanston, joining the race alongside Ald. Brian Miller ( 9th ) and businessman Steve Hagerty. Tendam, a 1978 graduate of the University of Cincinnati, is a retired graphic designer, having worked in the field for 35 years. He's served on the boards of Better Existence with HIV, the McGaw YMCA and the Democratic Party of Evanston. Tendam—who lives in northwest Evanston with his husband, Neal Moglin—is the first openly gay politician elected in Evanston.
