Pritzker administration failed to report unemployment fraud data

By Dylan Sharkey

08/16/2022

A U.S. Department of Labor report stated Illinois failed to report theft of pandemic relief money as required. Illinois lost over half of pandemic unemployment funds to fraud.

TAGS: fraud, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker

How to stop gerrymandering in Illinois

By Joe Tabor, Aimee Morrissey

08/11/2022

Illinois can draw from other states’ experiences to solve its own gerrymandering problem. One solid solution is as close as Michigan.

TAGS: fair maps, gerrymandering, Illinois

How to use Illinois’ new permanent vote-by-mail system

By Dylan Sharkey

08/10/2022

Now that Illinois voters can permanently register to vote by mail, here are some issues to consider about casting a ballot from the kitchen table rather than a polling place.

TAGS: Illinois, vote-by-mail

Permanent vote-by-mail registration opens Aug. 10 in Illinois

By Dylan Sharkey

08/08/2022

Permanent vote by mail allows Illinoisans to vote at home, offering convenience and a chance to make better-informed decisions. Voters automatically receive a ballot for each future election, so illness or forgetfulness aren’t barriers to civic duty.

TAGS: Illinois, vote-by-mail

38 challengers give Illinois voters first choices in decades

By Dylan Sharkey

07/31/2022

Alper Turan fled Iran 24 years ago to seek a better life for himself and his family. He wants to help his new home by being one of 38 candidates recruited by Illinois Policy to run for the Illinois General Assembly. He wants voters to have a choice.

TAGS: election, gerrymandering, Illinois, vote-by-mail

Lightfoot’s limos get 5 speed camera tickets, pay none

By Patrick Andriesen

07/28/2022

Mayor Lori Lightfoot just cried ‘safety’ in fending off an effort to curb the speed cameras that issued more tickets than Chicago has residents. But her travel detail has its own need for speed: 3 speed cam tickets and 2 warnings.

TAGS: Chicago, Lori Lightfoot, mayor, speed cameras, speed limit

Contempt citation No. 12: DCFS forces girl to wait 170 days in mental hospital

By Dylan Sharkey

07/12/2022

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Director Marc Smith faces his 12th contempt of court order of 2022. In the latest, the judge ruled Smith failed to place a 15-year-old girl in proper housing for 170 days, leaving her in a mental hospital.

TAGS: DCFS: Department of Children and Family Services, Marc Smith

Call it Independence Day – the meaning matters

By John Tillman

07/04/2022

We too often call it the “Fourth of July” and lose sight of its true meaning – independence. Independence from tyranny and the freedom to pursue life, liberty and happiness.

Taking a ballot selfie is a felony in Illinois

By Austin Berg

06/28/2022

Voters wanting to share their Election Day pride best not do it with a voting booth selfie posted to social media. That’s a felony in Illinois.

TAGS: ballot, election, Election Day, voting

Expanded vote-by-mail could boost Illinois turnout by over 200,000 annually

By Bryce Hill

06/20/2022

Expanding permanent vote-by-mail options to all eligible voters while retaining in-person voting would likely increase turnout without giving any political party an advantage.