As voters headed to the polls Tuesday for Evanston’s municipal elections, NU Votes hosted former Evanston Ald. Cicely Fleming (9th) to educate students about the structure of Evanston’s local government and to encourage students to cast their ballot.
At the event, “Evanston Elections & Government 101,” Fleming, who represented the 9th Ward from 2017 to 2022, highlighted key features of Evanston’s government system and recounted her experiences on City Council.
Fleming said she was shocked by racial disparities at Evanston schools, leading her to found the Organization for Positive Action and Leadership — a grassroots racial advocacy group — and to eventually run for City Council.
She also stressed the importance of voting in local elections and previewed upcoming local issues, including potential tax increases, possible public school closures and Envision Evanston 2045, a hotly debated long-term development plan for the city.
“I do think that local government is more important than federal government,” Fleming said.
Local officials, she added, are the ones voting on issues with the most direct impact on constituents, including the students present at Tuesday’s event.
NU Votes is a nonpartisan initiative of the University’s Center for Civic Engagement that promotes student voting. The organization also assists students with voter registration and provides resources for absentee voting.
The timing of the elections, held on the first day of Spring Quarter classes, was less than ideal for student voter turnout, according to Weinberg senior Paz Baum, an NU votes fellow who helped organize the event.
“The Evanston municipal elections always land around spring break, which can present some unique struggles,” Baum said.
The lunch was part of NU Votes’ larger get-out-the-vote effort for Evanston’s municipal elections, which also included publishing an education guide online and running a social media campaign.
Last month, Baum said dozens of Northwestern students attended and gave public comment at a City Council meeting on the Workers’ Retention Ordinance, a measure intended to protect the jobs of food service, hospitality and janitorial employees.
“We’ve definitely had a pretty diverse set of interests in Evanston elections, which has been really exciting,” Baum said.
Tuesday’s explainer lunch drew not only students but candidates as well: 7th Ward candidate Parielle Davis lingered outside the event, handing out campaign fliers as attendees filed in.
“(I’m) just here to meet Northwestern students and hopefully encourage them to vote for me,” Davis said.
The 7th Ward covers parts of NU, making some University students eligible to vote in her race.
Weinberg junior Clark Mahoney attended the NU Votes event and planned to vote after class. The Envision Evanston plan, he said, was a major issue for him.
“I do think that the zoning laws are draconian,” he said.
He supported the Envision Evanston plan to modify zoning laws and hoped it would help improve housing affordability.
This was Mahoney’s first time voting in Evanston elections. He said voting is a means of having a voice and showing interest in local issues.
“It’s what, 20 minutes out of your day?” Mahoney said. “I do think every student should be encouraged to vote today.”
Email: s.draeger-mazer@dailynorthwestern.com
X: @sashadm27
Related Stories:
— A guide to voting in Evanston’s April 1 local consolidated elections
— Mayoral, City Council and clerk candidates compare visions at forum
— Cicely Fleming departs from City Council after five years of service
