Early voting began in Evanston Monday at the Robert Crown Community Center for several key contests, including the race to represent Illinois’ 9th Congressional District.
The winner of November’s general election will replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston), who has represented Evanston and surrounding municipalities in Congress since 1999. Schakowsky confirmed she would not seek reelection last May.
Also on the ballot is outgoing U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) seat, which he has occupied for nearly three decades. The 81-year-old senator announced his retirement in April 2025.
The election comes as Democrats across the country aim to win back majorities in both chambers of Congress two years into President Donald Trump’s second term.
At the Robert Crown Community Center, several voters expressed concerns about the current political climate.
Evanston voter Mary Dormin said she has recently demonstrated in opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.
“I’ve been out protesting ICE every Saturday for a couple months now, and I plan on continuing to do that,” Dormin said.
As she left the center, Dormin said she voted for Mayor Daniel Biss because she was familiar with his experience leading the city.
On the contrary, early voter Harry Vance expressed enthusiasm about the potential departure of Biss as mayor but said he was not excited about Biss potentially becoming a U.S. representative.
While Biss has previously protested at the ICE detention facility in Broadview, Illinois, Vance said he thinks that Biss’ activism was motivated by political opportunism rather than a genuine concern for immigrants’ rights.
“Where was he a year ago? Where was he two years ago?” Vance said. “It was only because he was running for another office.”
Evanston resident John Shaffer, who also voted for Biss, expressed concern over the “collapse of democracy.”
“If the midterm elections in November are not clearly fair and everything, I think that democracy is over because I think this will be a test run,” Shaffer said. “If Trump can screw the midterms completely, there’s no reason he’ll stop there.”
Shaffer was among several voters who emphasized preserving democracy as their top issue when considering which candidates to support.
Some voters also praised Schakowsky and Durbin but expressed optimism about new leadership.
Evanston residents Stephen Miller and Ellen Frank-Miller explained they were excited to elect younger leaders this year, as the city’s representation in both chambers of Congress is up for election.
“I am a huge fan of both of them,” Frank-Miller said. “I think it’s certainly good for them to have served and to retire, and a new generation of leadership will come.”
Frank-Miller said she voted for State Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview).
She described Fine as eager to “get the work done” and a leader who could effectively resist Trump’s legislative agenda.
“I feel like she has the on-the-ground experience of legislating and working in government at the level that will allow her to represent us in Washington,” Frank-Miller said. “I don’t necessarily support her on every issue, but in the final analysis, she has what it takes, and I trust her.”
Early voter Dickelle Fonda echoed Frank-Miller’s enthusiasm about electing younger leaders to Congress.
Fonda said it was “long past time” for Durbin and Schakowsky to retire.
“In my opinion, as a 77-year-old woman, we need a lot more young people with new progressive ideas to take leadership,” she said.
Evanston resident Jennifer Willbanks said she was particularly excited about congressional candidate and progressive content creator Kat Abughazaleh because of the new perspective she might bring.
“She’s really different from the traditional candidate,” WiIlbanks said. “I think that she will approach the office with fresh eyes.”
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Related Stories:
— A guide to early voting before Evanston’s March 17 primary election
— Fifth of Democratic primary voters remain undecided in 9th Congressional District poll
— The Open Seat: ETHS sophomore aims to predict congressional race using betting market data
