Evanston 2017 Election FAQ
As I've been speaking to many voters in the past several weeks, it's apparent that confusion currently reigns in Evanston on a fundament of self-government, the conduct of elections. This arises from a combination of precipitous actions by officials, overlaid on a combo of too many laws, too little recordkeeping, too much opinion, too little fact, and insufficient investment in keeping voters informed.
In late November, the City Clerk, under pressure, suddenly changed posted nominating paper filing dates. The filings of many candidates, who blithely used a petition form meant for cities with a different form of election, may be at peril due to wrong form, wrong timing, or both (altho some of that might have occurred anyway). Assertions of what will happen next now spread throughout town at rapid pace, based on hearsay and folklore – everything but law. "Experts" being consulted for opinion, if not supplied with proper context or history, give wrong advice.
In the interest of public education, the following information on Evanston municipal elections generally, and on the 2017 municipal election, is supplied. It is based on extensive research but tempered only by my caveat that as of writing, Dec. 15, after two weeks of inquiry, the City of Evanston was unable to give answers to a very basic question. -- Jeff Smith
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