The mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of city government in Chicago, Illinois, the third-largest city in the United States. The mayor is responsible for the administration and management of various city departments, submits proposals and recommendations to the Chicago City Council, is active in the enforcement of the city's ordinances, submits the city's annual budget and appoints city officers, department commissioners or directors, and members of city boards and commissions.
The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the State of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Under the Illinois Constitution of 1970, the Illinois Senate is made up of 59 senators elected from individual legislative districts determined by population and redistricted every 10 years; based on the 2020 U.S. census each senator represents approximately 213,347 people. Senators are divided into three groups, each group having a two-year term at a different part of the decade between censuses, with the rest of the decade being taken up by two four-year terms. This ensures that the Senate reflects changes made when the General Assembly redistricts itself after each census.
Mattie Hunter is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 3rd district since 2003. She is the Senate secretary for the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus and the Senate majority caucus whip. Hunter is also the 20th Ward Democratic Committeewoman.
Jacqueline Y. Collins is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 16th district since 2003.
Louis I. Lang is an American politician, lobbyist, and former Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 16th District from 1987 until 2019.
Mary E. Flowers is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives and serves as the House Deputy Majority Leader. She represented the 31st district from January 9, 1985 to January 13, 1993, represented the 21st district from January 13, 1993 to January 8, 2003, and represents the 31st district again since January 8, 2003. On January 14, 2021, Flowers became the longest serving African-American legislator in Illinois history.
Keith P. Sommer is a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives since 1999. Sommer currently represents the 88th district which includes the cities of Morton, Washington, and Bloomington.
The Historic Michigan Boulevard District is a historic district in the Loop community area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States encompassing Michigan Avenue between 11th or Roosevelt Road, depending on the source, and Randolph Streets and named after the nearby Lake Michigan. It was designated a Chicago Landmark on February 27, 2002. The district includes numerous significant buildings on Michigan Avenue facing Grant Park. In addition, this section of Michigan Avenue includes the point recognized as the end of U.S. Route 66. This district is one of the world's best known one-sided streets rivalling Fifth Avenue in New York City and Edinburgh's Princes Street. It lies immediately south of the Michigan–Wacker Historic District and east of the Loop Retail Historic District.
Heather Adeline Steans is a former Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 7th district. She was appointed after winning a special primary election that followed the mid-term resignation of her predecessor, Senator Carol Ronen. She resigned from office on January 19, 2021 after 12 years in office.
Illinois is seen as one of the most progressive states in the United States in regard to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights and often viewed as one of the most liberal states in the Midwestern United States. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1962, after Illinois became the first U.S. state to repeal its sodomy laws. Same-sex marriage was banned by statute in 1996, but has since been legalized after a law allowing such marriages was signed by Governor Pat Quinn on November 20, 2013 and went into effect on June 1, 2014. Civil unions have been recognized since 2011, and same-sex couples are also allowed to adopt. Additionally, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is banned in employment, housing, credit and public accommodations, and conversion therapy on minors has been outlawed since 2016.
Thomas R. Morrison is a Republican member of the Illinois General Assembly, 54th House district, which includes all or portions of Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Inverness, Hoffman Estates, Arlington Heights, Barrington, and Schaumburg.
David McSweeney is a Republican politician and investment specialist from Barrington Hills, Illinois.
Melinda Bush is a member of the Illinois Senate for the 31st district. The 31st district spans northern Lake County and includes all or parts of Zion, Round Lake, Round Lake Beach, Gages Lake, Winthrop Harbor, Old Mill Creek, Wadsworth, Lindenhurst, Antioch, Waukegan, Gurnee, Beach Park, Grayslake and Lake Villa.
Deborah "Deb" O'Keefe Conroy is the Illinois State Representative for the 46th House district. She was first elected to the position in 2012. The 46th district includes all or parts of Addison, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Elmhurst, Glendale Heights, Oakbrook Terrace, Lombard, Glen Ellyn, and Villa Park. She is also a former member of the Elmhurst Community Unit District 205 School Board and served on the board of the Elmhurst Children's Assistance Foundation (ECAF), a local non-profit that provides financial assistance to families with disabled or medically burdened children.
Scott Drury is a former Illinois state representative for the 58th district and a Democratic candidate for Attorney General. The 58th district includes all or parts of Bannockburn, Deerfield, Glencoe, Highwood, Highland Park, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Lincolnshire, Northbrook and North Chicago.
The Illinois Budget Impasse was a 793-day-long budget crisis in the state of Illinois. From July 1, 2015, to August 31, 2017, Illinois was without a complete state budget for fiscal years 2016, 2017, and part of 2018. As a result, many state agencies had to cut services or continue borrowing to operate. The budget impasse has adversely affected Illinois' economy, its credit rating, and public confidence in Illinois' state government.
Terra Costa Howard is the Illinois State Representative for the 48th district. She was first elected to the position in 2018. The 48th district includes all or parts of Glen Ellyn, Lisle, Lombard, Wheaton, and Villa Park.
The Elgin Professional Building is a historic high-rise building constructed in 1928 at 164 Division Street in downtown Elgin, Illinois. The building is 8 stories, at 96 feet tall, and functions primarily as an office building, housing the Elgin Art Showcase on the top floor since 2007. The building is also the office of Illinois State Senator Cristina Castro, and Illinois State Representative Anna Moeller. Built in the Gothic Revival style, it and the Elgin Tower Building have been centerpieces in the skyline of downtown Elgin for many years.
Dagmara "Dee" Avelar is the Illinois State Representative for the 85th district. She has held the position since January 13, 2021. The 85th district, located in the Chicago area, covers all or parts of Bolingbrook, Crest Hill, Fairmont, Lemont, Lockport, Naperville, Romeoville, and Woodridge.
