Local Election Results
April 17 was election day in the Chicagoland area. In Oak Park, past OPALGA Co-Chair Ray Johnson ran for reelection to a four-year term on the Oak Park Village Board of Trustees. Johnson was first elected to the Village Board in 2003. In that election, he was the highest vote-getter, and this year he repeated his 2003 performance, receiving 4,815 votes, or 20.3%. Johnson will be joined on the board by his running mates Jan Pate and John Hale—both for four-year terms—and John Hedges—for a two-year term. Both Pate and Hale are also members of OPALGA.
To the south of Oak Park, longtime OPALGA member and past BUNGALO (Berwyn United Neighborhood Gay and Lesbian Organization) Board of Directors Chair Ted Korbos ran for a seat on the J. Sterling Morton High School District 201 High School Board. Korbos was defeated for a seat on the board by 244 votes. He received 3,463 votes, or 38.8%.
OPALGA continues to encourage its members to take part in the election process. Whether on a local, state, or national level, it is important that our members learn about and understand the issues that affect not only the LGBT community but also the broader issues that affect all citizens. As Trustee Reelect Johnson said during the campaign, “There isn’t a ‘gay way’ to fill a pothole.” While this may be true, participation in the electoral process by all is a right that should not be taken for granted.
