It was Lord John Dalberg-Acton, a historian, who famously said, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
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How do we keep power in check? Expanding the recall mechanism in the Illinois Constitution could have a positive impact on representation and allow citizens to exercise greater control over democracy. According to the Civic Federation, Illinois has 8,923 local governments, and that adds up to thousands of elected officials.
Recall is an instrument dating to the Roman republic. The process of recall allows citizens to remove elected representatives from office through a vote or petition before the end of their terms. It is often referred to as a safety valve for citizens when a politician is not working in the public’s best interest.
In Illinois, there is a recall mechanism for only the office of governor. Voters approved the provision in a statewide referendum in 2010, following the convictions of two previous governors. But the process has drawn criticism from people who say it is too difficult. Illinoisans have no ability to recall lawmakers or local officials except in Buffalo Grove and Arlington Heights. In Buffalo Grove, a sitting council member was removed from her position on Nov. 2, 2010. Several legislators have introduced bills to allow for recall. Those efforts have stalled in the General Assembly.
As a businessperson in corporate America, I know from experience that we are constantly evaluated by our shareholders and corporate boards. If we do not perform, we are removed by the corporate board. Politicians make grandiose promises before an election, and they are not evaluated until the next election, which is generally two, four or six years later.
Elected officials should be graded by their constituency every six months, and if they fail two consecutive reviews, that should trigger the process of automatic recall. Every district should have a panel made up of a diverse cross section of the population. They could meet every six months in an open forum to evaluate the performance of their elected official.
Politicians should be proactive and responsive to their constituency. There are a number of categories to measure, including the following:
* Is the elected official attending council, board and legislative meetings and committee hearings on behalf of the district?
* Is the elected official responsive to constituent inquiries?
* Is the elected official putting forth ideas to make neighborhoods safer?
* Is the elected official bringing resources back to the district?
* Is the elected official prioritizing the constituents ahead of party platforms and special interests?
* Is the elected official promoting equal opportunity in contracting and ensuring that no one is discriminated against based on race or sexual orientation?
* Is the elected official improving the quality of life for residents of the district?
* Has the elected official been accused of corruption?
* Is the elected official improving education and ensuring that children can read and write?
Too many neighborhoods on the South and West sides of Chicago have not been revitalized since the 1968 riots sparked by the death of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Elected representatives have neglected to advocate for the citizens in those neighborhoods. As a result, those neighborhoods have the highest levels of violence, poverty, unemployment, disinvestment and hopelessness. There have been incremental signs of improvement. However, the progress has been undone by stores like Whole Foods and Walmart closing and leaving neighborhoods that need investment.
Public officials have failed to make neighborhoods safe throughout Illinois. Gun violence and other crimes have terrorized communities and residents. In San Francisco, voters overwhelmingly voted to recall District Attorney Chesa Boudin, citing his progressive reforms, which were criticized as being too lenient and making the city less safe.
How do we rate when it comes to corruption? According to a University of Illinois at Chicago report issued in 2020, Chicago continues to be the most corrupt city in the country, and Illinois remains the third most corrupt state. Corruption has eroded confidence in government. Voters are disengaged because they have lost faith in elected representatives and the system. In Chicago’s recent runoff, turnout was about 38.5% of registered voters, which means that more than 60% of registered voters did not go to the polls..
Turnout in the 16th Ward, which includes Englewood, was around 20% — among the lowest in the city. In the primarily Latino 14th, 15th and 22nd wards, turnout was a little more than 22%. These shockingly low voter participation numbers suggest our democracy is broken.
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There are two primary reasons for voter apathy: alienation and voter fatigue. Alienated voters feel like the political system does not work for them and any attempt to participate is futile. A constant barrage of political messages and elections that occur in short order contribute to voter fatigue.
It is time for the Illinois legislature to pass broad recall legislation and put the question to voters in a statewide referendum. If the legislature fails to act, Chicago’s City Council and mayor can put the recall question to voters. If that fails, Chicagoans can petition the City Council to add the question during the next election. Notably, Article 7 of the Illinois Constitution allows home rule, so municipalities can place the recall question to their voters in the form of a referendum.
Recall provides for continuous accountability, so that voters need not wait until the next election to get rid of inept, dishonest and unresponsive elected officials. The power of recall ensures that elected officials remember they work for their constituency, and they are not our masters.
Willie Wilson is a business owner, philanthropist and former mayoral candidate.
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