Local municipal caucuses have their challenges both now and in the future, but top officials in Lake Forest, Winnetka, Glencoe and Lake Bluff maintain caucuses are a vital component for maintaining capable local government.
That was the collective opinion offered when representatives from four North Shore communities described the operations, processes and what lies ahead for their respective organizations at an Oct. 17 forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff.
Municipal caucuses operate in many north suburban communities and while each one has different ways of functioning, they all have a stated goal of finding residents of a community to serve in various boards of local government.
“We are looking for individuals who have skills and experience to solve problems,” Lake Forest Caucus President Christopher Benes said.
While the caucuses are private organizations, residents are eligible to participate in the process. Residents interested in serving on local government seek a caucus endorsement as caucus-backed candidates often run unopposed in the municipal elections, where voter turnout is often minimal.
Joining Benes on the panel was Advisory Council Chairman of the Glencoe Caucus Paul Harlow, Vote Lake Bluff Chairman Paul Blahunka and Winnetka Caucus Chairwoman Susan Curry.
The four officials detailed the processes in their individual communities in the nearly 90-minute discussion. In Lake Forest, Winnetka and Glencoe, interested residents appear before some form of caucus hierarchy answering questions about their experience, background and why they are seeking elected office.
The committees then recommends candidates to the general membership for a final endorsement.
“You find someone who is reasonable in the way they look at issues no matter what those issues are,” Harlow said.
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Benes offered a similar sentiment.
“Our mission is not to create policies or create agendas,” he said. “Our mission is to find the best qualified candidates that as they are put into positions of municipal government have the skill set to solve the problems in given moments.”
The situation is different in Lake Bluff, where the candidates appear before the general membership at a meeting held every other year prior to the municipal elections. If there is a contested election for a certain board, the candidates with the most votes from the audience gains the official Vote Lake Bluff backing and affords them the opportunity to have the members sign their nominating petitions.
“We feel it is small town democracy at its finest,” Blahunka said.
Winnetka diverges from the other three communities as its caucus does have a platform for its candidates seeking to go on any of the four government bodies.
“I think it is one of the most important parts of what the caucus does,” Curry said. “We are asking the candidate as part of the process to indicate they are going to step into the role with the intention of supporting our platforms.”
The discussion occurred as the Lake Forest Caucus may be at a turning point as the Caucus Committee leadership is proposing modifying its bylaws and removing the vote of the general membership at its annual meeting.
This suggestion follows the mayoral selection process of last year when the general membership did not support the Caucus Committee endorsement at the annual meeting.
“We are clarifying the process that is used to confirm our candidates for elected positions,” Benes said. “One of the challenges that we feel needs to be corrected is to ensure that a small group doesn’t disrupt the Caucus process and invalidate the hard work that many people do to put forward candidates who are going to serve the community as a whole.”
The vote on the bylaw is set for the Nov. 7 annual meeting.
All four of the panelists noted residents have the right to back independent candidates, if they surface.
“We like the fact that people are going to be serving so we have no problem with a contested election,” Blahunka said.
As for the future, the representatives spoke of fear of apathy from the community that may lead to trouble finding people to serve in village government.
Benes added the biggest risk is finding volunteers to do all the work, including serving on various boards and commissions, where his caucus recommends candidates to the mayor for appointment.
“What they are hearing almost continuously is how they should be doing things differently or how they should consider this or how that decision wasn’t right,” he said. “It’s not easy and it takes time.”
Vote Lake Bluff and the Lake Forest Caucus endorse school board candidates for the three public school districts, including Lake Forest High School, which serves both communities. The Glencoe and Winnetka caucuses each support candidates for the elementary school districts, but the New Trier School Board Caucus, which finds candidates for the New Trier High School board, is a separate organization.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.