The Illinois Senate will be the first hurdle for a bill that would legalize gay marriage in the state.
With a Senate vote on marriage equality predicted this week, we're looking at the stances of every lawmaker in the state. LGBT leaders are urging supporters to call their state legislators, no matter their stance.
We'll be making hundreds of calls to lawmakers asking them how they plan to vote, so keep checking back for updates.
Here's the skinny on how your Senators stack up so far:
Senator by District:
(Most Senators contacted over the holiday could not be reached for comment).
Dist. 1, Antonio Muñoz (D): He voted in favor of civil unions and was endorsed by Equality Illinois in 2012. In 2011, however, he voted in favor of a bill that would have allowed religious adoption agencies to reject gay parents. That vote was cast in committee, but the bill was rejected anyway.
Dist, 2, William Delgado (D): Equality Illinois endorsed Delgado in 2012.
Dist. 3, Mattie Hunter (D): Equality Illinois endorsed Hunter in 2012.
Dist. 4, Kimberly Lightford (D): Equality Illinois endorsed Lightford in 2012.
Dist. 5, Annazette Collins (D): The Sun-Times reported that Collins supports gay marriage. She lost her seat to Patricia Van Pelt Watkins and is exiting office this month. According to the Sun-Times, Watkins favors civil unions over same-sex marriage.
Dist. 6, John J. Cullerton (D): Senate President Cullerton is a major force behind the push for marriage equality in Illinois.
Dist. 7, Heather Steans (D): Steans is leading the charge to pass same-sex marriage in the Illinois Senate.
Dist. 8, Ira Silverstein (D): Silverstein voted "present" on civil unions. Equality Illinois did not endorse Silverstein.
Dist. 9, Jeffrey Schoenberg (D): Schoenberg backed civil unions in 2010.
Dist. 10, John Mulroe (D): Mulroe was endorsed by Equality Illinois in 2012.
Dist, 11, Steven Landek (D): He was not endorsed by Equality Illinois in 2012.
Dist, 12, Martin Sandoval (D): Sandoval voted for civil unions and earned the endorsement of Equality Illinois in 2012.
Dist. 13, Kwame Raoul (D): Raoul voted for civil unions and comes endorsed by Equality Illinois.
Dist. 14, Emil Jones, III (D): Jones was a "yes" on civil unions and comes with an Equality Illinois endorsement.
Dist. 15, James Meeks (D): Meeks has a reputation for being anti-gay, and his efforts and statements against LGBT rights have been well documented. He voted against civil unions in 2010.
Dist. 16, Jacqueline "Jacqui" Collins (D): Collins had the endorsement of Equality Illinois in 2012. She voted for civil unions.
Dist. 17, Donne E. Trotter (D): Trotter just dropped his bid to replace Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. after an unloaded gun was found in his luggage during an airport screening last month. Trotter came Equality Illinois endorsed in 2012, and he voted for civil unions.
Dist. 18, Edward Maloney (D): Maloney was a "yes" on civil unions, a vote he said he struggled with, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Dist. 19, Maggie Crotty (D): Crotty voted in favor of civil unions in 2010. "When we wake up, married couples have nothing to fear, Crotty told the Sun-Times about the civil union vote. "This was not a religious issue. It really deals with the rights of persons who want to enter into a partnership." However, she also said in a Sun-Times questionnaire that she favored civil unions.
Dist. 20, Iris Y. Martinez (D): Martinez voted in favor of civil unions and was endorsed by Equality Illinois.
Dist. 21, Ron Sandack (R): Sandack voted against civil unions.
Dist. 22, Michael Noland (D): Noland was a "yes" on civil unions and was endorsed by Equality Illinois in 2012. Noland told the Daily Herald he supports gay marriage.
Dist. 23, Carole Pankau (R): Pankau was not endorsed by Equality Illinois.
Dist. 24, Kirk Dillard (R): Dillard headed a group of lawmakers who filed an amicus brief against two lawsuits that aim to end the state's ban on same-sex marriage this August.
Dist. 25, Chris Lauzen (R): Lauzen opposed civil unions two years ago, and he has been a vocal opponent of LGBT rights. "The reason marriage exists is that sex between a man and a woman produces children," Lauzen said two years ago, according to CBS news.
Dist. 26, Dan Duffy (R): Duffy voted against civil unions. In a questionnaire last Fall, he told the Daily Herald that he felt civil unions already granted legal benefits to same-sex couples and that marriage was a religious sacrament that the state should not change.
Dist. 27, Matt Murphy (R): Murphy voted against civil unions. The Daily Herald reported that Murphy opposes gay marriage. "I think marriage ought to be between a man and a woman," he told the Herald.
Dist. 28, John Millner (R): Millner was a "no" on civil unions.
Dist. 29, Susan Garrett (D): Garret voted "yes" on civil unions.
Dist. 30, Terry Link (D): Link was Equality Illinois endorsed and voted for civil unions.
Dist. 31, Suzi Schmidt (R): Schmidt wrote in a Chicago Sun-Times questionnaire that she opposed gay marriage but was open to civil unions. Sources, however, say that Schmidt's vote may not be set in stone.
Dist. 32, Pamela J. Althoff (R): Althoff voted "no" on civil unions two years ago, but sources suggest that her vote might be up for grabs this time around.
Dist. 33, Dan Kotowski (D): Kotowski voted for civil unions.
Dist. 34, Dave Syverson (R): Syverson voted against civil unions.
Dist. 35, Christine J. Johnson (R): Johnson was appointed in 2011.
Dist. 36, Mike Jacobs (D): Jacobs voted for civil unions. He was endorsed by Equality Illinois.
Dist. 37, Darin M. LaHood (R): LaHood was appointed in 2011. LaHood was among a group of lawmakers to file an amicus brief against two lawsuits that seek marriage equality in Illinois.
Dist. 38, Sue Rezin (R): She was not endorsed by Equality Illinois in 2012.
Dist. 39, Don Harmon (D): Harmon was a "yes" for civil unions and scored the endorsement of Equality Illinois. He is seen as a supporter of LGBT rights.
Dist. 40, Toi Hutchinson (D): Hutchinson was a "yes" for civil unions, and she comes endorsed by Equality Illinois.
Dist. 41, Christine Radogno (R): Radogno voted "no" on civil unions, but her stance on LGBT issues has sometimes trended toward supportive. "I've always had a very good relationship with the leaders of the gay community," she told Windy City Times in 2008. "They've been very reasonable and helpful, and I've tried to be the same with them."
Dist. 42, Linda Holmes (D): Holmes voted for civil unions.
Dist. 43, Pat McGuire (D): McGuire was appointed in 2012.
Dist. 44, Bill Brady (R): In 2010, Brady said he wanted to pass an Illinois Constitutional Amendment banning gay marriage.
Dist. 45, Tim Bivins (R): Bivens opposed civil unions, and he said he would oppose the legalization of gay marriage, the Chicago Tribune reported. "If you believe in a creator and you believe that we're his creation, this issue's already been decided a long time ago," Bivens told the Tribune.
Dist. 46, David Koehler (D): Koehler sponsored civil union legislation in 2010 and is largely seen as supportive of LGBT rights.
Dist. 47, John Sullivan (D): Sullivan voted against civil unions in 2010.
Dist. 48, Thomas Johnson (R): Johnson voted against bolstering current Illinois anti-bullying policy.
Dist. 49, Wm. Sam McCann (R): McCann took office in 2011.
Dist. 50, Larry Bomke (R): Bomke voted against civil unions.
Dist. 51, Kyle McCarter (R): McCarter voted "no" on civil unions. Last year, McCarter introduced a proposed amendment the civil union act that would grant religious foster care agencies the right to turn away civil union spouses.
Dist. 52, Michael Frerichs (D): Frerichs voted for civil unions.
Dist. 53, Shane Cultra (R): Cultra voted against civil unions when he was a in the House.
Dist. 54, John Jones (R): Jones voted against civil unions.
Dist. 55, Dale Righter (R): Righter voted against civil unions and voted in favor of a bill in committee that would have allowed religious adoption agencies the right to reject gay parents in 2011.
Dist. 56, Bill Haine (D): Haine voted against civil unions and is pushing for a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
Dist. 57, James Clayborne, Jr. (D): Clayborne voted "yes" on civil unions.
Dist. 58, David S. Luechtefeld (R): Luechtefeld opposed civil unions and voted in favor of an anti-gay adoption bill in committee in 2011.
Dist. 59, Gary Forby (D): Forby voted against civil unions two years ago. He took some heat this June for suggesting that Chicago should be kicked out of Illinois, according to the Huffington Post.
Also see
Ill Marriage to be considered as early as tomorrow, Jan. 1, 2013:
www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Ill-Marriage-to-be-considered-as-early-as-tomorrow/40987.html .
Cardinal George calls on parishioners to oppose gay marriage, Jan. 1, 2013:
www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Cardinal-George-calls-on-parishioners-to-oppose-gay-marriage-/40989.html .
