The top official for Equality Illinois said the LGBT rights-organization's political action committee would be releasing its endorsements in the city elections the week of Feb. 16.
According to Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, the organization will likely only release a limited number of endorsements, however.
"Across the state, there's a number of municipal races happening," Cherkasov said. "There's the Chicago one happening this month, and the Springfield one happening a few weeks later. We're able to talk to many aldermanic candidates, but to vet all the candidates running for aldermanic offices is something we're not able to do. Also, as a state policy organization, a lot of the issues we focus on have to do with statewide legislation and statewide policy, issues which municipal officials do not work on."
Equality Illinois PAC endorsed three candidates in the 2011 municipal elections: Mayor Rahm Emanuel, City Clerk Susana Mendoza and then-46th Ward aldermanic candidate Don Nowatny. The Civil Rights Agenda, the state's other LGBT-focused civil rights organization, told Windy City Times it would not be issuing endorsements in the 2015 elections.
Cherkasov said that, though Equality Illinois PAC officials keep an eye on races that are ostensibly important to members of the LGBT community, candidates must usually approach them for an endorsement. He noted, "In having that approach, we are in line with most major political action committees."
According to Cherkasov, Equality Illinois PAC's main part in the municipal election is helping those interested candidates develop more robust LGBT policy campaign platforms. "That's the bigger part of our role in municipal elections. The endorsements are much more limited. They're in races where we think our community could look to us for endorsements, and where we think those endorsements make a difference."
Equality Illinois PAC usually waits until late into the election cycle to release the endorsements, so as not to alienate candidates wishing to reach out to LGBT Chicagoans at community events, he added.
"[Endorsements] cut into that process, and candidates can feel that they're no longer welcome to come meet community members and speak to them," Cherkasov said. "We don't want to close those doors. We want all candidates to be able to come meet community members and hear their concerns."