Windy City Times does not endorse in elections. We do, however, send out a questionnaire to all candidates who have filed for the ballot. Some candidates are not listed below if they were reported removed from the ballot after election challenges. Candidates are listed in the order provided by the Board of Elections for the Feb. 25 races.
We asked 16 questions of all municipal candidates. These ranged from support for domestic-partners benefits and marriage to their individual histories of activism on gay and AIDS issues. Some of the responses are summarized in pages linked articles.
In addition, we also list the endorsements of progressive organizations, in this election that is the National Organization for Women Chicago PAC (NOW) and the Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization (IVI-IPO). IVI-IPO does not endorse in uncontested races. Chicago NOW PAC, after evaluations, chose not to endorse in the Mayoral and Treasurer races.
The national Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, and the Equality Illinois PAC, only endorsed in the 44th Ward. VF went with both gay candidates in that race—Tom Tunney and Rick Ingram. EI went only with Ingram.
AIDS Foundation of Chicago also sent questionnaires to all candidtaes, and their ratings are listed below. They asked four questions, and the percentage correct is listed. The following are the questions, see www.aidschicago.org for which answers candidates answered correctly.
1) Do you support an increase of $1 million or more in city corporate funding for HIV-prevention services? 2) Do you support mandatory HIV testing under any circumstances? 3) Do you support placing the city's rental assistance program under the control of a third-party administrator (to process applications and payments more efficiently)? 4) Do you support comprehensive, age-appropriate, and medically accurate health education that includes sexuality and HIV prevention education for grades kindergarten through 12 in all Chicago public schools?
Mayor Daley said yes to questions two and four, but gave only qualified support for increased funding and the third-party pay system.
46th Ward candidate Reed and 49th Ward candidate Harrington also did not fully support AFC's position on third-party administrators, so they received a 75% rating.
I = Incumbent, and N/A = No answer.
