Election Day is on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
If you are 18 on or before this day, you can vote in the election. Find your polling address here: https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/

If you are a first time voter, bring your driver’s license. If you did not register to vote yet, bring two forms of identification.

The Trapeze Editorial Board is making the following endorsements. We encourage you to vote in every election, not just the presidential election. Voting is one of the most important civic duties we have. In this election, strong voter turnout will make all the difference, even from a historically blue state like Illinois.

You are legally allowed to bring notes about who you are voting for, if you forget.

Proposed Amendment to the 1970 Illinois Constitution: Yes — For the Measure
The proposed “Fair Tax” amendment calls for a change to the Illinois Constitution allowing for a graduated income tax. With the current constitution, there is one flat rate for all Illinoisans, meaning a fast food worker pays the same rate as a millionaire. From 1979 to 2017, the top 1% has seen an increase in average annual income from $411,000 to over $1.4 million. During this same period, the average income of the bottom 99% has only increased $10,000. The proposed tax system would address this development, decreasing the income taxes of the bottom 97% and raising overall revenue to $3.6 billion annually, which will put less pressure on communities to take in large amounts of property taxes.

US President: Biden/Harris (Dem)
Joe Biden as president guarantees a nation with an experienced, mature leader. Biden recognizes that the economy cannot be fixed before the COVID-19 pandemic is properly addressed. He plans to work with scientific experts — the same ones who President Donald Trump failed to adhere to — to provide Americans with adequate testing and guidance to manage the virus. Biden also believes that climate change is the existential crisis of our lifetime. Biden’s plan includes investing in clean energy as well as using the proposed Green New Deal as a framework for policy. Lastly, Biden in the Oval Office reassures Americans concerned over affordable health care with his consistent advocacy for “Obamacare” and the expansion of its functions.

Illinois US Senate: Richard J. Durbin (Dem)
Richard “Dick” Durbin is by far the most experienced and qualified candidate running for the US Senate in Illinois. Durbin has been a US senator since 1996 and has been the Senate Democratic Whip since 2005. A Durbin reelection, because of his current high status, means there will continue to be an emphasis on an agenda that caters to Illinois issues. In the decades he has served, Durbin has been consistent with voting for policy that addresses a failed immigration system, concerns over affordable health care, and the continuing climate crisis.

US House District 7: Danny K. Davis (Dem)
Incumbent Danny K. Davis is not the perfect candidate. However, his decades of experience and his advocacy for prison and health care reform make him the most appealing choice. Republican challenger Craig Cameron simply does not have adequate political experience, having never served in public office.

State House District 8: La Shawn K. Ford (Dem)
Excluding his first election in 2006, La Shawn K. Ford has been an uncontested candidate for the Illinois House of Representatives. Similar to past elections, Ford will not be challenged this year.

Cook County State’s Attorney: Kim Foxx (Dem)

Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court: Iris Martinez (Dem)
After narrowly winning the Democratic primary, Iris Martinez is now the front-runner to be the next Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court. Martinez’s experience is convincing, having served in the Illinois State Senate since 2003. Her adversary, Barbara Bellar, a native of Oak Park, has little political experience, having lost races for the Illinois State Senate and Illinois House of Representatives.