What We Learned at Our 2023 Mayoral Candidate Forum

Earlier this January, the Chicago Association of REALTORS® and Illinois REALTORS® invited each candidate to complete a questionnaire to better understand their positions on the following real estate hot topics:

  • Accessory Dwelling Units
  • Building code
  • Rent control
  • Down payment assistance
  • Property taxes and CPI
  • Just Cause Evictions
  • Transfer taxes

In the spirit of continued collaboration, we are proud to have seven Industry Partners to advance our industry forward, together. We and Illinois REALTORS® support and align with the advocacy efforts of all our Industry Partners, as highlighted in the downloadable PDF below.

We partnered together to host a members-only Mayoral Candidate Forum to learn more about their stances on these key real estate issues. Every mayoral candidate was invited to participate. REALTORS® were able to hear from:

Name HERE

Name HERE

KAM BUCKNER

  • Ja’Mal Green
  • Sophia King
  • Kam Buckner
  • Willie Wilson
  • Brandon Johnson
  • Paul Vallas
  • Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Representative Len Benefico
  • Roderick Sawyer
  • Jesus “Chuy” Garcia

Each candidate had five minutes to address these concerns and highlight their platforms.

JA’MAL GREEN

SOPHIA KING

KAM BUCKNER

WILLIE WILSON

BRANDON JOHNSON

PAUL VALLAS

LEN BENEFICO, REPRESENTATIVE FOR MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT

RODERICK SAWYER

JESUS “CHUY” GARCIA

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE MAYORAL CANDIDATE POSITIONS HANDOUT.

candidate stances handout

GET OUT THE VOTE: A GUIDE TO THE GENERAL ELECTION

Your vote in the general election can ensure that we are supporting candidates that support us by promoting homeownership and helping our industry. Your vote will help to advance public policies and candidates that build strong communities, protect property interests and promote a vibrant business environment.

Vote on February 28, 2023 in the general election! If no candidate earns more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election is anticipated for April 4, 2023.

We have compiled everything you need to know to be prepared for election day and get out the vote! #REALTORSVote Once you’ve ensured you’re registered to vote and have a voting plan, you can use these resources to educate your clients on the importance of voting.

REGISTER TO VOTE & CHECK YOUR STATUS

Registering to vote only takes two minutes!

Click here to visit Illinois’s online voter registration page to complete the process by 11:59 PM on Sunday, February 12.

Look up your registration and status by clicking here. Have your first and last name, birthday, zip code and address ready to check your status.

You CAN register to vote in-person at your early polling place or on election day. Bring two (2) forms of ID, one of which must have your address.

MAKE A PLAN

How, where and when are you going to vote? Make sure you know your options!

Vote By Mail

Illinois allows no-excuse absentee voting (voting by mail).

The deadline to submit a vote-by-mail application is Tuesday, January 31, 2023. Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day to be counted.

Polling Locations and Early Voting

If you plan on going to a polling place to vote, click here to look up where to go. You can also vote early. Early voting begins on Thursday, January 26, and goes until Monday, February 27, but dates and hours may vary based on where you live. Click here to find early voting registration locations.