Activist Toolkit has collaborated with community partners to build a comprehensive voter guide for the April 6, 2021 elections in Oak Park. Each candidate was given the opportunity to complete a questionnaire developed by members of the Oak Park community. Oak Park candidates were also offered the opportunity to answer either the first or second question, or both, in a two minute video.
The sections linked below allow voters to explore individual candidates' websites and social media accounts, as well as links to news articles, video from candidate forums, and any relevant campaign financial disclosures.
This guide will be updated with additional content as it appears. Please contact us here with questions or concerns.
[Updated 4/4/21]
ABOUT OAK PARK
Oak Park, incorporated in 1835, is a home rule community; six at-large trustees and the village president are elected. This Village Board supervises a professional Village Manager, who has responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day administration of government services.
Oak Park facts and figures:
Population: 52,381 (2019)
2021 annual budget, general fund: $61 million
Median household income: $92,646
Per capita income: $56,264
Median value of owner-occupied housing: $387,300
Poverty rate: 7.7%
Oak Park Village Trustee (3 open seats)
Anthony Clark | Chibuike Enyia | Juanta Griffin
Stephen A. Morales | Ravi Parakkat | Lucia M. Robinson
Oak Park Village CLERK (1 open seat)
Lucille “Lou Anne” Johannesson | Christina Waters
PARK DISTRICT COMMISSIONER (2 open seats)
LIBRARY board (4 open seats)
Madhurima Chakraborty | Matt Fruth | Sarah Glavin
Saria Lofton | Peter Prokopowicz
District 97 school board (3 open seats)
Erin Connor | Nancy Ross Dribin | Jeremy Duffy
Venus Hurd Johnson | Jennifer Kovar | Kate Odom
Oak Park Elementary School District 97:
Grades PK–8: 6117 students
Instructional spending per pupil: $8,486
Total operational spending per pupil: $14,422
Low-income students: 17%
Oak Park-River Forest High School District 200:
Grades 9–12: 3,398 students
Total operational spending per pupil: $23,641
Low income students: 19%
Other Oak Park taxing bodies include Oak Park Park District, Oak Park Public Library, Oak Park Township, and Triton College (Community College District 504).
Oak Park is home to many organizations that work in partnership or collaboration with local taxing bodies, including Oak Park Economic Development Corporation, Oak Park Residence Corporation, Oak Park Regional Housing Center, Community Mental Health Board, Thrive Counseling Center, OPRF Community Foundation, League of Women Voters of OPRF, and the Collaboration for Early Childhood.
District 200 school board (4 open seats)
Frederick D. Arkin | Thomas F. Cofsky | Kebreab Henry
Mary Anne Mohanraj | Elias Ortega | David Schrodt
Oak Park township supervisor (1 open seat)
Oak Park township trustee (4 open seats)
Eric Davis | Valerie Lester | Adekunle “Ade” B. Onayemi
Jacquelyn Rodriguez | Tim Thomas | Margaret Trybus
Oak Park township clerk (1 open seat)
Oak Park township assessor (1 open seat)
TRITON COLLEGE TRUSTEE
6-YEAR FULL TERM (2 OPEN SEATS)
Luke Casson | Tracy Jennings | Andrew Charles Kopinski
Mark R. Stephens
TRITON COLLEGE TRUSTEE
2-YEAR UNEXPIRED TERM (1 OPEN SEAT)
Christina Dyson, Paul Goyette, Christian Harris, Natalie Johnson, Katherine Liebl, Collette Lueck, Carollina Song, Bob Spatz, Brian Straw, Yoko Terretta, and Michelle Vanderlaan contributed to the candidate questionnaires for Oak Park. Thank you to Thomas Gary, Carolyn Goldbeck, Alec Harris, Joshua Klayman, Anne Pezalla, and Cate Readling for providing additional assistance.