Even in traditionally Republican Riverside, voters last Tuesday expressed their resounding displeasure over the state of affairs in Iraq. Sixty-one percent of voters in Riverside Township supported the referendum to begin an immediate withdrawal of military personnel from the war-torn country.
In Riverside Township, 3,437 (61.35 percent) voted yes and 2,165 (38.65 percent) voted no.
The referendum is purely advisory.
Laurel Lambert-Schmidt, co-founder of the Near West Citizens for Peace and Justice, the group that was instrumental in putting the referendum on the November ballot in Riverside Township and other townships, said the vote was still important.
“I think it matters more than a fly-by-night poll,” said Lambert-Schmidt. “It’s official; it’s certified. The voters should be the deciders. I think it shows quite a strong feeling for peace on the part of the voters. Our whole idea was to put the peace movement in the mainstream of American life.”
Lambert-Schmidt also said she thought the desire for peace played a large role in the Democrats winning majorities in both houses of the United States Congress.
The very same advisory referendum passed overwhelmingly in Berwyn Township with 71 percent voting yes, and in Oak Park Township where 76 percent voted yes.
Similar referendums were successful elsewhere in the state.
In the most closely contested local race, Riverside Republican Tony Peraica barely managed to hold on to his seat as Cook County Commissioner, despite losing the race for County Board President.
In the race for County Commissioner of the 16th District, Peraica won with 35,302 votes (51.18 percent) over his Democratic challenger from Western Springs, William Gomolinski, who finished with 33,672 votes (48.82 percent).
No other local race was nearly as close.
Cong. Dan Lipinski (D-Western Springs) easily won his second full term in Congress as the representative from the 3rd District of Illinois. With 643 of 650 precincts reporting, Lipinski defeated former clown Ray Wardingley, piling up 123,540 votes (77.18 percent) to Wardingley’s meager 36,523 votes (22.82 percent).
In the 7th Congressional District, which includes parts of North Riverside, incumbent Danny Davis (D-Chicago) easily won re-election with 86.82 percent of the vote. With all but 10 precincts reporting, Davis received 138,475 votes, while 21,017 votes went to his Republican challenger, Charles Hutchinson.
The races for the state legislature were no closer.
In the race for the state senate from the 4th District, incumbent Democrat Kimberly Lightford easily defeated her Republican opponent Antoinette Ruback. With 206 of 211 precincts reporting, Lightford had piled up 43,343 votes (88.71 percent) to Ruback’s 5,515 (11.29 percent).
In the 21st District, incumbent Republican State Senator Dan Cronin was re-elected without opposition.
In races for the Illinois General Assembly, two incumbents swept to easy wins while another incumbent was unopposed.
With 118 of 120 precincts reporting in the 21st State Representative District, incumbent Democrat Robert Malaro received 20,203 votes (74.76 percent) while Republican Charles (Charlie) Johnson earned only 6,820 votes (25.22 percent).
With 102 of 106 precincts reporting in the 8th District, Democrat LaShawn Ford easily won with 19,822 votes (83.49 percent). The Republican candidate Glenn Harris died a few weeks before the election, but could not be replaced on the ballot. He still received 2,804 votes (11.81 percent). Green Party candidate Nathan Helsabeck received 1,115 votes (4.7 percent).
