A term limits referendum question, revised to include every River Forest Village Board elected position, will appear on the April 1 ballot. No objection was timely filed as required by state law to prevent the question from appearing on the ballot. It is with great thanks to a dedicated group of “holiday circulators” and to every River Forest resident who signed the petition that residents can vote on this binding referendum in the next consolidated election.
As readers are aware, the road to the ballot has not been without obstacles. Last August, an objector prevented a citizen-led November ballot initiative for term limits on the village president’s office only. The challenge to the referendum culminated in a hearing that cost the village and private citizens thousands of dollars. The referendum was defeated, based on the electoral board’s determination that the referendum question was “ambiguous.”
Many citizens responded to the dismissal of the ballot initiative by publicly requesting in Wednesday Journal, and by emailing each elected River Forest official, that the village board at its Dec. 16 meeting discuss and approve a term limit question by the Jan. 13 deadline to appear on the April 1 ballot.
After a 90-minute discussion, the board took a straw poll and stymied debate (3-2) to delay drafting a referendum question into an uncertain future. Three board members and the village president suggested that the November 2026 election, two years from now — an off-year election where no River Forest elected offices would appear on the ballot — might be a good time to run a ballot initiative, thus delaying and pushing the question off well into the future.
An expanding citizen group decided to attempt another referendum petition and collected 544 signatures during the holiday week.
Voting is one of the hallmarks of preserving democracy. River Forest residents can ensure accountability with government officials through elections. Term limits open opportunities for participation in government.
Vote Yes on term limits on April 1.
Deborah L. Borman, Kathy Corcos, Margie Cekander, Bridget Erfort, Bruce & Mary Beth Faland, Lucia Giudice, Corey Gimbal, Jayne Gould, Patty Henek, Bill Iannessa, Marta Kozbur, and Phyllis Rubin
River Forest