About AlderMania

On this site you'll find information about Chicago and other elections- endorsements, predictions, commentary, news, and resources. My hope is that this will help create more informed and active community members, and I see active political engagement as a form of loving our neighbors. Also, following and predicting elections has always been a fun hobby for me.

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I'm Zach- a Chicago resident who has lived on the west, south, and now north sides. I'm just an individual person doing research and sharing it here as I've done in the past more casually for friends. I hope this is a helpful resource to people, especially those wanting to participate by voting but without the time to heavily research or engage. If you're someone deeply involved in your local elections and organizing, I doubt you need what I have to say- you know your community and election better than I do. If you think I've gotten something wrong (or right!), keeping the values below in mind, I want to hear from you about it and take your input into consideration.

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If it matters to you, I'm a straight, white, cisgender male.
For some progressives, that may mean you just want to ignore this site entirely- no problem! I hope the strength of the resources justifies use and sharing for those looking for something like this, but it's not going to be everyone's thing and it's meant to jump-start your own research if you're not already politically engaged. I do try to heavily weight the endorsements of organizations led by and representing progressive people of color as well as the endorsements of leaders of color who I really admire and trust.
I'm not employed by or funded by anyone in the political world. I volunteer some for Stop Predatory Gambling and a bit in this year's election for The People's Lobby and my local progressive candidate.

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Endorsements will be based on several key factors. First, the candidate needs to demonstrate a reasonable level of competence in their campaign and other activities. They need to demonstrate a necessary level of seriousness through at least minimal fundraising needed to run a meaningful campaign, online presence that demonstrates an ability to communicate clearly and some clear knowledge of the issues facing their community, as well as participation in significant candidate forums and media questionnaires.
Second, the candidate must demonstrate integrity. Corruption or significant betrayal of past campaign agendas will not be endorsed.

Third, the candidate needs to demonstrate a vision for progressive policy that would effectively seek the well-being of the whole community, especially those with the least resources. Some significant issues here are:

• Rejection of gambling expansion

• The adoption of restorative justice practices into the justice system

• Rejection of increased police presence, incarceration, and surveillance as answers for public safety

• Support for community control of the police

• Support for the Treatment not Trauma ordinance

• Support for redirection of police funding to address the causes of violence

• Support for ending cash-based bail requirements

• Support for increased investment in mental health care

• Effective ideas for increasing affordable housing stock

• Support for the Bring Chicago Home ordinance

• Commitment to strong public transportation, education, and green space

• Support for living wages

• Support for equitable revenue sources that move away from property and sales taxes as primary funding sources

• Support for protection of immigrants' residency and ability to work

• Support for reparations for slavery and creative ideas for the return of land to indigenous groups

• Creative ideas for increasing walkability and bikeability

• Support for cooperative businesses, cooperative housing, cooperative gardening, and local social infrastructure such as mutual aid groups, block clubs, and faith communities.

• Addressing the importance of effective and equitable constituent services

• Support for ranked choice voting and equitable electoral maps