Legislative Update -- June 30, 2022

June 30, 2022

Illinois Primary Election Results

By now, the news is out regarding Tuesday's primary results. The race that most directly affects libraries is of course the one for Secretary of State, as that position also serves as the State Librarian. From a crowded field of Democrats and two Republicans, the candidates vying for the position in the November election are Democrat Alexi Giannoulias and Republican Dan Brady. As we head into election season, we'll be watching all the races, including for Governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House members, and Illinois House and Senate members.

While we'll be watching, ILA won't be endorsing--that's because as a 501(c)3 charitable educational organization, we cannot endorse political candidates without jeopardizing our tax status. Here is a brief summary of what ILA can, and cannot, do; ALA operates under the same rules as a 501(c)3 itself:

  • We can and do lobby for and against legislation.
  • We cannot lobby for or against candidates.
  • We cannot endorse candidates.
  • We can report on elections, but we need to be sure we do so in a nonpartisan manner.
  • We can seek statements and information from candidates; again, in a nonpartisan manner that does not give preference to any candidate.
  • In our experience, candidates are reluctant to answer questionnaires, etc. if an endorsement would not be forthcoming in return, so it may not be practical to expect responses.

We will report out as appropriate, and watch along with all of you, while continuing our advocacy regarding library legislation. While our efforts need to remain separate from electoral and campaign issues, our commitment to library advocacy remains strong.

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