Local Democrats sailed to easy election wins

Democrats holding countywide offices coasted to re-election victory Nov. 4, and one candidate for office made history. Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown eased into a third term against Republican challenger Diane Shapiro and Green Party candidate Paloma A

Democrats holding countywide offices coasted to re-election victory Nov. 4, and one candidate for office made history.

Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown eased into a third term against Republican challenger Diane Shapiro and Green Party candidate Paloma Andrade. Brown won with 79 percent of the vote.

Cook County Recorder of Deeds Eugene “Gene” Moore won a third term with 80 percent of the vote against Republican challenger Gregory Goldstein and Green Party candidate Terrance Gilhooly.

Democrat Anita Alvarez, an assistant state’s attorney, beat out Republican challenger Tony Peraica and Green Party candidate Thomas O’Brien for the Cook County State’s Attorney seat.

Alvarez is the first Hispanic and female state’s attorney in Cook County history. She won with 78 percent of the vote.

In her victory speech, Alvarez said, “As a young girl growing up in the Pilsen community here in Chicago, I never ever dreamed of this day. I’ve got to tell you, it does feel very good to break the socalled glass ceiling here in Cook County.”

U.S. Congressmen Bobby Rush, D-1st, Jesse Jackson Jr., D- 2nd, and Danny Davis, D-7th, were re-elected with each garnering more than 85 percent of the vote.

In an overwhelming defeat, Illinois residents voted against rewriting the constitution.

Fifty-seven percent of voters said “no” to convening a constitutional convention. Every 20 years, voters are asked whether a convention should rewrite the constitution. In 1988, the referendum was also shot down.

The Chicago Bar Association is challenging the way the question was posed on the ballot.