Illinois Senate elections of Barack Obama
Encyclopedia
Barack Obama
won three Illinois Senate elections. The Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama
began in 1997 after his first election in 1996 to a two-year term in the Illinois Senate
representing Illinois' 13th Legislative District in Chicago
. He was re-elected in 1998 to a four-year term and re-elected again in 2002 to another four-year term. He resigned from the Illinois Senate in 2004 following his election to the U.S. Senate
. He resigned from the U.S. Senate following his election in 2008 to become the 44th President of the United States
in 2009.
(D
-2) of South Shore
and newspapers reported that while Reynolds was unopposed on the general election ballot and would be re-elected in November 1994, state Sen. Alice Palmer
(D
-13) of South Shore would be the front runner for Reynolds' seat in 1996—or earlier if he was convicted and a special election was held.
In October 1994, 29-year-old Jesse Jackson, Jr.
of South Shore was reported to have moved a few blocks into the 2nd Congressional District and to be considering running for Reynolds' seat in 1996.
After re-election in November 1994 to a four-year state Senate term, state Senate minority leader Emil Jones, Jr.
(D
-14) of Morgan Park
was reported to also be considering the possibility of running for Reynolds' seat in 1996.
On November 21, 1994, Alice Palmer announced she was launching a campaign committee to raise funds to run for Reynolds' congressional seat in 1996, and suggested that Jesse Jackson, Jr. run for her state Senate seat in 1996 instead of running against her for Congress.
On June 27, 1995, Palmer announced she was running for Congress and would be giving up her state Senate seat instead of running for re-election in 1996.
The following week newspapers reported that Palmer-supporter Barack Obama of Hyde Park
—who had been announced as chairman of the $49.2 million Chicago Annenberg Challenge
on June 22 and whose memoir Dreams from My Father
would be published on July 18—would announce he was running and would be a front-runner for Palmer's state Senate seat; Obama began fundraising in July, created a campaign committee on August 7 and filed its statement of organization on September 5.
Before entering the race, Obama spoke to about 30 elected officials in the district.
On September 11, 1995, Illinois Governor Jim Edgar
set November 28 as the date for a special primary election to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mel Reynolds following his August 1995 conviction.
The timing would allow state office holders whose terms expired in January 1997, like state Rep. Monique Davis
(D
-27) of Beverly
, to run in the November 1995 special primary election, and if unsuccessful, still have time to file nominating petitions by the December 18 deadline for the March 1996 general primary election for re-election to their current state offices.
The September 13, 1995 Hyde Park Herald
reported that state Sen. Palmer, whose term also expired in January 1997, "may have the most to lose. If unsuccessful in the congressional race, any plans she makes to reclaim her senate seat are likely to be unpopular with her progressive constituents. ... Palmer is committed to the congressional race, according to sources close to her campaign, and has no plans to try and recapture her senate seat if her bid is unsuccessful. The chances of Palmer re-filing for her senate seat are further reduced by the fact that one of her supporters, Barack Obama, is expected to announce his candidacy for her senate post next week."
Lakeshore at 4900 S. Lake Shore Drive
in Hyde Park
-Kenwood
, Chicago
in the same room where thirteen years earlier Harold Washington
had announced his successful run for Mayor of Chicago
.
Palmer introduced and endorsed Obama as her successor to supporters that included 4th Ward Ald. Toni Preckwinkle
of Hyde Park, newly elected 5th Ward Ald. Barbara Holt of Hyde Park, state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie
(D
-25) of Hyde Park, Cook County Clerk David Orr of Rogers Park
, and many other politicians.
The October 25, 1995 Hyde Park Herald reported that two other first-time candidates, Gha-is Askia and Marc Ewell, had announced the previous week that they were also running for the state Senate seat Palmer was giving up.
An October 29, 1995 Sunday Chicago Sun-Times article about circulating nominating petitions—legally required to demonstrate a candidate has enough support from registered voters to be on the ballot with signatures that can withstand challenges by rival candidates—quoted Obama's campaign manager Carol Anne Harwell on the importance of volunteers, precinct captains, and campaign aides doing the thankless but essential job of circulating nominating petitions.
By late October 1995—after five of the ten Democrats who had filed to run in the special primary election for Reynolds' vacated congressional seat had been eliminated following challenges to their nominating petitions—polls showed Alice Palmer had dropped to a distant third behind Jesse Jackson, Jr. and state Sen. Emil Jones, Jr., which caused Palmer's fundraising to dry up in the final month of the campaign after having raised over $200,000 during the preceding twelve months.
On November 7, 1995, the condition of Obama's mother Ann Dunham
—who had been diagnosed with metastatic uterine cancer
and had undergone chemotherapy—acutely worsened and she was hospitalized in Honolulu and not able to respond when Obama's maternal half-sister Maya Soetoro
arrived, and their mother died that night.
Obama arrived in his native Honolulu the following day and said a decade later that his mother's death at the age of 52 was the worst experience of his life and cited as his biggest mistake not getting to Honolulu in time to be at her bedside when she died.
Obama remained in Honolulu for his mother's private memorial service and returned to Chicago soon after.
On November 28, 1995, after finishing a distant third in the 2nd Congressional District special primary election behind the winner, 30-year-old Jesse Jackson, Jr., and 60-year-old Emil Jones, Jr., and dismayed at receiving only 2,917 votes in Chicago and 3,426 votes in suburban Cook County, a disappointed 56-year-old Alice Palmer told a small gathering at a Harvey
hotel that she wouldn't seek re-election to the state Senate and was undecided about entering the March 1996 primary for the 2nd Congressional District seat.
professor Adolph L. Reed, Jr.
who had recently moved to South Shore, Northeastern Illinois University
associate professor Robert T. Starks of South Shore, and 77-year-old City Colleges of Chicago
professor emeritus Timuel D. Black, Jr. of Grand Crossing—began a draft movement to persuade her to run again for her state Senate seat after learning she was keeping a promise to back "a relatively unknown African-American attorney."
The December 8, 1995 Chicago Reader cover story was a laudatory eight-page profile of Obama that noted Palmer's endorsement of Obama and her promise not to run against him if she lost the November 28 special primary election for Reynolds' vacated congressional seat.
On December 11, 1995—the first filing day for nominating petitions—Obama filed his nominating petitions with over 3,000 signatures; perennial unsuccessful candidate Ulmer D. Lynch, Jr. also filed nominating petitions for the 13th District state Senate seat.
On December 18, 1995—the last filing day for nominating petitions—Palmer held a press conference at Harper's Banquet Hall in Woodlawn
to announce she was running for re-election to the state Senate, accepting a draft by over 100 supporters including Mark S. Allen of Englewood (Jesse Jackson Jr.'s campaign strategist and his successor as Rainbow/Push Coalition
national field director), journalist-activist Lu Palmer of Bronzeville, SEIU
Local 73 president Tom Balanoff
, state Sen. Emil Jones, Jr. (D
-14) of Morgan Park, state Sen. Donne Trotter
(D
-15) of South Chicago
, state Sen. Arthur Berman (D
-9) of Edgewater
, state Sen. Miguel del Valle
(D
-2) of Humboldt Park
, state Rep. Lovana "Lou" Jones
(D
-5) of Douglas
, and 5th Ward Ald. Barbara Holt of Hyde Park (the only local elected official reported to have switched their endorsement from Obama to Palmer).
The Committee to Re-elect Alice Palmer also included: retired state Sen. Ethel Skyles Alexander, Dr. Sydney Bild, Bernice Bild, University of Chicago Assoc. Prof. Michael Dawson, UIC Prof. Cedric Herring, Frank Mason, Louis Pardo, Edna Pardo, UIC Prof. David Ranney, Olive-Harvey College Prof. Harold Rogers, Lois Anne Rosen, University of Chicago Prof. Kenneth Warren, and Betty Willhoite.
Palmer then drove to Springfield
to file nominating petitions with almost 1,600 signatures she said her supporters had gathered in ten days; also filing nominating petitions on the last filing day were Askia and Ewell.
Palmer had originally endorsed Obama to fill her seat, but changed her mind, she said, because of the tremendous support and draft by constituents.
"I had said I would help someone else and that is one of the reasons I was reluctant but the draft was so big," Palmer stated.
Obama said he was disappointed that Palmer had decided to run for re-election because it was partly based on her endorsement that he had decided to run.
He said several months ago, Palmer asked him for his support of her congressional candidacy.
"Aware of her reputation for integrity and her progressive views on the issues, I wholeheartedly agreed," Obama said.
"On Sept. 19, based on Palmer's insistence that she was not running for state senator in the event she lost as well as her enthusiastic support, I announced that I would run for the Senate," Obama said.
On December 20, 1995, after consulting with his supporters, Obama confirmed that he was staying in the race.
"I've made a commitment to a great number of volunteers ... people who've gone out on cold days and circulated petitions, raised funds on my behalf and after talking to them, they feel very strongly that we're talking about the right issues. We offer a vision for the future," Obama said.
Also challenging their rivals nominating petitions were: U.S. Senate candidate Dick Durbin,
and locally, two-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush
, nine-term incumbent state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, incumbent 4th Ward Democratic committeeman Toni Preckwinkle, all three 5th Ward Republican committeeman candidates, and three of twelve Cook County Court Fifth Subcircuit judgeship candidates.
The January 10, 1996 Hyde Park Herald reported that after conducting checks the previous week, the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners' initial findings indicated that all four would-be opponents of Obama, including incumbent state Sen. Palmer, may not have the required number of valid nominating petition signatures.
On January 13, Obama received the endorsement of the Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization
(IVI-IPO).
On January 17, 1996—thirty days after her surprise announcement that she was running for re-election—Palmer announced she was withdrawing her bid for re-election because she was left with only 561 valid signatures on her nominating petitions, 196 short of the required 757 valid signatures needed to earn a place on the ballot after almost two-thirds of the 1,580 signatures on her nominating petitions were found to be invalid.
The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners had previously sustained an objection to the nominating petitions of Lynch because of insufficient valid signatures, and subsequently sustained objections to the nominating petitions of Askia—who was left with only 688 valid signatures on his nominating petitions, 69 short of the required 757 valid signatures after almost two-thirds of the 1,899 signatures on his nominating petitions were found to be invalid, and Ewell—who was left with only 671 valid signatures on his nominating petitions, 86 short of the required 757 valid signatures after almost half of the 1,286 signatures on his nominating petitions were found to be invalid.
Lynch and Ewell, in separate federal lawsuits, unsuccessfully sued the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners seeking to reverse its decision to remove their names from the ballot.
The citywide turnout of 35% was a then record low for a presidential primary election in Chicago and down from 56% in 1992.
In September 1996, the Hyde Park Herald reported that, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections, Obama would face two challengers on the November general election ballot: Harold Washington Party candidate David Whitehead and Republican Party candidate Rosette Caldwell Peyton.
In October 1996, the Chicago Tribune
and the Chicago Sun-Times
both endorsed Obama for state Senate.
In the November 5, 1996 general election, Democratic Party candidate Obama was elected state Senator for the 13th District with 48,592 votes (82.15%); Harold Washington Party candidate David Whitehead received 7,461 votes (12.61%); and Republican Party candidate Rosette Caldwell Peyton received 3,091 votes (5.22%).
The citywide turnout of 63% was the record low for a presidential general election in Chicago and was down from 74.5% in 1992.
The 1996 election was the last in Illinois to allow straight-ticket voting
.
On January 8, 1997, Obama was sworn in for a two-year term as state Senator for the 13th District, which was then a T-shaped district that spanned Chicago South Side
neighborhoods from 47th Street in Hyde Park
-Kenwood
south through South Shore
to 81st Street and from the lakefront west through Chicago Lawn
(on the north side of Marquette Park
) to Central Park Avenue (3600 W).
In October 1998, the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times again both endorsed Obama for state Senate.
In the November 3, 1998 general election, Democratic Party candidate Obama was re-elected to a four-year term as state Senator for the 13th District with 45,486 votes (89.17%); Republican Party candidate Yesse Yehudah received 5,526 (10.83%).
) to the bipartisan state Legislative Redistricting Commission, which on September 25, 2001 by a 5–4 party-line vote
approved the Democratic map called "Currie II as amended by the Bilandic Amendment" after its Legislative Redistricting Commission member authors, state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D
-25) of Hyde Park and former Chicago Mayor Bilandic.
After redistricting
, the new 13th District spanned Chicago lakefront
neighborhoods from Goethe Street (1300 N) in the Gold Coast
south through South Chicago
to 98th Street in the Vets Park neighborhood of South Deering
; with a Census 2000 total population that was 66% black (voting age population 62% black), versus a Census 2000 total population that was 77% black in the old 13th District.
In the March 19, 2002 primary election, Obama, running unopposed on the ballot, received 30,938 votes in winning the Democratic nomination for state Senator for the new 13th District.
In the November 5, 2002 general election, Democratic Party candidate Obama, running unopposed on the ballot, was re-elected to a four-year term as state Senator for the new 13th District with 48,717 votes.
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
won three Illinois Senate elections. The Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama
Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama
The Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama began in with the 1997 swearing in of Barack Obama to his first term in the Illinois Senate and ended in 2004 with his election to the United States Senate...
began in 1997 after his first election in 1996 to a two-year term in the Illinois Senate
Illinois Senate
The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the state of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. The Illinois Senate is made up of 59 senators elected from...
representing Illinois' 13th Legislative District in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. He was re-elected in 1998 to a four-year term and re-elected again in 2002 to another four-year term. He resigned from the Illinois Senate in 2004 following his election to the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. He resigned from the U.S. Senate following his election in 2008 to become the 44th President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
in 2009.
Palmer announces noncandidacy
In August 1994, Republican Cook County State's Attorney Jack O'Malley announced the indictment of first-term U.S. Rep. Mel ReynoldsMel Reynolds
Melvin Reynolds is a former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois. His political career ended in scandal.-Early life:...
(D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-2) of South Shore
South Shore, Chicago
South Shore is one of 77 well-defined community areas of the City of Chicago, Illinois in the United States. A predominately black neighborhood located along Chicago's southern lakefront, it is a relatively stable and gentrifying neighborhood...
and newspapers reported that while Reynolds was unopposed on the general election ballot and would be re-elected in November 1994, state Sen. Alice Palmer
Alice Palmer (Illinois politician)
Alice J. Palmer is an American educator and former Democratic member of the Illinois Senate. Known as a longtime progressive activist, Palmer represented the state's 13th senate district from June 6, 1991 until January 8, 1997...
(D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-13) of South Shore would be the front runner for Reynolds' seat in 1996—or earlier if he was convicted and a special election was held.
In October 1994, 29-year-old Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Jesse Louis Jackson, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since the special election in 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
of South Shore was reported to have moved a few blocks into the 2nd Congressional District and to be considering running for Reynolds' seat in 1996.
After re-election in November 1994 to a four-year state Senate term, state Senate minority leader Emil Jones, Jr.
Emil Jones
Emil Jones, Jr. was the President of the Illinois Senate from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Jones served in the Illinois Senate from 1983 to 2009, where he served as President of the Illinois Senate from 2003 to the end of his term...
(D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-14) of Morgan Park
Morgan Park, Chicago
Morgan Park, located on the far south side of the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States, is one of the city's 77 official community areas.-Morgan Park:...
was reported to also be considering the possibility of running for Reynolds' seat in 1996.
On November 21, 1994, Alice Palmer announced she was launching a campaign committee to raise funds to run for Reynolds' congressional seat in 1996, and suggested that Jesse Jackson, Jr. run for her state Senate seat in 1996 instead of running against her for Congress.
On June 27, 1995, Palmer announced she was running for Congress and would be giving up her state Senate seat instead of running for re-election in 1996.
The following week newspapers reported that Palmer-supporter Barack Obama of Hyde Park
Hyde Park, Chicago
Hyde Park, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, in Cook County, Illinois, United States and seven miles south of the Chicago Loop, is a Chicago neighborhood and one of 77 Chicago community areas. It is home to the University of Chicago, the Hyde Park Art Center, the Museum of Science...
—who had been announced as chairman of the $49.2 million Chicago Annenberg Challenge
Chicago Annenberg Challenge
The Chicago Annenberg Challenge was a Chicago public school reform project from 1995 to 2001 that worked with half of Chicago's public schools and was funded by a $49.2 million, 2-to-1 matching challenge grant over five years from the Annenberg Foundation. The grant was contingent on being matched...
on June 22 and whose memoir Dreams from My Father
Dreams from My Father
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance is a memoir by United States President Barack Obama. It was first published in July 1995 as he was preparing to launch his political career, five years after being elected the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review in...
would be published on July 18—would announce he was running and would be a front-runner for Palmer's state Senate seat; Obama began fundraising in July, created a campaign committee on August 7 and filed its statement of organization on September 5.
Before entering the race, Obama spoke to about 30 elected officials in the district.
On September 11, 1995, Illinois Governor Jim Edgar
Jim Edgar
James Edgar is an American politician who was the 38th Governor of Illinois from 1991 to 1999 and Illinois Secretary of State from 1981 to 1991. As a moderate Republican in a largely blue-leaning state, Edgar was a popular and successful governor, leaving office with high approval ratings...
set November 28 as the date for a special primary election to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mel Reynolds following his August 1995 conviction.
The timing would allow state office holders whose terms expired in January 1997, like state Rep. Monique Davis
Monique D. Davis
Monique D. Davis is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 27th District since 1987. Born in Chicago, Illinois, she trained as and worked as a teacher and an educational administrator in the Chicago Public Schools system before entering politics. She...
(D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-27) of Beverly
Beverly, Chicago
Beverly is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It is located on the South Side on the southwestern edge of the city. Beverly Hills was built by English engineers as an exclusive streetcar suburb and the homes and large lots reflect this historic distinction...
, to run in the November 1995 special primary election, and if unsuccessful, still have time to file nominating petitions by the December 18 deadline for the March 1996 general primary election for re-election to their current state offices.
The September 13, 1995 Hyde Park Herald
Hyde Park Herald
The Hyde Park Herald is a weekly newspaper that serves the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois.- Early history :The newspaper was founded in 1882, and claims on its masthead to be "Chicago's Oldest Community Newspaper." For the Herald's first seven years, it was a suburban newspaper...
reported that state Sen. Palmer, whose term also expired in January 1997, "may have the most to lose. If unsuccessful in the congressional race, any plans she makes to reclaim her senate seat are likely to be unpopular with her progressive constituents. ... Palmer is committed to the congressional race, according to sources close to her campaign, and has no plans to try and recapture her senate seat if her bid is unsuccessful. The chances of Palmer re-filing for her senate seat are further reduced by the fact that one of her supporters, Barack Obama, is expected to announce his candidacy for her senate post next week."
Obama, Askia, Ewell announce candidacies
At 6 p.m. on September 19, 1995—the first day of the thirteen-week period in which candidates could circulate nominating petitions to earn a place on the ballot for the March 1996 primary—34-year-old Barack Obama announced his candidacy for Palmer's state Senate seat to a standing-room-only audience of 200 supporters at the Ramada InnRamada
Ramada is a hotel chain owned and operated by Wyndham Worldwide.- History :The lodging chain was founded in 1953 by longtime Chicago restaurateur Marion W...
Lakeshore at 4900 S. Lake Shore Drive
Lake Shore Drive
Lake Shore Drive is a mostly freeway-standard expressway running parallel with and alongside the shoreline of Lake Michigan through Chicago, Illinois, USA. Except for the portion north of Foster Avenue , Lake Shore Drive is designated as part of U.S...
in Hyde Park
Hyde Park, Chicago
Hyde Park, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, in Cook County, Illinois, United States and seven miles south of the Chicago Loop, is a Chicago neighborhood and one of 77 Chicago community areas. It is home to the University of Chicago, the Hyde Park Art Center, the Museum of Science...
-Kenwood
Kenwood, Chicago
Kenwood, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the 77 well-defined Chicago community areas.Kenwood was part of Hyde Park Township, which was annexed by the City of Chicago in 1889....
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in the same room where thirteen years earlier Harold Washington
Harold Washington
Harold Lee Washington was an American lawyer and politician who became the first African-American Mayor of Chicago, serving from 1983 until his death in 1987.- Early years and military service :...
had announced his successful run for Mayor of Chicago
Mayor of Chicago
The Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of Chicago, Illinois, the third largest city in the United States. He or she is charged with directing city departments and agencies, and with the advice and consent of the Chicago City Council, appoints department and agency leaders.-Appointment...
.
Palmer introduced and endorsed Obama as her successor to supporters that included 4th Ward Ald. Toni Preckwinkle
Toni Preckwinkle
Toni Reed Preckwinkle is the current Cook County Board President and a former alderman in the Chicago City Council representing Chicago's 4th ward in Cook County, Illinois, United States. She was elected on November 2, 2010, as president of the Cook County Board...
of Hyde Park, newly elected 5th Ward Ald. Barbara Holt of Hyde Park, state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie
Barbara Flynn Currie
Barbara Flynn Currie is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 25th District since 1979.- Political career :...
(D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-25) of Hyde Park, Cook County Clerk David Orr of Rogers Park
Rogers Park, Chicago
Rogers Park is one of the 77 Chicago community areas on the far north side of Chicago, Illinois, and is also the name of the Chicago neighborhood that constitutes most of the community area...
, and many other politicians.
The October 25, 1995 Hyde Park Herald reported that two other first-time candidates, Gha-is Askia and Marc Ewell, had announced the previous week that they were also running for the state Senate seat Palmer was giving up.
- Gha-is F. Askia of South Shore was a 39-year-old Black Muslim assistant to W. Deen Mohammed and a close friend of Muhammad AliMuhammad AliMuhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
(who would host a fundraiser for him in November) and had been a special assistant to Democratic Illinois Attorney General Roland BurrisRoland BurrisRoland Wallace Burris is a former United States Senator from the state of Illinois and a member of the Democratic Party....
and was kept on as a community affairs liaison under Republican Illinois Attorney General Jim RyanJim Ryan (politician)James E. Ryan is an American politician who served two four-year terms as Illinois Attorney General. A career Republican, he received his party's nomination and ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Illinois against Rod Blagojevich in 2002. He has been a professor at Benedictine University since 2003...
after campaigning for Ryan and Republican Illinois Governor Jim Edgar in 1994. Askia had campaigned for the re-election of U.S. Sen. Alan DixonAlan J. DixonAlan John Dixon is a Democratic politician who was elected to various Illinois state offices from 1951 to 1981 and served as United States Senator from Illinois from 1981 until 1993.-Biography:...
of BellevilleBelleville, IllinoisBelleville is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city has a population of 44,478. It is the eighth-most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area and the most populated city south of Springfield in the state of Illinois. It is the county...
over Carol Moseley-BraunCarol Moseley BraunCarol Elizabeth Moseley Braun is an American feminist politician and lawyer who represented Illinois in the United States Senate from 1993 to 1999. She was the first and to date only African-American woman elected to the United States Senate, the first woman to defeat an incumbent senator in an...
of South Shore in the 1992 Democratic primary, supported the appointment of Clarence ThomasClarence ThomasClarence Thomas is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Succeeding Thurgood Marshall, Thomas is the second African American to serve on the Court....
to the U.S. Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the United StatesThe Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
in 1991, and had campaigned for the re-election of Chicago city treasurer Miriam Santos of Lake ViewLakeview, ChicagoLake View, or Lakeview, is one of the 77 community area of the Chicago, Illinois, located in the city's North Side. It is bordered by West Diversey Parkway on the south, West Irving Park Road on the north, North Ravenswood Avenue on the west, and the shore of Lake Michigan on the east...
over four-term 5th Ward Ald. Larry Bloom of Hyde Park in the 1995 Democratic primary. Askia was endorsed by state Sen. Emil Jones, Jr. (DDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-14) of Morgan Park, state Rep. Connie HowardConstance A. HowardConstance A. Howard is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 34th District since her election in 1994. She took office in January 1995...
(DDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-32) of ChathamChatham, ChicagoChatham, located on the south side, is one of the 77 official community areas of South Side of the city of Chicago, Illinois. It includes the neighborhoods of Chatham and West Chesterfield...
, Chicago city treasurer Miriam Santos of Lake View, and Harold Washington Party chairman David Reed of Hyde Park.
- Marc Ewell of Chatham was the 30-year-old youngest son of former eight-term state Rep. Raymond W. Ewell of Chatham—a regular Democrat who had represented part of the 13th District for sixteen years (1967–1983) until losing a close Democratic primary race in 1982 to state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie of Hyde Park, an independent Democrat, after redistricting had thrown the two incumbents into the same representative district. Ewell said he had been "born, raised, and educated in the 13th District" before going to Howard UniversityHoward UniversityHoward University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
in Washington, D.C., and had become a property inspector for a private real estate firm in 1995 after three years as a staff assistant to U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun. Ewell had worked on the campaigns of his father and Carol Moseley-Braun as well as those of Cook County Board president John StrogerJohn StrogerJohn H. Stroger, Jr. was an American politician who served from 1994 until 2006 as the first African-American president of the Cook County, Illinois Board of Commissioners. Stroger was a member of the Democratic Party. He was also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity...
, the late state Sen. Charles Chew, state Rep. Charles Morrow (DDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-26), and 17th Ward Ald. Allan Streeter.
An October 29, 1995 Sunday Chicago Sun-Times article about circulating nominating petitions—legally required to demonstrate a candidate has enough support from registered voters to be on the ballot with signatures that can withstand challenges by rival candidates—quoted Obama's campaign manager Carol Anne Harwell on the importance of volunteers, precinct captains, and campaign aides doing the thankless but essential job of circulating nominating petitions.
By late October 1995—after five of the ten Democrats who had filed to run in the special primary election for Reynolds' vacated congressional seat had been eliminated following challenges to their nominating petitions—polls showed Alice Palmer had dropped to a distant third behind Jesse Jackson, Jr. and state Sen. Emil Jones, Jr., which caused Palmer's fundraising to dry up in the final month of the campaign after having raised over $200,000 during the preceding twelve months.
On November 7, 1995, the condition of Obama's mother Ann Dunham
Ann Dunham
Stanley Ann Dunham , the mother of Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, was an American anthropologist who specialized in economic anthropology and rural development. Dunham was nicknamed Anna, later known as Dr. Stanley Ann Dunham Soetoro, and finally Ann Dunham Sutoro...
—who had been diagnosed with metastatic uterine cancer
Uterine cancer
The term uterine cancer may refer to any of several different types of cancer which occur in the uterus, namely:*Uterine sarcomas: sarcomas of the myometrium, or muscular layer of the uterus, are most commonly leiomyosarcomas.*Endometrial cancer:...
and had undergone chemotherapy—acutely worsened and she was hospitalized in Honolulu and not able to respond when Obama's maternal half-sister Maya Soetoro
Maya Soetoro-Ng
Maya Kassandra Soetoro-Ng is the maternal half-sister of Barack Obama, the 44th and current President of the United States. She was previously a high school history teacher and university instructor in Hawaii.-Early life:...
arrived, and their mother died that night.
Obama arrived in his native Honolulu the following day and said a decade later that his mother's death at the age of 52 was the worst experience of his life and cited as his biggest mistake not getting to Honolulu in time to be at her bedside when she died.
Obama remained in Honolulu for his mother's private memorial service and returned to Chicago soon after.
On November 28, 1995, after finishing a distant third in the 2nd Congressional District special primary election behind the winner, 30-year-old Jesse Jackson, Jr., and 60-year-old Emil Jones, Jr., and dismayed at receiving only 2,917 votes in Chicago and 3,426 votes in suburban Cook County, a disappointed 56-year-old Alice Palmer told a small gathering at a Harvey
Harvey, Illinois
Harvey is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States, near Chicago. The population was 30,000 at the 2000 census.Harvey is bordered by Dixmoor, Riverdale and Blue Island to the north, Posen and Markham to the west, South Holland, Phoenix, and Dolton to the east, and East Hazel Crest to the...
hotel that she wouldn't seek re-election to the state Senate and was undecided about entering the March 1996 primary for the 2nd Congressional District seat.
Lynch, Palmer announce candidacies
On December 4, 1995, some Palmer supporters—led by Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
professor Adolph L. Reed, Jr.
Adolph L. Reed, Jr.
Adolph L. Reed, Jr. is a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in race and American politics. A sometimes controversial academic, he taught at Yale, Northwestern and the New School for Social Research...
who had recently moved to South Shore, Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University is a public state university located in Chicago, Illinois. The main campus is located in the community area of North Park with three additional campuses in the metropolitan area. Tracing its founding to 1867, it was first established as a separate branch of a...
associate professor Robert T. Starks of South Shore, and 77-year-old City Colleges of Chicago
City Colleges of Chicago
The City Colleges of Chicago is a system of seven community colleges which provide learning opportunities for Chicago residents at the schools or online, and also members of the US military through the Navy Campus to enhance their knowledge and skills. Student enrollment was 115,000 in 2007...
professor emeritus Timuel D. Black, Jr. of Grand Crossing—began a draft movement to persuade her to run again for her state Senate seat after learning she was keeping a promise to back "a relatively unknown African-American attorney."
The December 8, 1995 Chicago Reader cover story was a laudatory eight-page profile of Obama that noted Palmer's endorsement of Obama and her promise not to run against him if she lost the November 28 special primary election for Reynolds' vacated congressional seat.
On December 11, 1995—the first filing day for nominating petitions—Obama filed his nominating petitions with over 3,000 signatures; perennial unsuccessful candidate Ulmer D. Lynch, Jr. also filed nominating petitions for the 13th District state Senate seat.
- Ulmer D. Lynch, Jr. of EnglewoodEnglewood, ChicagoEnglewood, once known as "Junction Grove" , is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago. At its height, over 97,000 people lived in its approximately 3 square miles , but the neighborhood's population has since dropped dramatically...
was a 69-year-old former building manager, ex-city laborer, and former precinct captain in regular Democratic committeeman William Shannon's 17th Ward organization before he broke with Shannon and ran unsuccessfully against him for alderman in 1967 and subsequently regularly ran unsuccessfully for alderman and Democratic ward committeeman from the 17th Ward (and later the 16th Ward) and occasionally ran unsuccessfully for state representative.
On December 18, 1995—the last filing day for nominating petitions—Palmer held a press conference at Harper's Banquet Hall in Woodlawn
Woodlawn, Chicago
Woodlawn, located in the South Side of the City of Chicago, Illinois, USA, is one of 77 well defined Chicago community areas. It is bounded by Lake Michigan to the east, 60th Street to the north, Martin Luther King Drive to the west, and, mostly, 67th Street to the south...
to announce she was running for re-election to the state Senate, accepting a draft by over 100 supporters including Mark S. Allen of Englewood (Jesse Jackson Jr.'s campaign strategist and his successor as Rainbow/Push Coalition
Rainbow/PUSH
Rainbow/PUSH is a non-profit organization formed as a merger of two non-profit organizations — Operation PUSH and the National Rainbow Coalition — founded by Jesse Jackson. The organizations pursue social justice, civil rights and political activism.In December 1971, Jackson resigned from...
national field director), journalist-activist Lu Palmer of Bronzeville, SEIU
Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union is a labor union representing about 1.8 million workers in over 100 occupations in the United States , and Canada...
Local 73 president Tom Balanoff
Tom Balanoff
Tom Balanoff is the president of Service Employees International Union Illinois Council and the Vice President of its International Executive Board, as well as the President of SEIU Local 1 with 40,000 janitors and security guards....
, state Sen. Emil Jones, Jr. (D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-14) of Morgan Park, state Sen. Donne Trotter
Donne Trotter
Donne Trotter is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 17th district since 1993. His district includes the South side of Chicago and portions of the south suburbs...
(D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-15) of South Chicago
South Chicago, Chicago
South Chicago, formerly known as Ainsworth, is one of the 77 well-defined community areas of Chicago, Illinois.This chevron-shaped community is one of Chicago's 16 lakefront neighborhoods near the southern rim of Lake Michigan 10 miles south of downtown...
, state Sen. Arthur Berman (D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-9) of Edgewater
Edgewater, Chicago
Edgewater is a lakefront community area in the North Side of the city of Chicago, Illinois seven miles north of the Loop. As one of Chicago’s 77 official community areas, Edgewater is bounded by Foster Avenue on the south, Devon Avenue on the north, Ravenswood Avenue on the west, and Lake Michigan...
, state Sen. Miguel del Valle
Miguel del Valle
Miguel del Valle is an American politician and the former City Clerk of Chicago. He was an Illinois State Senator for two decades, representing the 2nd district of Chicago from 1987 – 2006...
(D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-2) of Humboldt Park
Humboldt Park, Chicago
Humboldt Park is one of 77 officially designated community areas located on the northwest side of Chicago, Illinois. The Humboldt Park neighborhood is widely known for its large Puerto Rican presence...
, state Rep. Lovana "Lou" Jones
Lovana Jones
Lovana S. 'Lou' Jones served as an Illinois State Representative for nearly 20 years, and was known for speaking up for abused and neglected children. On April 3, 2011, a new Metra train station was opened at 35th Street on the Rock Island District line that will be named after her, called 35th...
(D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-5) of Douglas
Douglas, Chicago
Douglas, located on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois is one of 77 well-defined Chicago community areas. The neighborhood is named for Stephen A. Douglas, a famous Illinois politician, whose estate included a tract of land given to the federal government...
, and 5th Ward Ald. Barbara Holt of Hyde Park (the only local elected official reported to have switched their endorsement from Obama to Palmer).
The Committee to Re-elect Alice Palmer also included: retired state Sen. Ethel Skyles Alexander, Dr. Sydney Bild, Bernice Bild, University of Chicago Assoc. Prof. Michael Dawson, UIC Prof. Cedric Herring, Frank Mason, Louis Pardo, Edna Pardo, UIC Prof. David Ranney, Olive-Harvey College Prof. Harold Rogers, Lois Anne Rosen, University of Chicago Prof. Kenneth Warren, and Betty Willhoite.
Palmer then drove to Springfield
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
to file nominating petitions with almost 1,600 signatures she said her supporters had gathered in ten days; also filing nominating petitions on the last filing day were Askia and Ewell.
Palmer had originally endorsed Obama to fill her seat, but changed her mind, she said, because of the tremendous support and draft by constituents.
"I had said I would help someone else and that is one of the reasons I was reluctant but the draft was so big," Palmer stated.
Obama said he was disappointed that Palmer had decided to run for re-election because it was partly based on her endorsement that he had decided to run.
He said several months ago, Palmer asked him for his support of her congressional candidacy.
"Aware of her reputation for integrity and her progressive views on the issues, I wholeheartedly agreed," Obama said.
"On Sept. 19, based on Palmer's insistence that she was not running for state senator in the event she lost as well as her enthusiastic support, I announced that I would run for the Senate," Obama said.
On December 20, 1995, after consulting with his supporters, Obama confirmed that he was staying in the race.
"I've made a commitment to a great number of volunteers ... people who've gone out on cold days and circulated petitions, raised funds on my behalf and after talking to them, they feel very strongly that we're talking about the right issues. We offer a vision for the future," Obama said.
Nominating petition challenges
On December 26, 1995—the last day to file challenges—Barack Obama supporter Ron Davis filed objections to the legitimacy of the nominating petitions of state Sen. Palmer, and to those of Askia, Ewell and Lynch; a week later hearings began to determine whether their names would be on the ballot for the March 19 primary election.Also challenging their rivals nominating petitions were: U.S. Senate candidate Dick Durbin,
and locally, two-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush
Bobby Rush
Bobby Lee Rush is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district is located principally on the South Side of Chicago. It is a minority-majority district and has a higher percentage of African Americans than any other congressional district in...
, nine-term incumbent state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, incumbent 4th Ward Democratic committeeman Toni Preckwinkle, all three 5th Ward Republican committeeman candidates, and three of twelve Cook County Court Fifth Subcircuit judgeship candidates.
The January 10, 1996 Hyde Park Herald reported that after conducting checks the previous week, the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners' initial findings indicated that all four would-be opponents of Obama, including incumbent state Sen. Palmer, may not have the required number of valid nominating petition signatures.
On January 13, Obama received the endorsement of the Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization
Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization
The Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization is an independent, not-for-profit, Illinois political organization. Often referred to by its acronym, IVI-IPO, has roots dating to 1944, when the Independent Voters of Illinois was founded. In 1979 the IVI merged with the...
(IVI-IPO).
On January 17, 1996—thirty days after her surprise announcement that she was running for re-election—Palmer announced she was withdrawing her bid for re-election because she was left with only 561 valid signatures on her nominating petitions, 196 short of the required 757 valid signatures needed to earn a place on the ballot after almost two-thirds of the 1,580 signatures on her nominating petitions were found to be invalid.
The Chicago Board of Election Commissioners had previously sustained an objection to the nominating petitions of Lynch because of insufficient valid signatures, and subsequently sustained objections to the nominating petitions of Askia—who was left with only 688 valid signatures on his nominating petitions, 69 short of the required 757 valid signatures after almost two-thirds of the 1,899 signatures on his nominating petitions were found to be invalid, and Ewell—who was left with only 671 valid signatures on his nominating petitions, 86 short of the required 757 valid signatures after almost half of the 1,286 signatures on his nominating petitions were found to be invalid.
Lynch and Ewell, in separate federal lawsuits, unsuccessfully sued the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners seeking to reverse its decision to remove their names from the ballot.
Primary and general elections
In the March 19, 1996 primary election, Obama, running unopposed on the ballot, received 16,279 votes in winning the Democratic nomination for state Senator for the 13th District.The citywide turnout of 35% was a then record low for a presidential primary election in Chicago and down from 56% in 1992.
In September 1996, the Hyde Park Herald reported that, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections, Obama would face two challengers on the November general election ballot: Harold Washington Party candidate David Whitehead and Republican Party candidate Rosette Caldwell Peyton.
- David Whitehead of West EnglewoodWest Englewood, ChicagoWest Englewood, one of the 77 well defined community areas, is located on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois. At one time it was known as South Lynne. The boundaries of West Englewood are Garfield Blvd to the north, Racine Ave to the east, the CSX and Norfolk Southern RR tracks to the west,...
was a 61-year-old perennial unsuccessful candidate who had been a homebuilder, real estate broker and salesman, and beginning in 1983 had run unsuccessfully five times for alderman from the 15th Ward, run unsuccessfully in the 1990 Democratic Party primary for state representative, and run unsuccessfully as a Harold Washington Party candidate for Cook County commissioner in 1994. - Rosette Caldwell Peyton of South Shore was a 67-year-old first-time candidate who had been a teacher at Kozminski Community Academy in Hyde Park.
In October 1996, the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
and the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
both endorsed Obama for state Senate.
In the November 5, 1996 general election, Democratic Party candidate Obama was elected state Senator for the 13th District with 48,592 votes (82.15%); Harold Washington Party candidate David Whitehead received 7,461 votes (12.61%); and Republican Party candidate Rosette Caldwell Peyton received 3,091 votes (5.22%).
The citywide turnout of 63% was the record low for a presidential general election in Chicago and was down from 74.5% in 1992.
The 1996 election was the last in Illinois to allow straight-ticket voting
Straight-ticket voting
Straight-ticket voting or straight-party voting is the practice of voting for candidates of the same party for multiple positions. For example, if a member of the Democratic Party in the United States votes for every candidate from President, Senator, Representative, Governor, state legislators...
.
On January 8, 1997, Obama was sworn in for a two-year term as state Senator for the 13th District, which was then a T-shaped district that spanned Chicago South Side
South Side (Chicago)
The South Side is a major part of the City of Chicago, which is located in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Much of it has evolved from the city's incorporation of independent townships, such as Hyde Park Township which voted along with several other townships to be annexed in the June 29,...
neighborhoods from 47th Street in Hyde Park
Hyde Park, Chicago
Hyde Park, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, in Cook County, Illinois, United States and seven miles south of the Chicago Loop, is a Chicago neighborhood and one of 77 Chicago community areas. It is home to the University of Chicago, the Hyde Park Art Center, the Museum of Science...
-Kenwood
Kenwood, Chicago
Kenwood, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the 77 well-defined Chicago community areas.Kenwood was part of Hyde Park Township, which was annexed by the City of Chicago in 1889....
south through South Shore
South Shore, Chicago
South Shore is one of 77 well-defined community areas of the City of Chicago, Illinois in the United States. A predominately black neighborhood located along Chicago's southern lakefront, it is a relatively stable and gentrifying neighborhood...
to 81st Street and from the lakefront west through Chicago Lawn
Chicago Lawn, Chicago
Chicago Lawn is one of the 77 community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It is located on the southwest side of the city. Its community neighbors include Gage Park, West Englewood, Ashburn, and West Lawn. It is bounded by Bell Avenue on the east, Central Park Avenue on the west, 59th Street on the...
(on the north side of Marquette Park
Marquette Park
Marquette Park may refer to one of several places that are named in honor of Jacques Marquette, a French Jesuit missionary.*Marquette Park in Chicago, Illinois*Marquette Park in Gary, Indiana...
) to Central Park Avenue (3600 W).
Second state Senate election, 1998
In the March 17, 1998 primary election, Obama, running unopposed on the ballot, received 16,792 votes in winning the Democratic nomination for state Senator for the 13th District, and Yesse B. Yehudah, also running unopposed on the ballot, received 401 votes in winning the Republican nomination.- Yesse Ben Yehudah of South Shore was the 50-year-old founder and executive director of F.O.R.U.M (Fulfilling Our Responsibilities Unto Mankind).
In October 1998, the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times again both endorsed Obama for state Senate.
In the November 3, 1998 general election, Democratic Party candidate Obama was re-elected to a four-year term as state Senator for the 13th District with 45,486 votes (89.17%); Republican Party candidate Yesse Yehudah received 5,526 (10.83%).
Third state Senate election, 2002
On September 5, 2001, Democrats won a lottery that added a tie-breaking ninth member (Michael BilandicMichael Anthony Bilandic
Michael Anthony Bilandic was an Illinois politician who served as the mayor of Chicago, Illinois and as Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. He was a member of the Democratic Party....
) to the bipartisan state Legislative Redistricting Commission, which on September 25, 2001 by a 5–4 party-line vote
Party-line vote
A party-line vote in a deliberative assembly is a vote in which every member of a political party votes the same way...
approved the Democratic map called "Currie II as amended by the Bilandic Amendment" after its Legislative Redistricting Commission member authors, state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-25) of Hyde Park and former Chicago Mayor Bilandic.
After redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
, the new 13th District spanned Chicago lakefront
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
neighborhoods from Goethe Street (1300 N) in the Gold Coast
Near North Side, Chicago
The Near North Side is one of 77 well-defined community areas of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is located north and east of the Chicago River, just north of the central business district . To its east is Lake Michigan and its northern boundary is the 19th-century city limit of Chicago,...
south through South Chicago
South Chicago, Chicago
South Chicago, formerly known as Ainsworth, is one of the 77 well-defined community areas of Chicago, Illinois.This chevron-shaped community is one of Chicago's 16 lakefront neighborhoods near the southern rim of Lake Michigan 10 miles south of downtown...
to 98th Street in the Vets Park neighborhood of South Deering
South Deering, Chicago
South Deering, one of the 77 official community areas of the City of Chicago, Illinois, is located on the far south side. It was a very industrial neighborhood, consisting of a small group of homes in the northeast corner and Lake Calumet taking up most of the remainder. It exists in the 10th Ward,...
; with a Census 2000 total population that was 66% black (voting age population 62% black), versus a Census 2000 total population that was 77% black in the old 13th District.
In the March 19, 2002 primary election, Obama, running unopposed on the ballot, received 30,938 votes in winning the Democratic nomination for state Senator for the new 13th District.
In the November 5, 2002 general election, Democratic Party candidate Obama, running unopposed on the ballot, was re-elected to a four-year term as state Senator for the new 13th District with 48,717 votes.