Kelly Cassidy
Encyclopedia
Kelly Cassidy is an American politician
from Chicago
. She is a Democrat
and a member of the Illinois House of Representatives
. She was selected to represent the 14th district, on Chicago's North Side, in April 2011 following incumbent Harry Osterman
's election to the Chicago City Council
. She was sworn-in on May 16, 2011 by Justice Mary Jane Theis
of the Illinois Supreme Court.
Cassidy is a longtime assistant in the Cook County
state’s attorney’s office. She has served since 2001 as the director of programs and development for the state's attorney's office and, before that, worked as the office's legislative liaison. Previously, Cassidy had worked as the legislative director for the Chicago chapter of the National Organization for Women
and once worked for state senate
president John Cullerton
, running his district office.
Following state representative Harry Osterman's election as 48th ward alderman in February 2011, Cassidy was one of 23 candidates to seek appointment as his successor in the state house. The 14th district, which Osterman was vacating and Cassidy now represents, includes the neighborhoods of Edgewater, Andersonville and Rogers Park.
Per Illinois law, the vacancy was filled by Democratic committeemen from the wards making up the district, their votes weighted to reflect the share of the district falling in each ward. Because more than half of the 14th district's voters live in Chicago's 48th ward, that ward's committeeman – former state senator Carol Ronen
– cast more than half of the votes and could singlehandedly pick Osterman's successor. On April 17, the committeemen unanimously selected Cassidy to fill the vacancy.
Cassidy is openly
lesbian
; her partner is Kelley Quinn. She lives with her three sons in Andersonville. She is one of three openly LGBT
members of the Illinois General Assembly
, alongside Reps. Greg Harris
and Deb Mell
, both Chicago Democrats.
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
from 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...
. She is a Democrat
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...
and a member of the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
. She was selected to represent the 14th district, on Chicago's North Side, in April 2011 following incumbent Harry Osterman
Harry Osterman
Harry Osterman is a Democratic member of the Chicago City Council, representing the 48th ward. He previously served in the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 14th District from 2000 to 2011....
's election to the Chicago City Council
Chicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 aldermen elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms...
. She was sworn-in on May 16, 2011 by Justice Mary Jane Theis
Mary Jane Theis
Mary Jane Theis is an Illinois Supreme Court Justice from Chicago, Illinois.- References :...
of the Illinois Supreme Court.
Cassidy is a longtime assistant in the Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
state’s attorney’s office. She has served since 2001 as the director of programs and development for the state's attorney's office and, before that, worked as the office's legislative liaison. Previously, Cassidy had worked as the legislative director for the Chicago chapter of the National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
and once worked for state 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...
president John Cullerton
John Cullerton
John J. Cullerton is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 6th district since his appointment in 1991. He was elected President of the Illinois Senate in 2009.- Early life :...
, running his district office.
Following state representative Harry Osterman's election as 48th ward alderman in February 2011, Cassidy was one of 23 candidates to seek appointment as his successor in the state house. The 14th district, which Osterman was vacating and Cassidy now represents, includes the neighborhoods of Edgewater, Andersonville and Rogers Park.
Per Illinois law, the vacancy was filled by Democratic committeemen from the wards making up the district, their votes weighted to reflect the share of the district falling in each ward. Because more than half of the 14th district's voters live in Chicago's 48th ward, that ward's committeeman – former state senator Carol Ronen
Carol Ronen
Carol Ronen was a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 7th District from 2000 to 2008.- Early life :Ronen graduated from Bradley University with a degree in Political Science...
– cast more than half of the votes and could singlehandedly pick Osterman's successor. On April 17, the committeemen unanimously selected Cassidy to fill the vacancy.
Cassidy is openly
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
; her partner is Kelley Quinn. She lives with her three sons in Andersonville. She is one of three openly LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
members of the Illinois General Assembly
Illinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
, alongside Reps. Greg Harris
Greg Harris (Illinois)
Gregory S. Harris is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives, having represented the state's 13th district since 2007. He was elected in November 2006, having been selected by the 13th district's Democratic ward committeemen to replace Larry McKeon as the party's nominee on the...
and Deb Mell
Deb Mell
Deborah L. "Deb" Mell is an American politician from Chicago. She is a Democrat and a member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 40th district, elected in 2008 and taking office on January 14, 2009.-Early life, education and career:...
, both Chicago Democrats.