Village of Oak Park
At the Village level there are three races: Village President, Village Trustee, and Village Clerk.
Anan Abu-Taleb’s term as Village President is expiring this year, and he’s chosen not to try for a third term. The race started out with a very competitive landscape of four candidates, but it has since narrowed to two candidates, Vicki Scaman and Cate Readling.
Dan Maroney dropped out of the race for Villager President in late January, citing the growing toxicity of local politics. Simone Boutet dropped out, for a second time, in mid January, endorsing Scaman. She cited her concern that she and Scaman would split the vote for their shared constituency.
Scaman is running on experience and her long pedigree in Oak Park government, but is light on policy details. Readling has an expansive platform including policy prescriptions for a wide range of issues, with a focus on rental affordability.
There are three open Trustee seats in this election. Of the three incumbents, Deno Andrews decided to run for another term, but then dropped out, and Boutet and Maroney decided to run for Village President, but then dropped out. This leaves six candidates for three open seats, with no incumbent candidates, a very competitive race.
Three of the candidates are running under the ‘Unite Oak Park’ slate. This slate was organized by Simone Boutet originally, before she dropped out of her race. The slate’s candidates are Ravi Parrakat, Stephen Morales, and Lucia Roberts.
The other three candidates are running as a coalition supporting Black candidates for Village Trustee, ‘Represent Oak Park’. The candidates are Junta Griffin, Anthony Clark, and Chibuike Enyia. Enyia and Clark faced a ballot challenge early in the race. Enyia's challenge was dismissed due to lack of evidence, and Clark’s challenge culminated in a dramatic last minute reversal by the electoral board.
Loosely Unite Oak Park could be described as progressive, but moderately so. All of the candidates are business professionals and are generally more business and economic development oriented, with a bit of a technocratic bent.
Represent Oak Park hails from the more activist wing of progressive politics. All of the candidates are well known community activists, highlighting issues of affordability (particularly for renters), racial equity, minority representation, and policing.
This is not to say that each slate is not concerned with the issues that the other stresses, but there is definitely a unique focus of each group.
Village President - 1 seat
Cate Readling
Ten year resident of Oak Park, Readling is a well known community activist and part time Park District employee.
Key Issues
Affordable housing via an expanded IZ ordinance, develop progressive revenue sources, Racial, Economic, Social and Environmental justice.
Cate For Oak Park Village President
Vicki Scaman
A long time Oak Park resident, Scaman has a long history in Oak Park Government, currently serving as the Village Clerk.
Key issues
Experienced leadership/accountability, racial equity, sustainability.
Vote Vicki For Oak Park Village President - Vote Vicki For Oak Park
Trustee - 3 open seats
Represent Oak Park
Juanta Griffin
Oak Park resident since childhood, currently serving as the Multicultural Coordinator for our Oak Park Public Libraries.
Key issues
Affordability, particularly for renters, racial equity, youth opportunities.
Anthony Clark
Life long Oak Park resident, community activist, founder of Suburban Unity Alliance, English teacher at OPRF.
Key issues
Affordability, broadly anti-racist/anti-discrimination.
Anthony Clark for Oak Park Village Trustee | Facebook
Chibuike Enyia
Oak Park resident since childhood, founder of ‘Gameday Videos’. Youth mentor with ‘Young Life’
Key issues
Pandemic recovery, especially for low income residents and small businesses, racial equity, affordability, policing,
Chibuike Enyia for Oak Park Village Trustee (chibuikeforoakpark.com)
Unite Oak Park
Stephen Morales
The son of a Puerto Rican father and Ukranian mother, Morales is the Senior Vice President at the Marwood Group, a healthcare-focused advisory firm.
Key Issues
Equity, sustainability, mental health services, better architectural standards for development.
Stephen Morales for Village of Oak Park Trustee (stephenmorales4trustee.com)
Ravi Parrakat
A 14 year resident of Oak Park, Parrakat was raised in Kerala India. He works as a consultant to governments and businesses around the world on digital transformation and sustainable development.
Key issues
Affordable, inclusion, safety, business development, and climate/sustainability
https://raviparakkatfortrustee.nationbuilder.com/
Lucia Robinson
An Oak Park resident in childhood, Robinson returned to Oak Park in 2007 to renew her legal career after a stint as a stay at home mom.
Key Issues
Post pandemic economic recovery, building trust in government, equity
https://www.luciarobinson4trustee.com/
Village Clerk - 1 seat
Christina Waters
A long time resident with a 20+ year history of community service, she currently serves as the Deputy Clerk.
Key Issues
Transparency, Civic Engagement, rebuilding community trust.
Lucile “LouAnne” Johannesson
She moved to Oark Park after college and has worked in the administration for D97 for the last 10 years.
Key Issues
Transparency.
