West Cook News

Calvin Lindstrom, a pastor and administrator at the Church of Christian Liberty, has expressed concerns about low voter participation in local elections. He said on the Prairie State Wire Podcast that such low turnout allows a small minority to control decisions on local boards.

"Think about that, less than 10% determine who actually has the power on the school boards, library boards, some of those local matters," said Lindstrom, Pastor School Administrator. "So it's a very small minority of people. So in a sense, I'd say we're a constitutional republic, and our elected officials are voted in through a democratic process."

Voter turnout in Illinois local races has shown significant variation, with notably high engagement in Chicago’s first elected school board contests on November 5, 2024. According to Chalkbeat Chicago, 53% of registered voters participated in these board races. This rate is significantly higher than the usual single-digit or low-double-digit turnout for school or library boards. The increased participation was attributed to both the overlap with the presidential election and the historic nature of the school board vote.

According to Ballotpedia, average participation in Illinois elections indicates that statewide contests attract more voters than local ones. The state's presidential election turnout in 2024 was 63.3% of eligible voters, compared to 45.8% in the 2022 midterms. Long-term analysis from 2002–2024 places Illinois’ average turnout at 53.7%, highlighting how local boards draw far fewer voters by comparison.

Comparisons reveal that Illinois local elections fall behind national patterns of engagement, with most stand-alone school or library board contests drawing below 20% turnout. As reported by Chalkbeat Chicago, Chicago’s 2024 board race was an exception at 53% because it coincided with the general election. Typically, off-cycle races align with national studies showing school board turnout often under 10%.

Lindstrom serves as pastor of the Church of Christian Liberty and as Pastor & Administrator of Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights. According to Christian Liberty Academy, he holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Illinois and a Master of Divinity from Whitefield Theological Seminary. His dual leadership role connects church ministry with private school administration.