South Cook News

Patricia Bonk, the Republican nominee for Illinois State District 30, recently commented on voter turnout in her district and urged her constituents to actively participate in the forthcoming general election. Bonk is set to compete against incumbent Democrat William Davis.

"Poor turnout in our district, too," said Bonk, Candidate, according to Facebook. "We have to do better in November. Let your voice be heard by voting in the November general election. Column: Low voter turnout Tuesday was a sad commentary on the state of our democracy."

Bonk referenced a column from the Lake County News-Sun published in the Chicago Tribune, which was written by Charles Selle on March 24. The column focused on low voter turnout as a reflection of democracy's current state.

Screenshot of Patricia Bonk for Illinois March 29 Facebook post | Patricia Bonk's campaign Facebook page

In his column, Selle noted that out of 467,044 voters in Lake County, only 54,554 cast their ballots. This figure represents just 11.6% of the total eligible voters. He pointed out that this record surpassed the previous low of a primary election in the county recorded in 2014 when only 14% voted. In comparison, four years ago, 23.6% of voters participated in the primary election.

Selle also criticized the legislative and judicial contests statewide as "uncompetitive." He stated that according to a study by Capitol News Illinois, 88% of these races had either a single candidate or no candidate at all.

He further observed that this trend of low primary turnout has been consistent nationally for over a decade. According to Selle, partisan redistricting and the rise of what he terms "rabid progressives and right-wingers" have contributed to moderates' marginalization within both parties who might otherwise have run for office.

Bonk is not only a registered nurse but has also served as an emergency responder and firefighter for the Villages of Lemont and Northwest Homer. She currently holds office as Trustee in the Midlothian Library Board and is an active participant in the Midlothian policing committee. As a cancer survivor herself, Bonk serves as a Team Leader for the South Suburban Cancer Walk, as per her website.

Illinois’ House District 30 encompasses communities such as Dolton, South Holland, Harvey, Markham, Oak Forest, Midlothian, and Homewood. It also includes parts of Tinley Park and Olympia Fields. The district is currently represented by State Rep. Will Davis (D-Homewood), who has held his role for 20 years and has announced his intention to seek another term to represent District 30, according to Ballotpedia.