Vote YES for Remote Voting for Lake Forest Caucus

For over 90 years, the Lake Forest Caucus has provided a nonpartisan, community-centered method for selecting our mayors, aldermen and commission members. Because of that tradition and civic structure, Lake Forest enjoys the lowest municipal property tax rate on the North Shore and in Lake County, and has largely avoided the partisan gridlock and polarization that plague many other communities.

This week, the Caucus is asking registered voters to consider a bylaws amendment to add a secure electronic voting option for future Caucus elections. Voting takes place on Tuesday, October 14, from 2 to 8 p.m. at Gorton Community Center, 400 E. Illinois Rd., in Lake Forest.

Bridging Participation Gaps Without Replacing In-Person Voting
This amendment would add, not replace, an electronic remote voting option. In-person voting at Gorton remains entirely intact. The change is meant to help residents who can’t attend in person — such as students away at college, military service members, people with disabilities, or those hospitalized or traveling.

The Caucus has vetted two reputable systems — Simply Voting and eBallot — both employing encryption, authentication, and audit logs. These systems are used by universities, associations, and nonprofits, and allow closed, secure ballots rather than public internet voting.

Responding to Concerns and Misinformation
Former State Senator Susan Garrett recently circulated an email — and likewise expressed her objections on The Lake Forest Podcast — citing cybersecurity, cost, and integrity risks. But the facts tell a different story:

• These systems are modest in cost, auditable, and designed for verification and security.
• In-person voting is unchanged — nothing is removed or replaced.
• Ironically, in 2009, then-Senator Garrett voted for the current statewide vote-by-mail system in Illinois. Her vote helped create a far more expensive and less secure model than the option now proposed by the Caucus.

Preserving What Makes Lake Forest Strong
Part of what sets Lake Forest apart is having a local process rooted in community engagement — not in partisan party machines. This bylaw change doesn’t alter that foundation; it strengthens it by giving more people the opportunity to participate.

As a parent, I find it difficult to explain why my children, attending college out of state, can vote in presidential and state elections remotely, yet are excluded from their hometown Caucus election. This amendment corrects that inconsistency while preserving security, transparency, and our nonpartisan tradition.

For more information, visit www.lakeforestcaucus.com.

Joe Weiss is a Lake Forest resident, co-host of The Lake Forest Podcast, and a former local elected official.