HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS · NOVEMBER 3, 2026
Nearly 75% of Highland Park Voted YES for Change
Thank you to every resident who voted, volunteered, wrote, or talked to a neighbor. Now we build what comes next: new leadership, fresh ideas, and a community-driven vision for Highland Park.
THE RESULT
Term limits passed with nearly three-quarters of the vote
74.74%
voted YES
9,577 to 3,237
YES votes to NO votes
12,814
votes cast, with 100% of precincts reporting
On November 3, Highland Park voters approved the binding public question to establish term limits for the elected offices of Mayor and Councilmember. Source: Lake County Clerk, unofficial results.
WHAT’S NEXT
Highland Park’s Next Chapter Requires Fresh Ideas, New Leadership and Community Engagement
Successful organizations, whether businesses, nonprofits, or governments, need regular rejuvenation. Creative thinking, fresh ideas, new perspectives, and opportunities for new leadership are essential to continued growth. Good leaders do more than manage what they inherit. They develop the next generation of leaders and leave their organizations better prepared for the future.
Term limits were never the ultimate goal. Our objective has always been to encourage broader participation, new leadership, and a stronger, more vibrant Highland Park. Now our attention turns to the April 2027 municipal elections, when voters will select our next mayor and help determine the direction of the City Council.
Highland Park Forward believes our city is a wonderful place to call home but maintaining what we have is not the same as preparing for what comes next. In our view, the city is falling behind neighboring communities and has not delivered the comprehensive, forward-looking vision Highland Park needs to attract new investment, strengthen our business community, and create new opportunities for residents.
Consider that much of Highland Park’s comprehensive planning framework dates to the early 2000s, before the introduction of the iPhone. Since then, the ways people work, shop, communicate, and engage with their communities have changed dramatically. While an update to the City’s comprehensive plan is now underway, we believe it is long overdue.
Highland Park needs more than a plan to maintain what exists. We need a clear vision for what our community can become over the next 10, 20, and 30 years, supported by meaningful goals and accountability for results.
Fresh leadership alone is not enough. Voters must remain engaged. We must encourage capable people to serve, welcome new ideas, participate in shaping our future, and hold our elected officials accountable.
Our vision rests on three commitments
Open, accountable government
We will ask every candidate how they will keep residents informed and give them a real voice before decisions are made.
A thriving business community
We will ask how candidates will support local businesses and keep downtown vibrant, walkable, and welcoming.
Broader participation
We will ask how candidates will recruit and prepare the next generation of leaders and make it easier for residents to take part.
Highland Park has extraordinary strengths, talented residents, strong institutions, and tremendous potential. Highland Park Forward will continue working to bring people together, encourage new leadership, and advance a community-driven vision for our city’s future.
Our next chapter should be defined not simply by what Highland Park has been, but by what it can become.
MEET THE CANDIDATES
Hear From Those Who Want to Lead
Read why candidates for City offices say they are running. Statements are published as submitted, in the order received. Park District and School Board statements will be added as they arrive. Publication is not an endorsement.
Candidates: Share Your Vision
We invite all candidates for City, Park District and School Board offices in Highland Park to send a personal statement for posting on this site. All statements are posted, regardless of any endorsement. We are also forming a group to interview candidates and will make endorsements for Mayor and City Council. Candidates who want to take part should send their statements by Friday, November 13, 2026.
Email 60035info@gmail.com. See the Ground Rules on the Candidate Introductions page.
A CALL FOR CIVILITY
Learn Their Why. Respect the Person.
Every candidate has a vision for Highland Park. Take the time to hear it, and keep the conversation respectful.
What HP Forward Works On
Good Government
Accountable, transparent local government, with leadership opportunities that regularly open to new voices while preserving experienced oversight.
Business Vitality
Supporting the local businesses that make Highland Park distinctive, and a downtown that stays vibrant, walkable, and welcoming.
Community Engagement
Broader participation in civic life, from council meetings to neighborhood conversations to volunteer opportunities for every resident.
Stay Informed
Get updates on community issues, events, and opportunities to participate.
Highland Park Forward is a nonpartisan Political Action Committee promoting vibrancy and good government in Highland Park. Paid for by Highland Park Forward, an IL nonpartisan Political Action Committee.