The Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization (IVI-IPO) is an independent, not-for-profit,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

political organization. Often referred to by its acronym, IVI-IPO, has roots dating to 1944, when the Independent Voters of Illinois was founded. In 1979 the IVI merged with the Independent Precinct Organization- IPO was founded by

Dick Simpson Richard Charles Simpson (born July 28, 1943) is an Americans, American former Major League Baseball right fielder and center fielder. He played from 1962-1969 for the Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles / California Angels, Cincinnati Reds, St. Loui ...

a few years earlier and had worked to elect him Alderman of the 44th Ward as well as other independent candidates. IPO was founded to support the best candidate for a political position regardless of party affiliation and to effect political and community change through grass roots organizing. Both organizations were and are

nonpartisan Nonpartisanism is a lack of affiliation with, and a lack of bias towards, a political party. While an Oxford English Dictionary definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., in most cases, nonpartisan refers sp ...

. IVI states that it is "dedicated to

good government Good government is a normative description of how government is supposed to be constituted. It has been frequently employed by various political thinkers, ideologues and politicians. Thomas Jefferson and good government Thomas Jefferson often r ...

activism and an idealistic vision of open, honest government in Illinois through pragmatic means that confront cynicism and corruption with equal force." The organization is organized into geographical "chapters" and, while technically a statewide organization, is concentrated in the

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

area. IVI-IPO works on

voter registration drive A voter registration campaign or voter registration drive is an effort by a government authority, political party or other entity to register to vote persons otherwise entitled to vote. In some countries, voter registration is automatic, and is ca ...

s, provides voter information, and supports endorsed candidates. It endorses through a detailed questionnaire to candidates for office, followed by endorsement session vote of the "chapter," followed in some cases, such as larger offices, by a vote of the board of directors. The organization then typically prints and widely distributes, through newsprint flyers and often print media advertisement, a list of its endorsements, with explanations for voters. As the name indicates, the organization at one time attempted to build a precinct organization that was independent of the political parties. By and large, the organization no longer conducts precinct work. The organization also acts as a

lobbyist In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying, which ...

, primarily in the Illinois state legislature, on behalf of governmental reform issues. Its adopted positions are generally

liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

, and in recent years the organization, more often than not, endorses Democrats. It also endorses in primary races. The IVI-IPO supported

Harold Washington Harold Lee Washington (April 15, 1922 – November 25, 1987) was an American lawyer and politician who was the 51st Mayor of Chicago. Washington became the first African American to be elected as the city's mayor in April 1983. He served as ma ...

in the

Illinois House of Representatives The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The House under the current constitution as amended in 1980 consists of 118 re ...

and as

Mayor of Chicago The mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of city government in Chicago, Illinois, the third-largest city in the United States. The mayor is responsible for the administration and management of various city departments, submits proposals and r ...

during the 1980s "

Council Wars The Council Wars were a racially polarized political conflict in the city of Chicago from 1983 to 1986, centered on the Chicago City Council. The term came from a satirical comedy sketch of the same name written and performed by comedian and jo ...

." On January 13, 1996 the IVI-IPO endorsed community organizer

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

early in his first attempt at elected office, his first run for the Illinois Senate. In the 2008 Democratic presidential primary contest, whether

personally reviewed his answers to an IVI-IPO questionnaire filled out during his 2004 campaign for the U.S. Senate became a campaign controversy. In 2009, the IVI-IPO filed suit claiming the City of Chicago’s 2008 concession agreement for the operation of its parking meters to a private company violated state law. The current State Chairman of IVI-IPO is Alonso Edgar Zaragoza, who succeeded two-term State Chair Bob Bartell, who also served four terms in the 1990s.

References

External links

IVI-IPO home page "Reform movement grows out of dirt of corrupt politics," Chicago Sun-Times, Mar. 6, 2006, accessed on Nov. 21, 2007
{{improve cats, date=November 2021 Politics of Illinois