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The Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization (IVI-IPO) is an independent, not-for-profit,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Roc ...
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 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. IVI states that it is "dedicated to good government 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 = List of sovereign states, Count ...
area. IVI-IPO works on voter registration drives, 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 Precinct may refer to: * An electoral precinct * A police precinct * A religious precinct * A shopping precinct or shopping mall ** A Pedestrian zone Places * A neighborhood, in Australia * A unit of public housing in Singapore * A former elect ...
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, 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." 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 (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
early in his first attempt at elected office, his first run for the Illinois Senate. In the 2008 Democratic presidential primary contest, whether
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 (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
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 Bob, BOB, or B.O.B. may refer to: Places * Mount Bob, New York, United States *Bob Island, Palmer Archipelago, Antarctica People, fictional characters, and named animals * Bob (given name), a list of people and fictional characters *Bob (surnam ...
, 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