Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Park Forest Trustee Erin Slone, who was narrowly elected to the village board in April of 2021, has thrown her name into the ring as a challenger in the Democratic primary for the newly remapped 79th Illinois House district and is currently circulating nominating petitions. The primary for both Republican and Democratic candidates will be held on June 28, with the midterm general election on November 8.
Slone noted that while she is pleased to represent Park Forest as a trustee, her year in office has convinced her that she can have a bigger impact as a state representative. “Many issues that confront Park Forest did not originate and cannot be solved on the local level,” she explained. She pointed to education funding reform and the impact of statewide mandates as issues that can only be addressed at the state level.
Slone also believes that Park Forest is at a disadvantage due to its location on the far southern edge of Cook County and the northern edge of Will County and is often overlooked when county decisions are made. This makes the need for a stronger presence on the state level more important.
Candidates for the Illinois house need to collect between 400 and 1000 signatures on their nominating petitions. Slone said that she is collecting signatures throughout the new district, not just from the Park Forest area. She stated that she has been warmly received by democratic organizations from the southern portion of the district.
When asked if she will resign her position as Park Forest Trustee if elected in November, she was uncertain about the rules regarding whether the two positions were legally compatible, but made clear that she believes she can have a bigger impact at the state level.
