Local lawmakers denounce ‘scam’ ballots, endorsements sent to New Trier voters

(Editor’s Note: Alex Harrison reported this story for Evanston RoundTable, a neighboring independent newsroom. It was shared with The Record as part of an ongoing collaborative effort.)

A group of North Shore elected officials issued a letter on Monday calling out a “scam sample ballot” recently mailed to voters across New Trier Township.

The mailer appears to imitate the New Trier Democrats organization in style and content but shares an endorsement slate that changes three NTD recommendations for races in the March 17 primary election.

The mailers were first received by voters on Thursday, according to Patrick Hanley, president of the New Trier Dems and a candidate for the 9th District state senate seat that Laura Fine is vacating for a Congressional run.

Hanley issued a news release that day condemning them as “Madigan-style politics,” which included reference photos.

The “scam” mailers are presented from the New Trier Township Progressive Organization with a mailing address as a P.O. box in Glencoe and a postal permit out of Palatine. The mailer’s logo also mimic that of the New Trier Democrats’.

No New Trier Township Progressive Organization is registered with the Illinois State Board of Elections, and no trace of the group can be found online.

On the front side, the mailers show images of President Donald Trump and U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino alongside a call for Democrats to “stand up to Trump and protect our values,” with early voting information included further below.

On the back side is a purported list of endorsements, which mostly matches the New Trier Dems’ legitimate endorsement slate except for three notable changes: Rachel Ruttenberg, instead of Hanley, for the state’s 9th senate seat; Holly Kim and Margaret Croke, instead of just Kim, for Illinois comptroller; and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton for U.S. Senate, a race in which the New Trier Dems did not offer an endorsement.

Besides Hanley’s news release, the New Trier Dems also sent an email alert to members about the mailers on Thursday and reportedly conducted an “emergency canvas” on Saturday to inform voters they’re fake.

Then, Monday morning, a group of elected officials representing parts of New Trier Township issued a co-signed letter asking voters who received the mailer to “discard it and alert your neighbors.”

“Sadly, this means that an individual or organization has now spent thousands of dollars to try and manipulate voters in our Township,” the letter states. “This effort is disrespectful to the choices made by the neighbors, volunteers, and members of the New Trier Democrats during an open and rigorous endorsement process which took place on January 25th.”

The letter is signed by U.S. Reps. Jan Schakowsky (9th District) and Brad Schneider (10th); State Sens. Laura Fine (9th District) and Julie Morrison (29th); State Reps. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (17th District), Robyn Gabel (18th), Tracy Katz Muhl (57th) and Bob Morgan (58th); Cook County Commissioner Scott Britton (14th District); and New Trier Democratic Committeeperson Dean Maragos.

Ruttenberg, who serves deputy committeeperson for the Democratic Party of Evanston, told the RoundTable via text she “had absolutely nothing to do with” the mailers, and only learned about them from the New Trier Dems’ email alert and from a request for comment from online political outlet Capitol Fax. She posted a video to Facebook on Saturday indirectly addressing the mailers, saying her campaign doesn’t “engage in games or tricks.”

“I don’t even usually speak of my opponent, and if I do, I just simply name him and say that I believe that I’m the more qualified person for the job,” Ruttenberg said in the video. “I hope that you’ll continue to join us as we engage in this winning strategy through Election Day.”

Local early voting began Monday at the Robert Crown Community Center and other sites around Cook County. More coverage and election resources can be found on the RoundTable’s election landing page.

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