Term limits in Highland Park? Referendum has early, slim council support

A measure that could drastically shape the future of elected office in Highland Park appears to have just enough support to move forward.

Highland Park’s City Council during its Monday, May 11 Committee of the Whole session held a preliminary policy discussion on term limits, and while no binding action was taken, a narrow-enough majority of four councilmembers signaled their support for further consideration.

Before councilmembers detailed the specifics of their support or lack thereof, Megan Cherry, a management analyst for the city, briefly presented on important background related to the matter.

Any change to the terms of office must be approved via referendum, meaning Highland Park voters will have the ultimate say on whether or not term limits are instituted, Cherry noted.

That referendum can be initiated by the City Council or via a filed written petition from city voters.

If term limits are advanced, they would not impact the terms of current councilmembers, officials said during the session, noting that per Illinois law, term limits cannot be backdated.

Also notably, Highland Park currently has staggered elections, meaning all seats on the City Council are not up for election at the same time.

Background

As part of the background research presented to the council, Cherry also detailed how nearby municipalities handle term limits.

Within The Record’s coverage area, both Skokie and Wilmette have term limits. Skokie most recently adopted them when voters approved a series of updates to elected office during the November 2024 election.

Winnetka, Glencoe and Kenilworth all have what was described as “informal” term limits, meaning that while municipal codes contain no formal ordinances, elected officials typically step down after two terms.

Nearby Highwood, Deerfield and Libertyville do not have any formal or informal term restrictions.

4 vs. 3

Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, who is serving her fourth four-year term, opened the council’s discussions with a strong assertion expressing her position against term limits.

“I personally believe voter choice is one of the most important democratic principles that we can uphold,” Rotering said.

She noted that there is “clearly” a question about term limits among the council but added she “believes” in the city’s voters. She reiterated her stance at multiple points during the council’s deliberations.

Annette Lidawer, who was the first councilmember to speak, said she has “always philosophically believed in term limits for many, many years,” adding that she believes “it’s a really wonderful step that (the city) could take.”

“I do think it’s a wonderful way to let the voters decide and to bring in new leadership and energy more openly into the process,” Lidawer said.

As part of her reasoning, Lidawer said newcomers face a daunting task to overcome incumbency. She also suggested that term limits could be a means of getting more residents and families involved in local government.

“I don’t think government should become totally dependent on one or one group of officials,” she said. “I think it’s better to have a deeper bench and to bring people up and train them. It cultivates future leaders. It avoids a concentration of influence by one group.”

Councilmember Yumi Ross shared similar sentiments regarding the challenges of facing incumbency, saying that some believe elected officials have an “insurmountable” advantage.

Ross expressed that she is of the belief that “nobody should have a lifetime position in government.”

Jon Center, the most recent addition to the council, also supported term limits, saying “every good organization has leadership changes.”

While saying he has always been in favor of term limits, Councilmember Andrés Tapia described the matter as an “inclusion issue.”

He went on to suggest that term limits could be a “systematic, structural way to clear the way on a regular basis for new voices to come in.”

And, in part of his remarks, Tapia said Highland Park does not have “as much diversity on the council as it should given the kind of city we are.”

Rotering quickly rebuked that remark by pointing out that when she first was elected mayor in 2011, she was joined by six men on the council. Now, Rotering noted, the council is evenly split with three men and three women (aside from Rotering as the mayor) and includes two people of color and has at least two members with disabilities.

“I think that inclusion has been a wonderful part of the colleagues that I’ve been serving with,” she said.

Joining Rotering in opposition to term limits were Anthony Blumberg and Barisa Bruckman.

Bruckman said she believes “elections are the most direct form of term limits.” She also noted she had concerns about the “institutional knowledge” the council may lose if the limits were enacted.

Next steps

If a proposal is drafted, the council will still need to flesh out several key details, including the length of the potential limits (two versus three terms) as well as if those will be accounted for in consecutive or cumulative terms.

Those who did support the potential ordinance made it clear they’d want a potential referendum to be placed on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot.

To ensure that happens, the council would need to approve a resolution that would officially place the question on voters’ ballots no later than Aug. 16 of this year.

Councilmembers plan to hold another session to finalize the details of the resolution — which they will still need to formally approve during a regular session of the City Council — during an upcoming Committee of the Whole meeting, officials said.

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