For the first time in 25 years, the Village of Skokie will choose a new mayor on April 1. The occasion gives Niles North’s eighteen-year-olds the opportunity to pick the next leader of their community.

 “Obviously there’s presidential elections and all that, but individual projects and where our federal money goes—the Skokie mayor and all of them have a lot of say in that,” senior Bobby Schneider said of the event. “Voting for someone who represents what you want is very important.”

Some new voters may have already made their choices. Senior Tulsi Shah, for example, is set to vote for Ann Tennes, out of a desire to see more small businesses being attracted to the village. She also appreciates how Tennes “talks a lot about transparency in the Skokie government.” Others, like Schneider, might have less of an idea of who their mayoral candidates are. To aid young voters in their choice, North Star News has researched each person seeking to attain the office of the mayor. 

Ann Tennes

Originally from Des Plaines, Tennes served in Skokie for 25 years as the first director of marketing and communications, retiring in 2023. Tennes has also served roles on the Oakton Community College Board of Trustees, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, and Skokie Rotary Club.

Tennes’ platform relies most on issues of what she calls the “erosion” of financial and leadership decisions, “erosion” in the village’s willingness to step up in times of crisis, and “erosion” of the Village Hall’s system to hear community voices. Tennes believes that the village has made several mistakes in the past year regarding the hotel on Oakton.

“The village board entered into an agreement with an undercapitalized and well-meaning but unreliable partner,” Tennes said. “But what makes it even more problematic is that this is the second time this has happened in the recent past.”

Tennes also promises a commitment to economic development within small Skokie businesses.

“Economic development has to be upfront,” Tennes said. “That has to be of concern, because the revenue that the village gets from our economy is important to supporting the services that make Skokie such a wonderful, great community, so that that certainly is key.”

Charles Isho

Isho is an interior decorator who has worked in Skokie for 20 years, according to his campaign website. His campaign promises include addressing “rodent problems” in Skokie, attracting business to the village, and creating social opportunities for senior citizens. Isho’s campaign website also announces his intent to work with law enforcement on matters of safety, as well as commitments to “empowering women for progress” and “promoting culture diversity and inclusion.”

“Together, we can promote growth, inclusivity, and progress, ensuring that Skokie remains a place we are all proud to call home,” Isho’s campaign website reads.

Isho has not responded to interview requests from North Star News. No interviews with or profiles of him are available online.

David “Azi” Lifsics

Having previously served as legal counsel to a Chicago alderman, Lifsics became involved in Skokie’s local government after moving to the village. (He also spent three years as a general-practice lawyer with the Law Offices of Paul Chatzky, before joining the firm Mauer and Madoff.) Attending board meetings brought Lifsics to know Skokie’s former mayor, George Van Dusen, who has endorsed him, and whose work he has vowed to continue. His campaign website includes promises to maintain support for Skokie’s emergency services and its Health Department, as well as the village’s at-large method of selecting representatives. “I really love what the mayor has created here,” Lifsics said in an interview.

Lifsics named the presence of rats in Skokie as one of the village’s foremost problems, which he proposes to fight in part by providing twice-weekly garbage collection. Meanwhile, in order to attract new shops to Skokie, Lifsics proposes an “ambassador program” through which residents can offer information about Skokie to businesses they encounter while traveling. He has suggested signing up residents for Smart911 (the system Skokie uses to send out information during emergencies) while they acquire vehicle stickers. In addition, Lifsics proposes creating a “searchable database” of information about past and current village budgets, as well as employing a wider variety of methods for sending information to residents. He has also placed emphasis on strengthening the relationship between village residents and Skokie police. 

Online voting registration in Illinois closed on March 16, but it is still possible to register in person until March 31 or on Election Day—April 1. Further information can be found on the village website.