Mayor Brandon Johnson answers questions about elections, democracy

Mayor Brandon Johnson returned to WBEZ 91.5 on Monday to answer listeners' questions live on the morning talk show “In the Loop” with host Sasha-Ann Simons.

The mayor has proposed democracy zones at polling places, which was scheduled for a vote in the City Council last week but was delayed. The move would ensure residents have access to secure mailboxes at a time when vote-by-mail is becoming increasingly popular; ensure poll workers don't get doxxed, intimidated or harassed; and prevent federal agents from enforcing immigration in zones around polling places.

"I'm going to use every single tool that's available to me, whether it's through litigation, whether it's through executive orders," Johnson said. "In this instance, I believe the City Council should participate. ... These are unprecedented times, and I can't emphasize that enough that cities would have to defend themselves from federal overreach."

For Chicagoans who may feel intimidated to show up to a polling place tomorrow, Johnson said: "Go vote. ... To ensure that democracy is alive, it is always going to be worth showing up on behalf of our values of working people to cast our vote. The Trump administration wants to instill that type of fear to prevent us from exercising our power. Our collective voice is really our strength. There will be scores of people showing up to vote, and because of that, you're not alone."

Andrea from Rogers Park asked if there can be a referendum question during a future election about unmarked police cars, an issue she said has concerned her neighbors and friends.

"Having clear delineation or distinction of law enforcement has to be a happy balance," Johnson said. "I'm happy to explore how many unmarked [police] presence we have in the city of Chicago."

As for whether such a question could make it on a ballot at some point: "There aren't too many questions that you can't ask the voters," Johnson said. "You can do it by precincts, you can do it by wards, you can do it citywide. I think that's a good exercise of our democracy and our involvement in democracy."

Last month, Johnson talked about an executive order aiming to create new ways to hold U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents accountable for alleged wrongdoing.

"The state’s attorney has made it clear she would prosecute criminal behavior if there was evidence brought to her," Johnson said. "So now there is a clear directive that I’ve provided to my police department to ensure that evidence is not just collected, but it’s preserved."

Johnson has previously answered listener questions about community resources for kids, job opportunities for Black Chicagoans, teen curfew concerns and locking horns with City Council over the city budget.

WBEZ’s “In the Loop” connects you with the people behind the stories: experts, neighbors and newsmakers who shape the city we share. For more on “In the Loop” and to listen to their segments, visit their website. You can also listen to the show on Spotify or the WBEZ app.