Lake Forest Caucus officials are now looking ahead following another setback by the organization’s general membership.
On Jan. 24, nearly 63 % of Caucus members voted to approve a bylaw amendment that would have allowed electronic and mail-in voting for Caucus elections, in addition to the longstanding in-person option. The amendment had been endorsed by the 43-member Caucus Committee. However, Caucus rules require a two-thirds majority to amend the bylaws, and the proposal fell short of that threshold.
The outcome mirrored the result of a vote at the Oct. 14, 2025, Caucus annual meeting, when more than 64 % supported the change, but the measure fell 21 votes short of passage. Caucus leadership at the time attributed the shortfall in part to Metra delays that prevented some residents from reaching the Gorton Center as they were commuting from downtown Chicago.
In response, leadership called a second vote, making some changes to the amendment language and scheduling the election on a Saturday to address concerns about weekday accessibility. While turnout in the special election roughly doubled despite the frigid conditions, the percentage of votes in favor of the amendment declined slightly.
Caucus President Regina Etherton said she was disappointed with the results, noting that leadership’s goal was to broaden participation by offering alternative voting options. Opponents of the change, however, cited concerns about vote security and verification and argued that the Caucus should focus its efforts elsewhere.
The defeats mark the latest challenge during a turbulent period for the longtime Lake Forest institution.
In November 2022, the Caucus Committee endorsed Stanford “Randy” Tack for mayor over former alderwoman Prue Beidler. In what is traditionally a “pro forma” vote the general membership did not approve the endorsement. With the bylaws unclear on how to proceed, the committee continued its support of Tack, who went on to defeat Beidler in a rare contested municipal election.
Following that episode, Caucus leadership proposed eliminating the general membership vote from the endorsement process, but that measure was rejected in November 2023.
In 2024, the general membership initially voted down the Caucus leadership slate for the following year before approving it in a second vote.
Amid those events, the Caucus formed an ad hoc committee, facilitated by former City Manager Bob Kiely, to examine how the organization should respond when the general membership votes down a proposal or candidate endorsement. The committee recommended that, in certain circumstances, the matter revert to the Caucus Committee, which would then present multiple options to provide members with greater choice.
Etherton said the electronic voting proposal aligned with the ad hoc committee’s work and was intended to address concerns about voter participation, adding that leadership planned to revisit broader bylaw changes in the future.
Opposition to the electronic voting amendment included former Caucus external communications chairman Tyler Lisenby, who resigned following a dispute with leadership. Lisenby said he remains a supporter of the Caucus but objected to its recent focus on electronic voting.
“I disagreed with the approach the Caucus was taking in focusing on internet voting while sidelining more substantive issues regarding binding bylaws and how to handle a no vote from the general membership,” Lisenby said.
He also said he was not permitted to inform members that a Caucus vice president had resigned last year.
“If I am not allowed to do my job,” Lisenby said, “Why am I here?”
Etherton declined to comment directly on Lisenby’s claims. She acknowledged there have been other resignations from Caucus leadership and ward representatives, saying some departures stemmed from dissatisfaction with leadership selections. She added that many others were due to unrelated factors, including members moving out of Lake Forest, health issues, or changes in professional commitments.
Another prominent opponent of the proposed bylaw change was former state Sen. Susan Garrett, who said she continues to believe in the mission of the Caucus.
“I think the Caucus has been a stabilizing force in the community for decades, and they do a great job recruiting qualified candidates,” Garrett said. “Somehow, they lost their way with these voting and bylaw issues, and I think once they get back to their mission, they will regain the trust and support they’ve always had.”
Etherton said there will not be a third vote on electronic voting and said she is frustrated.
“It does get disheartening for Caucus members who are working their butts off to try and do something positive for the community,” she said.
Looking ahead, the Caucus will hold its spring meeting in March, during which it will set its executive slate for the 2026–27 year. Current vice president Scott Nehls is expected to succeed Etherton as president.
Municipal elections are scheduled for March 17, with incumbent alderwomen Nancy Novit and Alice LeVert seeking new terms, and Rosemary Kehr and Lloyd Culbertson looking to join the City Council. None of the candidates, all of whom are endorsed by the Caucus formal opposition, according to Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega.
The Caucus will also begin the process of endorsing a mayoral candidate to succeed Tack, whose tenure concludes in 2027, as Lake Forest mayors serve two two-year terms.
Founded in 1935, the Caucus vets and recommends candidates for local boards, commissions, and elected offices. Candidates who receive Caucus endorsements for positions such as City Council or school board are often unopposed in municipal elections.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.