DPOE

The Democratic Party of Evanston (DPOE) was at the forefront of political change in its suburban territory. George McGovern had carried Evanston in the 1972 general election, the first Democratic presidential candidate to win there since 1936.

Demographic changes were the primary reason for that result, as younger Progressives were moving in, replacing older Conservatives who had resided there for decades. DPOE exploited the trend with its growing network of volunteer political campaigners. But there were some bumps on the road to victory.

A DPOE-backed Aldermanic candidate running for a seat in the Republican-dominated City Council had lost a recent election by only seven votes. One homeowner who displayed her campaign signs on his front lawn hadn’t cast a ballot. Neither had any of his family members.

“I thought she had it in the bag,” the guy claimed.

He needed to recognize that an Aldermanic election was not a quaint, social event. It was serious business.