One of Us.Jeff Smith is an involved citizen who understands and can communicate the hopes and needs of our community, who has a history of standing up to powerful political interests, and who channels his passion and creativity into crafting solutions that resolve conflicts. A Chicago native who graduated from Maine South High School and Northwestern University, Jeff returned here after earning a law degree at Harvard Law School, and has practiced in both the public and private sector. Jeff and his wife Nancy have been parents, taxpayers, and homeowners in the area for over 25 years, and their children graduated from the Evanston public schools.
Broad experience in law and policy
Jeff has over 25 years' experience with legal and policy issues. He has worked in both the public and non-profit sector, including as an attorney with the City of Chicago, and serving seniors and low-income clients with the the Loyola University Community Law Center. Since 1990 Jeff has been in general civil practice, based in the north suburbs, seeing first-hand how Illinois laws affect citizens and businesses, and listening to the experiences of countless residents of this area. In hundreds of situations, he has helped parties with sharply differing points of view reach an agreement -- a skill sorely needed in our legislatures.
Broad experience in law and policy
Jeff has over 25 years' experience with legal and policy issues. He has worked in both the public and non-profit sector, including as an attorney with the City of Chicago, and serving seniors and low-income clients with the the Loyola University Community Law Center. Since 1990 Jeff has been in general civil practice, based in the north suburbs, seeing first-hand how Illinois laws affect citizens and businesses, and listening to the experiences of countless residents of this area. In hundreds of situations, he has helped parties with sharply differing points of view reach an agreement -- a skill sorely needed in our legislatures.
Progressive, independent leadership
Jeff has a proven commitment to civic reform. Since first volunteering as a teen for Ab Mikva in 1976, Jeff has worked for countless causes and candidates in Illinois and elsewhere, usually backing candidates with the greatest commitment to meaningful change. Jeff's early leadership included roles as campaign manager for the first president of the Citizens Utility Board, Illinois state coordinator for a presidential campaign, area chair for Paul Simon's U.S. Senate campaign, and an organizer for Chicago mayor Harold Washington. Jeff has supported many other candidates, from the federal to the local level, in humbler roles.
Jeff has a proven commitment to civic reform. Since first volunteering as a teen for Ab Mikva in 1976, Jeff has worked for countless causes and candidates in Illinois and elsewhere, usually backing candidates with the greatest commitment to meaningful change. Jeff's early leadership included roles as campaign manager for the first president of the Citizens Utility Board, Illinois state coordinator for a presidential campaign, area chair for Paul Simon's U.S. Senate campaign, and an organizer for Chicago mayor Harold Washington. Jeff has supported many other candidates, from the federal to the local level, in humbler roles.
Jeff has a track record of challenging the Democratic Party itself to become more focused, transparent, and inclusive, with special attention to the environment, peace and justice, and political reform. As a young activist, Jeff served for 4 years as Democratic committeeman for the 9th Congressional District. The Illinois Democratic party, under the late Chairman Vince Demuzio, helped rebuild in the suburbs and downstate.
In 1988, while committeeman, Jeff received almost a quarter-million Cook County votes as the reform candidate in a close special election for the Board of Tax Appeals, receiving strong support from Evanston, Niles, New Trier, and Northfield Townships, and many good-government endorsements. After his term as committeeman, Jeff served on the board of the Democratic Party of Evanston, challenging machine politics in a three-way race for the Cook County Board in 1994.
Most recently, Jeff was an early supporter of Barack Obama, starting in Barack's 2004 race for the Senate, and working as an election day attorney and volunteer in Indiana, Iowa, and Missouri in 2008.
In 1988, while committeeman, Jeff received almost a quarter-million Cook County votes as the reform candidate in a close special election for the Board of Tax Appeals, receiving strong support from Evanston, Niles, New Trier, and Northfield Townships, and many good-government endorsements. After his term as committeeman, Jeff served on the board of the Democratic Party of Evanston, challenging machine politics in a three-way race for the Cook County Board in 1994.
Most recently, Jeff was an early supporter of Barack Obama, starting in Barack's 2004 race for the Senate, and working as an election day attorney and volunteer in Indiana, Iowa, and Missouri in 2008.
Beyond partisan politics
Jeff has devoted much time to non-partisan causes and campaigns, serving on the boards of groups working for political reform, sustainability, peace and justice, and affordable housing. In 2007, Jeff helped guide a citizens’ campaign to preserve the Evanston Civic Center. A grassroots organizer with an unabashed populist streak, Jeff served for three years as the first president of the Central Street Neighbors Association, helping it grow to become a well-respected community organizations. Jeff is known for his advocacy of sustainability, libraries, and government accountability to residents. He has donated time to lawsuits defending fair elections. In the 2009 Evanston elections, Jeff moderated two well-attended candidate forums. In 2011, Jeff served on the Mayor's Wind Farm Committee and helped shape its report. Currently, Jeff serves on the state's Lake Michigan Offshore Wind Advisory Council, on the boards of three local organizations, and on the advisory board of the Evanston Public Library Friends.
Law and politics have never been Jeff's whole life. As a dad and citizen, he has contributed thousands of hours as a parent volunteer to school and youth groups, and to causes from affordable housing to plant habitat restoration. When not analyzing mass transit plans, organizing meetings, or penning an essay, Jeff makes omelettes and desserts, hacks around on guitar, collects too many midcentury artifacts, enjoys repairing things, and rationalizes cheering for the Cubs.
