Photo of candidate Mary Mahady running for IL House of Representatives, District 63.She Runs Illinois 2024! — Mary Mahady, candidate for IL House of Representatives, District 63
She Votes Illinois is pleased to feature Mary Mahady, running for IL House of Representatives, District 63. Follow our series, She Runs Illinois 2024!, leading up to election day as we showcase and uplift the voices of Illinois women running for public office in the upcoming election, November 5, 2024.
Tell us about yourself:
I have lived in McHenry County for 44 years. I raised my kids here and have always been involved in the community…school, sporting teams (kids and me), church, and Chamber of Commerce. I have two children and 4 grandbabies. I have been a REALTOR since 1987. It was this profession that got me involved in property tax and assessments. Being unhappy with the assessor in my area, I ran for and was elected as McHenry Township Assessor in 2013. I was re-elected in 2017 and 2021 and still serve in that office.
What are your top three legislative priorities you intend to focus on in office?
- Ensuring Reproductive Freedom
- Supporting and Improving Public Education
- Property Tax System Reform
What motivated you to run for office?
In my position as an assessor, I have become aware of many laws that need changing or removal around property tax. I have made efforts to bring issues to the attention of legislators, but it never goes anywhere. I need to have a seat at the table to be a voice for these changes. I am also passionate about several issues that need to be addressed to keep a bright future for Illinois. I do not believe my opponent and current holder of the position I am running for, is doing enough to listen to, understand, and represent the concerns of the residents of the district.
What initiatives will you champion to address the overlapping challenges of racial justice and gender equity in Illinois, particularly focusing on policies that promote fair treatment, opportunities, and outcomes for women of color?
I support the ERA amendment and will continue to work to get Congress to pass it. We need equal pay for equal work and access to that information in the workplace. In order to have access to better jobs and opportunities, we need to ensure good education all over the state, assist with affordable childcare, and support paid family leave.
What measures can Illinois implement to better protect women from intimate partner violence, considering high-profile cases involving the abuse and stalking of Black women like the attack on pregnant Laterria Smith and murder of her son, Jayden Perkins, by her ex-partner; and Dominique Ward’s struggles with her ex-partner’s cyberstalking?
Measures I believe will help are stronger laws on gun regulation to prevent ownership/possession by those charged with domestic violence; stricter laws around orders of protection and ways to keep a woman’s information private (property ownership records, phone numbers, etc.) so she is not able to be located; providing better support/funding for domestic abuse shelters for women and children.
What policies will you advocate for to better support women, including those with disabilities and chronic pain, who often face medical gaslighting and barriers in accessing necessary healthcare?
I would look for ways to expand mobile clinics to rural areas and telehealth access. Healthcare costs can be unaffordable, even with insurance as copays may keep people from getting the medical attention they need, so we need to look at reducing costs, especially for those just barely above the poverty line. I think expanding education along cultural lines would help as well as there can be implicit biases that people, especially people of color, have experienced and then are afraid to encounter that again. I would look at required training for healthcare professionals to help correct different treatments across cultural lines.
Closing comments
I am passionate about many issues and not shy about expressing my opinions. I want to help create safer communities, better education, and better lives for hard-working families. I know from experience that surrounding myself with smart people leads to great discussions and better solutions, especially when the people most affected are involved. I will work with anyone to get to the best solutions because that is what I believe the government is for…helping people and the greater good of society. As an elected official I have always been accessible, reasonable, and fair, which I will continue to do so at the state level. Just like many people in my district, I have often had to hold several jobs at a time to get by and have had many life experiences that help me relate to the average person because I am one.
If you would like to learn more about Mary Mahady and her platform or volunteer for her campaign, please check out her website at marymahady.com. Don’t forget to follow her on Facebook and Twitter. Reach out today and help make a difference in the upcoming 2024 election.
(The information contained in this post is provided only as general information and does not imply an endorsement by She Votes Illinois.)
