Jesse White (politician)
Jesse White | |
---|---|
Eugene Moore | |
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 8th district | |
In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1993 | |
Preceded by | Constituency established |
Succeeded by | Robert LeFlore |
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 13th district | |
In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1983 | |
Preceded by | James Houlihan |
Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
Personal details | |
Born | Jesse Clark White June 23, 1934 Alton, Illinois, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Children | 1 |
Education | Alabama State University (BA) |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Branch/service | United States Army |
Years of service | 1957–1959 |
Unit | 101st Airborne Division • Illinois National Guard |
Jesse Clark White (born June 23, 1934) is an American educator, politician and former athlete from the State of Illinois. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 37th Secretary of State of Illinois from 1999 to 2023. He was the longest-serving American to hold this office. A popular office holder, White declined to seek reelection in 2022 for a seventh term.[1] Previously, he served as the Cook County Recorder of Deeds from 1993 to 1999 and in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1975 to 1993.
Raised in Chicago, White attended
Biography
White was born in
In 1959, White founded the Jesse White Tumbling Team to serve as a positive alternative for children residing in the Chicago area. Since its inception, more than 18,500 young men and women have performed with the team.
White served as a
White became a political protégé of longtime
. In recent years he has also served as Democratic Committeeman of Chicago's 27th Ward.As Secretary of State
First elected to
White has been an advocate on traffic safety issues. In 2007, he initiated teen driver safety legislation giving Illinois one of the top-ranked[8] graduated driver licensing (GDL)[9] programs in the country. In the first full year of the new law, teen fatal crashes in Illinois dropped by over 40 percent.[10]
White has also worked to crack down on
Since taking office White has worked to improve truck safety and the CDL licensing process. In his first year in office, White initiated a comprehensive highway safety package to tighten up the rules and regulations of the CDL licensing process. Most recently, White implemented a key policy change beginning May 1, 2008 in which out-of-state Commercial driver's license holders moving to Illinois must take and pass the written and road tests before they are issued an Illinois CDL. Illinois was the first state in the nation to require these tests for licensed CDL holders moving from another state. The policy change has received praise from law enforcement and trucking industry representatives.
White has improved customer services through streamlined operations and the innovative use of technology. This has resulted in shorter than ever wait times at driver licensing facilities as more customers take advantage of new, technology-based transactions that the office has developed to better serve the public. In 2006, Internet transactions accounted for over $41 million. In 2008, these transactions accounted for over $73 million.
White continues to be an advocate for organ and tissue donation. He initiated legislation creating the First Person Consent Organ/Tissue Donor Registry, which makes a person's decision to donate legally binding.[12] Since 2006, more than 5 million[13] people have signed up for the registry.
In 1999, White inherited an office under a cloud of corruption from
The Secretary of State's office administers library grants throughout the state. In 2010, White re-directed federal funds from the Illinois State Library so that local libraries throughout Illinois could maintain a revenue flow from the state despite the state's fiscal crisis.[15]
Senate appointment of Roland Burris
In January 2009, White gained national attention for his decision to not certify
On January 9, the Supreme Court ruled that White did not have to sign his name to any appointment made by Governor Rod Blagojevich. The Court further ruled that White had fulfilled his legal obligations regarding the appointment of Burris to the U.S. Senate by registering the appointment in accordance with state law. The document registered did not include White's signature or the State Seal.[18] On January 12, the U.S. Senate officially seated Burris as Illinois’ junior senator.[19]
Election history
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jesse White (incumbent) | 3,120,207 | 68.3 | |
Republican | Jason Helland | 1,336,079 | 29.2 | |
Libertarian | Steve Dutner | 114,556 | 2.5 | |
Democratic hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jesse White (incumbent) | 2,374,849 | 65.7 | |
Republican | Michael Webster | 1,134,452 | 31.4 | |
Libertarian | Christopher Michel | 104,498 | 2.9 | |
Democratic hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jesse White (incumbent) | 2,590,222 | 69.9 | |
Republican | Robert Enriquez | 1,001,544 | 27.0 | |
Libertarian | Josh Hanson | 115,458 | 3.1 | |
Democratic hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jesse White (incumbent) | 2,204,762 | 62.8 | |
Republican | Dan Rutherford | 1,159,363 | 33.0 | |
Green
|
Karen "Young" Peterson | 115,458 | 3.2 | |
Democratic hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jesse White (incumbent) | 2,390,181 | 67.9 | |
Republican | Kristine O'Rourke Cohn | 1,051,672 | 29.9 | |
Libertarian | Matt Beauchamp | 115,458 | 3.2 | |
Democratic hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jesse White | 1,874,626 | 55.5 | |
Republican | Al Salvi | 1,437,420 | 42.5 | |
Reform | Sandra Millatti | 67,696 | 2.0 | |
Democratic gain from Republican |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jesse White | 484,798 | 55.8 | |
Democratic | Tim McCarthy | 384,603 | 44.2 | |
Total votes | 869,401 | 100 |
Other
In 1999, White was inducted into the
References
- ^ "Jesse White won't seek re-election in 2022". WAND-TV. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
- ^ a b McKinney, Dave (December 19, 2022). "Retiring Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White reveals the racism that shaped his legacy". WBEZ. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ "Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White Bio" (PDF). June 2019. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
- ^ "Famous Illinois Guardsmen - SECRETARY OF STATE JESSE C. WHITE, JR". www.il.ngb.army.mil. Archived from the original on September 9, 2005.
- ^ "Jesse White : Jesse White News and Photos". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
- ^ "Search Vote Totals". Elections.state.il.us. Archived from the original on September 29, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
- ^ Hudzik, Sam (November 8, 2010). "The fallout: 2010 elections, one week later". City Room Blog. WBEZ. Retrieved November 21, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "State GDL Laws". Iihs.org. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
- ^ "Illinois Graduated Driver Licensing System". Cyberdriveillinois.com. January 1, 2008. Archived from the original on September 20, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
- ^ "Illinois Department of Transportation". Dot.state.il.us. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
- ^ "Jesse White, MADD create new DUI legislation - News". Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
- ^ "Transplant Center | Organ Transplant Surgery St Louis Missouri Transplant Center - Transplant - Barnes-Jewish Hospital". Barnesjewish.org. Archived from the original on October 27, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
- ^ "Donate Life Illinois – Information on Organ, Tissue and Eye Donation". Donatelifeillinois.org. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
- ^ a b "Homepage". Crain's Chicago Business.
- ^ "Jesse White awards Public Library Per Capita and Equalization Aid Grants". QConline. February 5, 2010. Retrieved November 21, 2010.
- ^ Hulse, Carl; Stout, David (January 7, 2009). "Burris, Blocked From Taking Seat, Gains New Support". The New York Times.
- ^ "Why Jesse White Didn't Certify Blago's Senate Pick - Newsweek and The Daily Beast". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on September 6, 2012.
- ^ "Ronald Burris v. Jesse White (Illinois Supreme Court)". Scribd.com. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
- ^ "Senate lets Burris in". Chicago Breaking News. January 12, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
- ^ "Election Results". Archived from the original on December 29, 2018. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
- ^ "GENERAL ELECTION - 11/4/2014 SECRETARY OF STATE".
- ^ "GENERAL ELECTION - 11/2/2010 SECRETARY OF STATE".
- ^ "GENERAL ELECTION - 11/7/2006 SECRETARY OF STATE".
- ^ "GENERAL ELECTION - 11/5/2002 SECRETARY OF STATE".
- ^ "GENERAL ELECTION - 11/3/1998 SECRETARY OF STATE".
- ^ "GENERAL PRIMARY - 3/17/1998 SECRETARY OF STATE".
- ^ "Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on October 17, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 24, 2016. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
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: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
External links
- Illinois Secretary of State – official website
- Follow the Money – Jesse White: 2006 campaign cycle, 2008 "campaign" cycle contributions
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Jesse White Tumbling Team official website