JOLIET, IL — The polls have now closed, and results will soon begin to roll in for the June 28 General Primary election in the District 98 race for state representative. Voters who live in the boundaries of District 98 had to choose on the Democrat side between incumbent Natalie Manley and her challenger, Barry Haywood. There were no Republican candidates on the ballot.
Since taking office in 2013, State Rep. Manley has represented the voters across the 98th District. District 98 includes Joliet, Crest Hill, unincorporated Crystal Lawns, plus Bolingbrook, Romeoville and Shorewood.
Patch will update the vote totals as they roll in:
There are several townships within the 98th District of the state house: Joliet, Lockport, Wheatland, Troy, DuPage and Plainfield.
According to her political biography, Manley has been an active community volunteer with Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties; HUGS of Shorewood; as a former board member with CASA of Will County. She has also been a local radio show co-host. She is married and has one daughter.
In the Illinois General Assembly, Manley has been on the business and innovation subcommittee; the Elementary & Secondary Education: School Curriculum & Policies Committee; the Ethics & Elections Committee; the Labor & Commerce Committee; Police & Fire Committee and the Workforce Development Subcommittee.
According to the Illinois House Democrats website, Manley has had a leading role in the passage of several bills and other legislation in recent months. In March, Manley passed a bill to require supermarkets to show the discounted price of an item at the time of sale.
“This bill requires the sale price of the item to be displayed at the point of sale,” Manley said in a news release. “There should be no more wondering if the computer system gave you a discount or having to hope the discount will be taken off at the end.”
.jpg)
According to Manley’s office, House Bill 2910 requires supermarkets to display the regular price of an item and the discounted price of an item at the point of sale, instead of delaying the display of the discounted price until the total price is displayed.
“The cost of groceries has drastically increased and many of us are making purchases based on sale information,” Manley stated. “This legislation will protect shoppers and their money.”
On April 7, Manley announced that she supported a package of legislative measures to defend women’s bodily autonomy and reproductive health care rights.
“Any decision regarding reproductive health care is incredibly personal, and should be made without government interference,” Manley announced in April. “Women deserve the right to make their own health care decisions, which is why I will always support a woman’s right to choose.”
Manley indicated that even though reproductive health care rights are under attack across the nation, Illinois stands strong in its commitment to protecting the fundamental right to safe and legal reproductive health care free from excessive government restrictions.
Manley said she voted for House Resolution 789 to bring more awareness to reproductive rights and to show Illinois leads the nation in protecting and respecting women.
“A government’s job is to respect and protect its citizens, not control their personal health care decisions,” Manley announced at the time of her vote. “In Illinois, we stand up for women’s rights, especially their right to decide what happens to their body and health.”
Also in April, Manley noted that she sponsored the Off-Hours Child Care Act to provide monetary assistance to child care centers so that they can care for the children of those who work nontraditional shifts. House Bill 1571 passed the House of Representatives and headed to the Senate for consideration, according to her staff.
“This bill has deep meaning to me because I lived it,” Manley announced at the time of her vote in April. “I worked overnights in Chicago when my daughter was young and finding someone to reliably care for her during those shifts was very difficult.
“If the last few years have shown us anything; it’s that our work force has been asked to adapt and reinvent the workplace. Many people have had to work either extended hours or had to take positions that were outside of common day-care provider hours.”
According to Manley, House Bill 1571 gives the Illinois Department of Human Services authority to design an off-hours child care program that both addresses and meets the unique needs of those who work outside stereotypical hours.
“A lack of child care is a source of great stress and, without question, a barrier to job security.” Manley added. “Providing workers, such as first responders, medical professionals, and other shift workers, an option for child care during their work hours is a huge help for these families.”
As for her opponent in Tuesday’s primary, Haywood does not have an active social media presence. A recent election profile in The Chicago Sun-Times noted that Haywood does not have a campaign website.
According to the Illinois Sunshine website, which tracks political campaign contributions for Illinois candidates, Haywood donated a total of $178 to the campaign of Joliet Democrat Rachel Ventura during 2021.
Ventura is a Will County Board member, who also ran for Congress against Bill Foster two years ago. On Tuesday, Ventura is on the ballot again, this time running against State Senator Eric Mattson in the Democratic primary for the District 43 race.
The Illinois Sunshine Database does not list any political action committees set up to raise funds for Haywood’s campaign against Manley.
On the other hand, the Friends of Manley campaign committee now has $786,936. Of that total, $156,649 has been raised since March 31.
On June 6, Friends of Manley received a $55,000 contribution from JB For Governor; on June 10, Manley received $1,500 from CAR of Illinois as well as: $2,500 from AFSCME Illinois Council No. 31 PAC, $2,500 from Caesars Enterprise Services, $3,000 from NRG Energy Inc., $5,000 from Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council and $5,000 from Stand For Children Illinois PAC,
Manley also received three separate donations all ranging between $10,200 and $10,300 from the Democrats for the Illinois House, $20,000 from AFT Local 604, $20,000 from the Realtor Political Action Committee and two more donations of $1,644 from the Democrats for the Illinois House on June 18.
.jpg)
