OpEd: The Dolton Election Was No Surprise—But Low Voter Turnout Should Be a Wake-Up Call (Chicago, IL) — The results of Dolton’s recent election were anything but shocking. Mayor Tiffany Henyard was overwhelmingly defeated, an outcome many saw coming long before election day. The only person who may have been caught off guard was Henyard herself. However, while her loss was expected, what should concern us is the continued trend of low voter participation.
Low Turnout Reflects a Bigger Issue. Dolton has nearly 16,000 registered voters, yet only 4,400 participated in this election. This isn’t just a Dolton issue—it’s happening throughout the South Suburbs. Residents who pay taxes and rely on city services are disengaged from the very process that determines how their communities are run.
Why? Because people don’t see the value in civic engagement when politics feels more like a messy reality show than a public service. The personal attacks, corruption scandals, and partisan bickering have driven voters away. When people believe that no matter who is in charge, the outcome will be the same, they check out. This isn’t just a local issue—it’s a national one.
Where Is the Oversight? Despite all the attention on Dolton, I have yet to hear a real plan for community oversight and enforcement mechanisms to ensure what happened under Henyard’s leadership doesn’t happen again. The election result alone won’t fix mismanagement, lack of accountability, or misuse of public funds. Without structural changes, Dolton could easily find itself in the same situation under different leadership.
Tiffany Henyard Wasn’t the Cause—She Was a Symptom. Let’s be clear—Tiffany Henyard is not the root cause of Dolton’s problems. The South Suburbs, like many communities across the country, have long struggled with corruption, financial mismanagement, and leaders prioritizing personal agendas over the public good. Henyard’s administration simply put a national spotlight on issues that have existed for decades.
A New Approach to Leadership. Politicians are public servants—not our personal allies or power brokers. Communities must take a more active role in governance by demanding accountability, transparency, and measurable progress.
We need community-driven approaches that center residents in decision-making, create independent oversight, and introduce scorecards to track progress. If we fail to hold leaders accountable, we will continue seeing the same cycle of mismanagement and public distrust, no matter who is in office.The Dolton election may be over, but the real work has just begun. Will we demand change, or will we allow history to repeat itself?
OpEd: The Dolton Election Was No Surprise—But Low Voter Turnout Should Be a Wake-Up Call
