AustinTalks (http://austintalks.org/tag/brandon-johnson/)
The measure, which will take effect in November, will ensure that housing providers don’t consider certain aspects of someone’s criminal record — such as arrests, juvenile records, and sealed and expunged records — when making housing determinations. Commissioner Brandon Johnson, an Austin resident who was elected to the board last year, was the chief sponsor of the amendment.
The newly elected commissioner and the rest of the Cook County Board is being sworn in Dec. 3 for four-year terms.
Brandon Johnson will begin representing the 1st District on the Cook County Board of Commissioners Dec. 3.
Austin residents can still register to vote in next month’s election. Dozens of races are on the ballot, including governor, attorney general, the Illinois General Assembly, Congress and judges.
Johnson spoke to members of the Austin African American Business Networking Association at their monthly meeting. The former teacher and union organizer defeated the incumbent, Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin, in the March 20 Democratic primary
Nearly a week after the March 20th primary, the first-term incumbent called his opponent Monday to say he “will do what I can to ensure he has a smooth transition.”
With votes from all but a few precincts counted, challenger Brandon Johnson is declaring victory over first-term incumbent Richard Boykin. But Boykin is not conceding defeat.
With all but 13 precincts reporting votes, the Oak Park incumbent was losing to Johnson, a union organizer and first-time candidate. The winning Democrat is expected to win this fall’s general election, as no Republican sought that party’s nomination in the predominantly Democrat district.
The board candidates – incumbent Richard Boykin and challenger Brandon Johnson – and their supporters have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the primary contest.
Less than 100 residents of the 29th and 37th Wards have cast their ballots in the March 20 primary. Early voting can be done at a Downtown site through March 4, then at a few Austin locations starting March 5.