Caucus Membership

The District 109 Caucus seeks new members for its next session. For District 109 residents who are interested in issues affecting our local schools, this is a great way to perform a vital civic service by participating in the process of candidate endorsement for the District 109 Board of Education.

Applications are closed for the 2024-2025 cycle.  Please look out for information about applications for the next cycle in 2026.

What does the Caucus do?

The Caucus is responsible for identifying, recruiting, endorsing, and nominating the most qualified candidate(s) for each vacant seat on the 109 Board of Education, in addition to supporting the endorsed candidates during the election.

Caucus members are called upon to serve the greater District 109 community, and to this end, each member "shall serve and speak for the best interests of the School District 109 as a whole, and not as a representative of any specific school, person, organization, or geographical area within District 109."

Caucus members accomplish this mainly through meetings over the Caucus session, generally five times, between February and April of the following year.  Meetings are typically held in the Village Hall or the local library in the evenings during the work week. In the early meetings, Caucus members review the process of recruiting candidates for vacant seats, in addition to interviews, applications, and questions for School Board candidates seeking its endorsement. In later meetings, members review all candidates' applications for endorsement, interview each of candidates twice, discuss the candidates' applications and interviews, and finally vote to endorse candidates. 

Who can become a member of the Caucus?

To be eligible, you must be a current resident of Lake County, Ill., and have lived in District 109 for at least one year prior to the start of the Caucus session. (February 2025 to February 2026 for the next session.)

The following individuals are not eligible to serve on the Caucus:

Do I have to have children in DPS 109 schools to serve?

No, in fact the Caucus would like for at least two of its "at-large members" to be residents who do not currently have children in 109 schools.

Are there any other requirements for Caucus members?

The Caucus requires that each of its members attend at least two District 109 School Board meetings prior to the meeting at which members vote on the candidates to endorse.

How many people serve on the Caucus?

The Caucus has 24 members—12 who represent the schools (two from each school) and 12 who are "at-large members"—in addition to two alternates.

Other questions about becoming a member?

Please contact Emily Cohn, Chair of the Caucus Select Committee.