Elect Laura

(This is third in a series of our new feature; Alex’s Blog. Alex is a 17 year old senior at Maine South High School and welcomes comments and feedback not just on campaigns but on the best college campuses, and recommendations for good local bands, musicians (particularly drummers and punk rock) as well as all aspects of skateboarding culture!)

This past weekend, I worked the Taste of Park Ridge for my mom. Even while working it was really fun. There was lots of stuff to do, good food, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

On Friday, my friend volunteered with me and enjoyed it even though we were put onto garbage duty. I did clean up on Saturday as well. On both days, the vibrant bright shirts that read “Elect Laura Morask” were everywhere. The volunteers who wore them were very helpful. They were cleaning up tables, getting garbage off the ground, emptying overflowing cans, and helping people in general.

While I was working, random people would compliment us on the work we were doing and give us tickets for food and drinks. I think the work the volunteers did was noticed heavily by the public. My mom also came to the taste all three nights to chat with people. It seemed like a lot of people seemed to notice her. The taste was a lot of fun and really good for the campaign.

Way back in 1991 the Cook County Clerk’s Office had judicial district maps drawn up. We decided to bring the Cook County 12th Subcircuit into the digital age with an interactive Google Map of the area. A map like this is useful for voters and candidates to understand the areas served. This map is where Laura Morask, judicial candidate’s voters live.

To build this map we used Google’s map editor tools and the Cook Country Clerk’s Office map and boundary information. We then created a permanent home on ElectLaura.net for the map. Sharing the map was the main reason we did this, it is helpful to everyone to be able to quickly review.

It was interesting to build the maps as some things have changed since 1991 and Google Maps doesn’t include the names of rail lines or have township borders defined.

We touch:

• Elk Grove
• Wheeling
• Mt. Prospect
• Prospect Heights
• Arlington Heights
• Glenview
• Northbrook
• Des Plaines
• Kenilworth
• Winnetka
• Glencoe
• Northfield
• Buffalo Grove

We would love your feedback on the map, tell us what you think. Did you know how far the 12th Subcircuit extends?

Original map we built on Google.com

Laura Morask, candidate for Judge of the 12th subcircuit of Cook County, is heavily invested in the local community. As part of her community outreach, she presented her second Gang Awareness presentation with MaineStay Youth and Family Services along with Julia Morales on June 4th.

Uniquely this presentation was shared bi-lingually in English and Spanish. Attendees included parents and police officers from Des Plaines, Park Ridge, Niles as well as Cook County Sheriff’s Police and teachers from the Maine Schools.

The presentation covered keeping your kids away from gangs, how to be aware of gang colors and symbols, other signs a child might be involved in a gang and how to get them help.

Laura’s career as a prosecutor gives her a unique position in the community to educate on gang awareness. She was recently and expert for WGN News discussing some of the modern gang tactics. Watch this informative segment to learn more.

JOIN Us Thursday, May 29th as Laura Kicks off her campaign with a plea for a bigger cause!
Committee to Elect Laura Morask is taking the lead in the race to eradicate breast cancer. In addition to our April and May online donations, we are hosting a gala Kickoff the Campaign Fundraiser at Club Casa on Thursday, May 29th, 6PM-8:30PM, cocktails, hor d’ouevres, raffles, guest speakers and the appearance of Team Cosmonaut pictured above. Tickets are available either through the Host Comittee or you can buy at the door. Suggested donation is $100.00, of which 10 % of all proceeds from this fundraiser will be contributed to sponsor Team Cosmonaut, a team of breast cancer survivors, family and friends that are all based in the Maine and Northwest Township areas. They have the distinction of being the highest ranked team in the Chicago Avon Walk! www.AvonWalk.org Please join us to show your support for Laura and the Avon Walk at the same time!

Laura will put her 20 year experience serving the public as a Prosecutor and six year experience as a Maine Township Trustee to use once again serving the local community by presenting a Gang Awareness and Prevention Strategies Seminar at Maine Township Town Hall on April 23rd from 7-9:00 PM. This seminar is hosted by Mainestay Youth and Family Services Department and is open to all. Laura will teach our parents, schools, and communities what type of risk factors, behaviors and clothing to watch for in preventing and combatting gang crime behavior. Laura will also focus on prevention strategies used sucessfully by some of our local police departments in combatting “quality of life” type crimes. Laura’s presentation has been featured in the Pioneer Press both online and in Niles, Park Ridge and Des Plaines: www.pioneerlocal.com/niles/news.

Morask thanks supporters

originally in the Park Ridge Herald Advocate on March 6, 2008

To my friends, family, colleagues and voters: Words alone cannot adequately express my thanks for your show of support not only at the polls on election day but throughout the long hard road of the last six months. This was truly a grassroots, friend-to-friend, helping hands campaign that demonstrated a unity of purpose that is much needed in this era of divisive and bitter politics. To everyone who helped spread the word that qualifications, experience, and ideals are what matter to the vast majority of the American people, I sincerely thank you…

One of the most amazing things I saw throughout these months was the willingness of people I did not yet know personally to reach out, to tell me they believed in my dream and goal of electing a qualified and experienced judiciary and to then offer their time, their name, and their hard-earned money to invest in that dream…

I want to thank most of all my husband Dean and my two teenagers Alex and Jake…

Finally, I would like to congratulate all who participated as candidates in these elections, whether winners or losers and all who came out to vote! I am a firm believer that a person has no business complaining about the status of the country, the courts, or their community if they do not participate in the American process.

Laura J. Morask, Park Ridge, Judicial Candidate, 12th Subcircuit

We Did it! Thanks to all of you, we did it!

With a campaign built on grass roots, word of mouth, overwhelming support from friends, family, colleagues, organizations and hard work — We won the primary!

By we I do mean We — all of you. I am absolutely overwhelmed by the well wishes and congratulations I have received since starting this campaign through the win in the primary election. I am also inspired by the energy of the voters to march on together to the November election. Together I know we can fight the good battle to put a highly qualified, overwhelmingly endorsed candidate as the Judge on your bench!

You all have truly participated in the process and we are half way to “Putting Laura on the Bench.” To my friends and family who are a daily inspiration, to the people I met and deep friendships I formed on the campaign trail, it has been the most amazing, indescribable experience.

The committee is already in the midst of planning, and we need your help. See how you can get involved.

Thank you all again.

Laura

Upcoming Events

More details will follow on these Kick-Off Events

“Kick off for Laura”
Join us at Arlington Racetrack to celebrate Derby Day
Details coming soon

“Swing into Summer”
A BBQ at Laura’s home in Park Ridge
Details coming soon

Can I do something today?

Email or call with ideas to this list:

Ideas for future fundraisers or parties
Host an event
Host a coffee
Venues to hold events
Volunteers are needed for easy things like email and management.

Contact us with an email to: laura [at] electlaura [dot] net

Laura’s List

• “QUALIFIED” — Chicago Bar Association
• “RECOMMENDED” — Northwest Suburban Bar Associaition
• “ENDORSED” — Chicago Sun-Times Newspaper
• “ENDORSED” — Journal & Topics Newspapers
• “ENDORSED” — The Polish Daily News
• “ENDORSED” — Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council
• “ENDORSED” — Wheeling Township Republican Organization
• “ENDORSED” — Maine Township Republican Women’s Club
• “ENDORSED” — Republican Women of New Trier Organization
• “ENDORSED” — Republican Women of Park Ridge Organization
• “ENDORSED” — Republican Women of Wheeling Township Organization
• “ENDORSED” — Over 30 Elected Officials & Republican Leader

Yet another article about Laura Morask (Punch #72) and the Cook County 12th Subcircuit Judicial race came out, this time from The Daily Herald. Laura has some great quotes in the article such as:

“I realized what I do well is bring people together and sit down and resolve differences amongst competing groups to resolve a problem,” Morask said.

Laura also made another great point with:

“You have to understand that every single person from the custodian to the courtroom personnel need to be treated with respect,” she said. “There’s a time and a place for venting; a courtroom is not that time and place.”

Finally she summed up a day at the State’s Attorney with:

“We sometimes handle up to 40 preliminary hearings a day, and we do it tremendously,” she said.

Read more »

While working hard on the campaign, something that often gets missed is the “Why?” A recent article in the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate, a Pioneer Press newspaper, covered this educational topic of our Cook County government quite well.

Why should you elect a 12th Subcircuit Judge? Why do we even vote for judges?

There should be no question as to whom the best candidate for the 12th Subcircuit is, Laura Morask, punch #72. Endorsements from Pioneer’s Parent, The Chicago Sun-Times among many others have been rolling in for Laura.

Read more »