Lakesia Collins | |
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![]() Collins at a 2020 march in defense of black girls and women | |
Member of the Illinois Senate from the 5th district | |
Assumed office August 16, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Patricia Van Pelt |
Member of the IllinoisHouseofRepresentatives from the 9th district | |
In office July 24,2020 –August 16,2023 | |
Preceded by | Art Turner |
Succeeded by | Yolonda Morris |
Personal details | |
Born | Chicago,Illinois,U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Lakesia Collins is an American union organizer and politician serving as a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate for the 5th district,located on the West Side of Chicago. She previously served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 9th district from 2020 to 2023. [1] [2] Collins won the Democratic primary election for the 5th district in the House in 2020,and was appointed to the seat shortly afterwards to replace retiring incumbent Art Turner. [1] [3] [4] She won election to full terms in 2020 and 2022, [5] and served as the Treasurer for the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. [6] On August 16,2023,she was appointed to the 5th district seat in the Senate to replace retiring incumbent Patricia Van Pelt. [7]
Collins attended Proviso East High School in Maywood,Illinois and received her Certified Nursing Assistant certificate from the Samland Institute in Chicago. [8] She worked as a nurse in nursing homes,and later became an organizer in her union,SEIU Healthcare Illinois. [1] [8] During her tenure as a union organizer,she advocated for legislation on nursing home reform,the proposed Illinois Fair Tax,and a higher minimum wage. [8]
In October 2019,she began her campaign for the Illinois House of Representatives' 9th district in the 2020 election. [9] Incumbent State Rep. Art Turner had decided not to run for re-election after holding the seat since 2011 (Turner's father,Arthur Turner,had previously held the seat for more than 30 years). [10] Collins faced six other candidates in the Democratic primary election,including Aaron Turner,brother of the incumbent representative. [1] [11] She was supported by several labor unions including SEIU Healthcare Illinois and the Chicago Teachers Union and progressive organizations such as United Working Families,and received endorsements from the Chicago Sun-Times local elected officials such as Byron Sigcho-Lopez,Jeanette Taylor,and Brandon Johnson. [10] [11] [9] On March 17,2020,she won the primary election with 45.9% of the vote. [12] On July 24,2020,after the resignation of Turner,she was appointed to serve out the remainder of his term. [2] She ran unopposed in the general election on November 3,2020,and won a full term that began in January 2021. [12] [5] She is the first woman to represent the 9th district. [1]
As of July 3,2022,Representative Collins is a member of the following Illinois House committees: [13]
Collins is a single mother of three children. [14]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Lakesia Collins | 8,040 | 46.18 | |
Democratic | Aaron Turner | 2,603 | 14.95 | |
Democratic | Trina Mangrum | 1,850 | 10.63 | |
Democratic | Tyjuan "Ty" Cratic | 1,557 | 8.94 | |
Democratic | Nicole L. 'Nikki' Harvey | 1,494 | 8.58 | |
Democratic | Sandra Schneller | 1,161 | 6.67 | |
Democratic | Maurice Edwards | 704 | 4.04 | |
Total votes | 17,409 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Lakesia Collins (incumbent) | 38,252 | 100.0 | |
Total votes | 38,252 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Lakesia Collins (incumbent) | 20,413 | 100.0 | |
Total votes | 20,413 | 100.0 |