Carol Ammons

Carol Ammons is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives who has represented the 103rd district since January 2015.[1] The 103rd district includes all or parts of Champaign, Urbana, and Staley.[2] She is the first African American woman to serve in the seat, and the first from Champaign County to be elected beyond the County Board level.[3] Ammons is a co-chair of the Illinois House's Progressive Caucus.

Carol Ammons
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
from the 103rd district
Assumed office
January 2015 (2015-Jan)
Preceded byNaomi Jakobsson
Personal details
Political partyDemocratic
Children3
Residence(s)Urbana, Illinois
OccupationIllinois State Representative
ProfessionSocial activist
WebsiteIllinois General Assembly

Early career

Ammons worked as a community organizer in the Urbana-Champaign, Illinois community.[4] She served five years on the Champaign County Board and later the Urbana City Council.[5] Following her election to the Illinois House of Representatives, the Urbana City Council appointed her recently pardoned husband Aaron Ammons to fill her vacated seat.[6]

Electoral career

Ammons' victory in the Illinois 2014 Primary Election for the Illinois House of Representative's 103rd District was widely considered an upset. Her opponent, Sam Rosenberg, received the endorsement of retiring State Representative Naomi Jakobsson and the financial support of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, whose political committees donated $60,422 to the Rosenberg campaign.[7] Ammons' itemized campaign contributions amounted to $16,000 compared to Rosenberg's $185,000.[7]

In April 2015, Ammons formally announced that she was considering a run for Congress in Illinois' 13th Congressional District, but ultimately decided not to.[8]

Ammons was one of eight candidates endorsed by Bernie Sanders during his 2016 presidential campaign.[9]

Illinois House of Representatives

The 103rd district primarily encompasses the Champaign-Urbana community, including the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus.[10] Ammons is also an active member of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus.[11]

Committees

As of 2022, Ammons serves on the following committees and subcommittees:

  • Appropriations - Higher Education Committee[12]
  • Counties & Townships Committee[12]
  • Economic Opportunity & Equity Committee[12]
  • Energy & Environment Committee[12]
  • Ethics & Elections Committee[12]
  • Higher Education Committee[12]
  • Small Business, Tech Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Committee(Chairperson)[12]
  • Campaign Finance Subcommittee[12]

Legislation

Bills of which Ammons is listed as the Primary Sponsor and which have gone on to become law in Illinois include HB3783, which amends the Illinois Environmental Protection Act to require the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to certify that all workers who install coal combustion residual surface impoundments have completed specified trainings preparing them to do so, and HB1063, which repealed a statute that had created the criminal offense of transmitting HIV.[13][14]

Personal life

Ammons currently resides in Urbana with her partner and their 3 children.[12]

In the 2016 United States presidential election, Ammons served as a presidential elector from Illinois.[15]

Electoral history
2014 Primary Election Results – Illinois’ 103rd House District [16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carol Ammons 3,307 56.84
Democratic Samuel A. Rosenberg 2,511 43.16
Total votes 5,818 100.00
2014 General Election Results – Illinois’ 103rd House District [17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carol Ammons 13,177 61.42
Republican Kristin Williamson 8,317 38.58
Total votes 55,650 100.00
2016 General Election Results – Illinois’ 103rd House District[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carol Ammons (incumbent) 34,071 100.00
Total votes 34,071 100.00
2018 General Election Results – Illinois’ 103rd House District[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carol Ammons (incumbent) 30,802 100.00
Total votes 30,802 100.00
2020 General Election Results – Illinois’ 103rd House District[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carol Ammons (incumbent) 31,127 78.65
Libertarian Party (Illinois) Brad Bielert 8,452 21.35
Total votes 39,579 100.00

References
  1. Meisel, Hannah (2014-11-05). "Carol Ammons Wins 103rd House Seat Over Kristin Williamson". Illinois Public Media. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
  2. "State Legislative District Reference Map" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  3. Garennes, Christine (2014-11-09). "We're Going to Win with Dignity and Respect".
  4. Dolinar, Brian. "Carol Ammons Announces Candidacy for 103rd District". Archived from the original on 2015-05-22.
  5. Winters, Josh. "Ammons Claims 103rd District". Daily Illini. Archived from the original on 2015-05-22.
  6. Dey, Jim. "Ammons a Naysayer in First Council Vote". News Gazette.
  7. Kacich, Tom (2014-03-19). "Ammons cashes in". News Gazette.
  8. Donald, Elizabeth. "State legislator considers challenging Davis in 13th district".
  9. Hettinger, Chris (2016-05-24). "Sanders endorses, funds Ammons campaign".
  10. "103rd House District". News-Gazette.
  11. "Illinois House Democrats". Archived from the original on 2016-06-04.
  12. "Representative Carol Ammons (D)". ilga.gov. Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  13. "Bill Status of HB3783". ilga.gov. Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  14. "Bill Status of HB1063". ilga.gov. Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  15. "Who Will Sit On The Electoral College From Illinois | NPR Illinois". nprillinois.org. Archived from the original on 2016-10-20. Retrieved 2016-10-20.
  16. "2014 Champaign County Primary Election Results". Champaign County Clerk. Archived from the original on 2014-03-22. Retrieved 2015-05-22.
  17. "November 4, 2014 Champaign County Election Results". Champaign County Clerk.
  18. "Election Results, 2016 General Election". elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  19. "Election Results, 2018 General Election". elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  20. "Election Results, 2020 General Election". elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
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