ELLEN K. RAYMOND is an Illinois attorney concentrating in election law (candidates and referenda), real estate, zoning and land use litigation, TIF challenges, and citizen actions for FOIA disclosure and Open Meetings Act violations.

Ms. Raymond served as a prosecutor in suburban Cook County and is a certified hearing officer for the State of Illinois. She currently serves as a Hearing Officer for the Chicago Board of Ellections. Ellen also serves on the advisory board of the Citizen Advocacy Center (CAC) in Elmhurst, IL.

Ms. Raymond was a recipient of the 2005 CAC’s Citizen Initiative Award for her efforts in the drafting, circulating, and passage of a citizen-initiated referendum creating a township park. Save the Timber, a not-for-profit corporation where she serves as president, received the International Society of Arboriculture’s Gold Leaf Award for the same efforts.

She leads petition circulator training workshops in addition to training candidates, political parties, and referenda proponents in election matters. She drafts petitions for many grassroots referendum efforts and for candidates. She successfully defends the right of ballot access for many candidates and referenda. She also acts to remove from the ballot candidates and referenda that do not comply with election statutes.

Ms. Raymond received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois and her Law degree, cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.