Springfield Alderwoman Selected To Fill Manar Vacancy

By Benjamin Cox on February 6, 2021 at 7:19pm

A Springfield alderwoman has been selected to fill the vacancy in the Illinois 48th Senate District left by Andy Manar. Springfield Ward 3 Alderwoman Doris Turner was selected by the 48th Legislative District Democrat Committee this morning in Springfield. Manar resigned his seat on January 17th to take an advisory position in Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Adminstration.

Turner will now serve out the remaining two years of Manar’s term. Turner’s appointment is historic, as she is the first Black person to represent Springfield and Sangamon County in the state legislature.

Turner was first elected to the Springfield City Council representing Ward 3 in April 2011 after having served for ten years on the Sangamon County Board. Turner also worked for over 30 years in the Illinois Department of Public Health. Turner was the second woman and first African American to be elected Chairman of the Sangamon County Democratic Party, and the first African American to be elected to the Executive Board of the Illinois County Chairmen’s Association.

Turner was selected unanimously by the 48th Committee out of a list of 8 finalists that included Springfield Park Board Member Lisa Bader, retired ISP trooper Shad Edwards, former Springfield Alderman Frank McNeil, Macoupin County Board Member Roberta Vojas, previous 95th district representative candidate Chase Wilhelm, Mayor of Decatur Julie Moore Wolfe, and Macon County State’s Attorney’s Office member Ruth Waller.

The 48th Senate District includes all or parts of Sangamon, Christian, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, and Montgomery counties.