REALTORS assessed the status of federal, state and local elections and discussed the impact of those elections on issues important to their fellow REALTORS during the Political Involvement Forum Thursday.

The forum was part of the Illinois REALTORS Fall Business Meetings at the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center in Lombard.

NAR Field Representative Jack Greacen and Illinois REALTORS Director of Grassroots & Political Involvement Neil Malone told members to encourage local colleagues to participate in November elections.

NAR will continue to work with Democrats and Republicans in Congress on the renewal of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), said Greacen, but leaders of both parties want some reforms before they will renew it again.

The amount of money devoted to election campaigns is rising at a fast pace, says Malone, who noted that the Illinois governor’s race is approaching an estimated $200 million mark. The amount spent on other statewide races has risen 10 times, from $9 million in 2010 to $90 million in 2018. The growing expense makes REALTOR involvement in the state legislative contacts program more important than ever. He said Illinois REALTORS boast the most broker owners involved in the Broker Involvement Program in the nation.

Tom Krettler said the association needs 764 members to sign up for mobile alerts to meet the association goal of 8,238 as they strive for a second consecutive annual President’s Cup award.

Jim Clayton reported that Oct. 15 is the deadline REALTORS to apply for grants. Association executives and local government affairs directors have until Nov. 30.