Sam Yingling

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = |

| name = Sam Yingling

| image name =

| state_house = Illinois

| district = 62nd

| term_start = {{start date|2013|01|9}}

| term_end = {{end date|2023|01|11}}

| predecessor = Sandy Cole

| successor = Laura Faver Dias

| office4 = Avon Township Supervisor

| district4 =

| term_start4 = {{start date|2009|05}}

| term_end4 = {{end date|2012|12}}

| predecessor4 = Shirley Christian

| successor4 = Lisa Rusch

| party = Democratic

| otherparty =

| spouse = Lowell Jaffe

| relations =

| children =

| residence = Grayslake, Illinois, U.S.

| alma_mater = DePaul University

| occupation =

| profession = Realtor & Business Owner

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|7|4}}

| birth_place = Lake County, Illinois, U.S.

| signature_alt =

| website =

| footnotes =

}}

Sam Yingling (born July 4, 1980) is an American politician from Lake County, Illinois. A Democrat, he is a former member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 62nd district. A resident of Grayslake, he served as the Avon Township Supervisor prior to his election to the legislature.

During his time in office, the 62nd district included all or parts of Gages Lake, Grayslake, Hainesville, Long Lake, Round Lake, Round Lake Beach, Round Lake Park, Third Lake and Wauconda.{{cite web|url=http://www.precinctmaps.com/maps/GA/House2011/62ndHouse.pdf|author=Veeneman, Drew|title=62nd House District|publisher=precinctmaps.com|access-date=2013-02-01|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108033431/http://www.precinctmaps.com/maps/GA/House2011/62ndHouse.pdf|archive-date=2012-11-08}}

Early life, education and career

Yingling is a third generation resident of Lake County. After graduating from Carmel Catholic High School, he attended DePaul University, where he studied public administration and metropolitan land use. He then started a small business with his father.{{cite web|title=About Sam Yingling |publisher=Friends of Sam Yingling |access-date=2012-12-16 |url= http://www.samyingling.com/content/sam}} He later served as the President of the Round Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and as a member of the Round Lake Beach Cultural/Civic Center Foundation and an immigrant help organization, the Mano A Mano Family Resource Center.{{cite web|title=Sam Yingling Profile |publisher=Project Vote Smart |access-date=2012-12-16 |url= http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/112783/sam-yingling#.UM2WU6zAGSp}}

Unhappy with the services that were being provided, Yingling ran for and was elected Avon Township Supervisor in 2009. As township supervisor he was the chief executive officer, chairman of the board of trustees and treasurer of all funds including all bridge and road funds. He handled the daily operations of the administration building.{{cite web|title=About the Supervisor |publisher=Avon Township, Illinois |access-date=2012-12-16 |url= http://www.avontownship.us/supervisor.aspx}}

During his time as supervisor he was an advocate for effective spending and efficient government. He led the township officials in cutting their own salaries by returning a raise implemented under his predecessor,{{cite web|title=Avon Township Officials Cut Their Salaries|date=13 September 2012 |publisher=Daily Herald|access-date=2012-12-16 |url= http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120913/news/709139801/}} reduced the budget without cutting services,{{cite web|title=Avon Township Cuts Budgets |date=11 May 2011 |publisher=Daily Herald |access-date=2012-12-16 |url= http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110511/news/705119870}} and lobbied Springfield legislators to make it easier for voters to eliminate his job.{{cite web|title=Chicago Tribune Endorsements for State Reps 2012 |publisher=Chicago Tribune |access-date=2012-12-16 |url= http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-house3-20121019,0,3921891.story |last1=Tribune |first1=Chicago }}

Illinois State Representative (2013–present)

He was the first openly gay person elected to the legislature from outside of Chicago and {{as of|2013|lc=y}} was one of four then serving in the general assembly. The other three were Deb Mell, Greg Harris and Kelly Cassidy.Mell has since resigned to join the Chicago City Council. He is the fifth LGBT representative ever elected.{{cite web|url=http://chicagophoenix.com/2012/11/06/sam-yingling/|title=Illinois elects Sam Yingling as fourth gay state legislator|author=Merevick, Tony|publisher=Chicago Phoenix|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121215092545/http://chicagophoenix.com/2012/11/06/sam-yingling/|archive-date=2012-12-15|access-date=2012-12-16}} His associated state senator is Melinda Bush. During the push for passage of the Illinois marriage equality bill in 2013, he played an important role building support within his freshman class and among legislators from outside Chicago. The marriage equality bill passed the Illinois House on November 5, 2013 and was signed into law by Governor Pat Quinn on November 20, 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20131101/news/711019943/print/|title=Local lawmaker's role grows in same-sex marriage effort|date=November 2013 |publisher=Daily Herald}} Immediately following the passage of the Illinois marriage equality bill on Nov. 5, 2013, Yingling proposed to his partner, Chicago businessman Lowell Jaffe, at an afterparty held by Gov. Pat Quinn at the executive mansion.{{cite news|url=http://www.suntimes.com/23584689-761/tears-of-sadness-joy-shed-in-wake-of-historic-same-sex-marriage-vote.html|title=Tears of sadness, joy after same-sex marriage vote|date=2013-11-06|access-date=2013-11-07|publisher=Chicago Sun-Times}} They married in November 2015.

As of July 3, 2022, Representative Yingling is a member of the following Illinois House committees:{{Cite web |title=Illinois General Assembly - Representative Committees |url=https://ilga.gov/house/RepCommittees.asp?MemberID=2866 |access-date=2022-07-03 |website=ilga.gov}}

(Chairman of) Counties & Townships Committee (HCOT)
Energy & Environment Committee (HENG)
Ethics & Elections Committee (SHEE)
Housing Committee (SHOU)
International Trade & Commerce Committee (HITC)
(Chairman of) Property Tax Subcommittee (HREF-PRTX)
Revenue & Finance Committee (HREF)

Electoral history

=2020=

Sam Yingling was re-elected to a fifth term in the Illinois House of Representatives in November 2020.

{{Election box begin

| title = Illinois 62nd Representative District General Election, 2020{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=prSXs26mKQc%3d&OfficeType=TPsWaFcg2f%2bZHFrYI%2b6FR2Cfb7mGVsUhY5%2f8M4vtZyk%3d&T=637793052475464938|title=Election Results 2020 GENERAL ELECTION|access-date=2022-02-01|website=Illinois State Board of Elections|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Sam Yingling (incumbent)

| votes = 27215

| percentage = 56.89

| change = +0.36%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = Jim Walsh

| votes = 20,619

| percentage = 43.11

| change = −0.36%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 47834

| percentage = 100.0

}}

=2018=

Sam Yingling was re-elected to a fourth term in the Illinois House of Representatives in November 2018.

{{Election box begin

| title = Illinois 62nd Representative District General Election, 2018{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=fkzkoIBAmBE%3d&OfficeType=TPsWaFcg2f%2bZHFrYI%2b6FR2Cfb7mGVsUhY5%2f8M4vtZyk%3d&T=637793050984769185|title=Election Results 2018 GENERAL ELECTION|access-date=2022-02-01|website=Illinois State Board of Elections|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Sam Yingling (incumbent)

| votes = 19614

| percentage = 56.53

| change = +4.08%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = Ken Idstein

| votes = 15,082

| percentage = 43.47

| change = −4.08%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 34696

| percentage = 100.0

}}

=2016 =

Sam Yingling was re-elected to a third term in the Illinois House of Representatives in November 2016.

{{Election box begin

| title = Illinois 62nd Representative District General Election, 2016{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=bt7bri46n7I%3d&OfficeType=TPsWaFcg2f%2bZHFrYI%2b6FR2Cfb7mGVsUhY5%2f8M4vtZyk%3d&T=637793049257118454|title=Election Results 2016 GENERAL ELECTION|access-date=2022-02-01|website=Illinois State Board of Elections|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Sam Yingling (incumbent)

| votes = 22050

| percentage = 52.45

| change = +0.35%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = Rod Drobinski

| votes = 19,993

| percentage = 47.55

| change = −0.35%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 42043

| percentage = 100.0

}}

=2014=

Yingling was re-elected for a second term in the Illinois House of Representatives.

{{Election box begin

| title = Illinois 62nd Representative District General Election, 2014{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=9jUH%2fxjsZXo%3d&OfficeType=TPsWaFcg2f%2bZHFrYI%2b6FR2Cfb7mGVsUhY5%2f8M4vtZyk%3d&T=637793047374229389|title=Election Results 2014 GENERAL ELECTION|access-date=2022-02-01|website=Illinois State Board of Elections|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Sam Yingling (incumbent)

| votes = 13910

| percentage = 52.10

| change = −3.19%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = Rod Drobinski

| votes = 12,789

| percentage = 47.90

| change = +3.19%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 26699

| percentage = 100.0

}}

=2012=

Sam Yingling was endorsed by the Illinois AFL–CIO,{{cite web|title=General Election Endorsements|publisher=Illinois AFL–CIO|access-date=2012-12-16 |url= http://www.ilafl-cio.org/docs/2012.08.23.Rev.Cope.Endo.Gen.pdf}} Equality Illinois{{cite web|title=Equality Illinois PAC announces picks for state, local races|work=Chicago Phoenix|access-date=2012-12-16|url=http://chicagophoenix.com/2012/10/08/equality-illinois-pac-announces-picks-for-state-local-races/}} and the Chicago Tribune.{{cite web|title=Chicago Tribune Endorsements for State Reps 2012|work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=2012-12-16 |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-10-19/news/ct-edit-house3-20121019_1_pension-reform-rockford-alderman-61st-district|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121030001944/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-10-19/news/ct-edit-house3-20121019_1_pension-reform-rockford-alderman-61st-district|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 30, 2012}} In an upset, Yingling defeated Cole with 55.3% of the vote

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Illinois 62nd Representative District General Election, 2012{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=nXntMiWaUAc%3d&OfficeType=TPsWaFcg2f%2bZHFrYI%2b6FR2Cfb7mGVsUhY5%2f8M4vtZyk%3d&T=637793045204354404|title=Election Results 2012 GENERAL ELECTION|access-date=2022-02-01|publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party of Illinois

| candidate = Sam Yingling

| votes = 20994

| percentage = 55.29

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Illinois Republican Party

| candidate = Sandy Cole (incumbent)

| votes = 16978

| percentage = 44.71

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 37972

| percentage = 100.0

}}

References

External links

[http://www.ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?GA=98&MemberID=2050 Representative Sam Yingling (D) 62nd District] at the Illinois General Assembly
[http://www.samyinglingforsenate.com/ Sam Yingling for State Senate]{{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=112783 | fec= | congress= }}
[http://www.housedem.state.il.us/members/yinglings/index.htm Rep. Sam Yingling] at Illinois House Democrats

Category:Democratic Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives

Category:LGBTQ state legislators in Illinois

Category:LGBTQ Roman Catholics

Category:Living people

Category:American gay politicians

Category:1980 births

Category:People from Grayslake, Illinois

Category:DePaul University alumni

Category:21st-century members of the Illinois General Assembly