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Deborah L. Mell, commonly known as Deb Mell, is an American politician from Chicago. A Democrat, she is a member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing from the 40th district. She was elected in 2008 and took office on January 14, 2009. She is one of two openly LGBT members of the Illinois General Assembly, alongside Rep. Greg Harris (D–Chicago).

Early life

Mell is the daughter of long-time Alderman Richard Mell and the sister-in-law of former Governor Rod Blagojevich (sister of Patti).

Mell attracted considerable media attention when she was arrested in 2004 while protesting her inability to get a same-sex marriage license from the Cook County clerk's office.^[1]

Education

Mell was educated in Chicago, at St John Berchman’s Elementary School and St Scholastica High School. She then attended Cornell College with a dual major in political science and history, before earning a culinary arts degree from California Culinary Academy.

Early career

Mell returned to Chicago in 2000 and began working at Christy Webber Landscape, Chicago’s largest landscaping company owned by prominent lesbian Christy Webber.^[2][3]

Election

The 40th district, located on Chicago's northwest side, was represented by Rep. Rich Bradley but, following Mell's announcement that she was running, Bradley decided not to seek re-election, choosing instead to challenge Sen. Iris Martinez for a seat in the Illinois Senate. Mell's campaign won the support of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.^[4] In the general election held on 2008-11-04, she won 75% of the vote; her opponents, Republican Christine Nere-Foss and Green Party candidate Heather Benno^[5], garnered 15% and 10% respectively.

Illinois State Representative

On January 14, 2009, in one of her first votes in the Illinois House of Representatives, Mell cast the lone vote opposed to impeaching her brother-in-law, then Governor Rod Blagojevich.^[6] The vote, the second time the House had voted to impeach Blagojevich, was 117–1.

Political career

In November 2008, Mell expressed interest in running in the special election to replace Rahm Emanuel, who would be resigning from the U.S. House of Representatives to serve as President Obama's White House Chief of Staff.^[7] Several weeks later, she withdrew from the race.^[8]

Personal details

Mell is openly lesbian. Her partner is Christin Baker.^[9]

Mell serves on Mayor Richard M. Daley's Advisory Council for Human Relations and is active in Equality Illinois. She has received a National Organization for Women award for her activism, as well as the Howard Brown Cornerstone Award for community excellence.^[2]

References

External links

• Campaign website
• Legislative homepage