Glenview, IL

Glenview leans heavily Democratic, with a Cook Partisan Voting Index (PVI) of D+19, meaning it votes about 19 points more Democratic than the national average. In recent presidential elections, the village has consistently favored Democratic candidates by margins of 60-70%, a shift that has accelerated noticeably since 2016. Longtime residents will tell you this wasn’t always the case—Glenview used to be a reliably moderate Republican stronghold, with many families voting for fiscally conservative candidates while keeping social issues on the back burner. That’s changed, and the trajectory is clearly toward a more progressive, one-party-dominant political culture.

How it compares

Drive 15 minutes north to Northbrook or Deerfield, and you’ll find similar Democratic leanings, though Glenview’s D+19 PVI is actually a bit more moderate than Northbrook’s D+22. Head west to Mount Prospect or Arlington Heights, and the politics are slightly more balanced, with those towns still electing some Republican trustees and state representatives. The real contrast comes when you go south or southwest: Park Ridge (Hillary Clinton’s hometown) is D+15, but Des Plaines and Niles are more working-class and have a stronger independent streak. If you really want to see a different world, drive 30 minutes west to Barrington or Inverness, where the PVI flips to R+5 or R+8. In Glenview, though, the local school board, village board, and park district are now dominated by candidates who run on progressive platforms—things like equity initiatives, DEI training, and climate action plans that often come with new regulations and spending mandates.

What this means for residents

For a resident who values personal freedoms and limited government, the biggest concern is the steady creep of government overreach into daily life. The village has adopted “Welcoming City” ordinances that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, which some see as prioritizing political statements over public safety. Property taxes in Cook County are already among the highest in the nation, and Glenview’s local governments have shown little appetite for cutting spending—instead, they’ve pushed for new stormwater fees, plastic bag bans, and stricter building codes that add costs for homeowners and small businesses. The school district (Glenbrook High Schools and District 34) has also moved aggressively into social-emotional learning and equity audits, which some parents feel prioritize ideological training over academic rigor. If you’re a conservative or even a moderate, you’ll find yourself increasingly out of step with the local political class, and your vote in local elections often feels like a symbolic gesture rather than a meaningful check on power.

Culturally, Glenview still has a strong sense of community—the Fourth of July parade, the farmers market, and the Glen Town Center are genuine gathering spots. But the political culture has become more performative. You’ll see yard signs for progressive candidates and causes everywhere, and local Facebook groups are dominated by debates over mask mandates, library book content, and police funding. The long-term trend is concerning: as the village gets younger and more diverse, the political center of gravity keeps shifting left, and there’s no organized opposition to push back. If you’re looking for a place where your personal freedoms—whether it’s choosing your child’s curriculum, keeping your property taxes in check, or simply being left alone by local government—are respected, Glenview is becoming a harder place to call home.