David Orr facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Orr
Orr in 2012
22nd Cook County Clerk
In office December 11, 1990 – December 10, 2018
Preceded by	Stanley Kusper
Succeeded by	Karen Yarbrough
52nd Mayor of Chicago
Acting
In office November 25, 1987 – December 2, 1987
Preceded by	Harold Washington
Succeeded by	Eugene Sawyer
3rd Vice Mayor of Chicago
In office April 1987 – May 1988
Mayor	Harold Washington Eugene Sawyer
Preceded by	Richard Mell
Succeeded by	Terry Gabinski
Member of the Chicago City Council from the 49th Ward
In office February 23, 1979 – December 10, 1990
Preceded by	Homer Johnson
Succeeded by	Robert Clarke
Personal details
Born	David Duvall Orr (1944-10-04) October 4, 1944 (age 80) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Loretta Orr
Children	4
Education	Simpson College (BA) Case Western Reserve University (MA)
Signature

David Duvall Orr, born on October 4, 1944, is an American politician from the Democratic Party. He worked as the Cook County Clerk from 1990 to 2018. Before that, he was an alderman for Chicago's 49th ward from 1979 to 1990. He also briefly served as the acting Mayor of Chicago for one week in November and December 1987, after Mayor Harold Washington passed away. Orr decided to retire in 2018 and did not run for another term as Cook County Clerk.

Early Life and Education

David Orr was born in Chicago. He went to Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, where he earned his first degree. Later, he received his Master's Degree in American Studies from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. In 1979, he was teaching at Mundelein College when he decided to enter politics and run for alderman.

Serving on the Chicago City Council (1979-1990)

Orr started his political career as an "independent Democrat." This meant he did not always agree with the main Democratic Party organization, which was very powerful at the time. In February 1979, Orr was elected as an alderman for the 49th Ward. This area covers most of the Rogers Park neighborhood in Chicago. He won by a small number of votes.

Orr was known as a "lakefront liberal," which meant he had more progressive views. He joined other independent aldermen and Black aldermen who were against corruption and unfairness in the city government. He was re-elected in 1983 and 1987.

In 1983, Harold Washington, a Black independent politician, became Mayor. Many aldermen, known as the "Vrdolyak 29," tried to stop Mayor Washington's plans for three years. This period was called "Council Wars." Orr supported Mayor Washington, being one of only five white aldermen to do so. After Mayor Washington's supporters gained more power in 1986, Orr was chosen by the City Council to be the city's Vice Mayor in 1987.

In 1986, Orr helped pass a rule that made Chicago a "nuclear-free zone." This meant the city would not allow nuclear weapons or nuclear power plants within its limits.

As a city councilman, Orr often succeeded in getting the council to act on issues he cared about. He had a reputation for being an honest politician. A newspaper writer, Mike Royko, even said in 1988 that Orr was one of the few aldermen suspected of being honest.

In May 1988, the City Council removed Orr from his Vice Mayor position. This happened because he tried to make changes that would make the council's committees more responsible for their money.

When Orr left the City Council in 1990 to become the Cook County Clerk, Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed Robert Clarke to take his place. However, in the 1991 election, Robert Clarke lost to Joe Moore, whom Orr had supported.

Acting Mayor of Chicago (1987)

When Mayor Washington sadly passed away on November 25, 1987, David Orr, as Vice Mayor, became the acting mayor. He served for one week until the City Council could choose a new mayor. Many thought Orr would be the obvious choice. However, because he was a reformer, some aldermen were strongly against him. Also, many Black Chicagoans wanted a Black person to replace Mayor Washington. So, Eugene Sawyer, who was Black, was chosen instead on December 2, 1987. Orr led the Council meetings as acting mayor on December 1, which was a memorial for Mayor Washington, and on December 2, when Sawyer was selected as the new mayor.

Serving as Cook County Clerk (1990-2018)

In 1990, the position of Cook County clerk became open. Orr ran for the job and won the Democratic primary election easily. He also won the general election, getting more votes than any other candidate for a county office. He was re-elected many times: in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014. In several of these elections, he ran without anyone challenging him for his party's nomination and faced only small opposition in the main election.

After becoming Cook County Clerk, Orr made important changes. He created a new guide for employees to ensure they acted ethically and honestly.

In 1994, some thought Orr might run for president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, which is a very important role. However, he decided to run for re-election as clerk instead.

On June 21, 2017, Orr announced that he would not run for an eighth term. Karen Yarbrough, who was the Cook County Recorder of Deeds at the time, took over as the new Cook County Clerk after Orr retired.

After His Time in Office

In 2013, Orr was named a Senior Fellow at the Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago. This means he helped teach and guide students studying public policy.

In June 2018, Orr started a group called Good Government Illinois. This group aims to support changes in elections, how political campaigns are funded, and candidates who share these goals. He supported several candidates in the 2019 Chicago aldermanic election, including Maria Hadden, who ran for his old 49th ward seat.

Orr thought about running for mayor of Chicago in the 2019 election after Mayor Rahm Emanuel decided not to seek a third term. However, Orr ultimately did not run. Before the first round of the election, Orr publicly supported Lori Lightfoot for mayor.

In the 2023 Chicago mayoral election, Orr supported U.S. Representative Chuy Garcia for mayor.

Awards and Recognition

In 2012, David Orr was recognized by the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame as a "Friend of the Community." This award honored his support for the LGBTQ+ community.

Images for kids

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  David Orr's signature