Meet Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth

Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth is a small-business owner, community organizer, and public servant dedicated to championing progressive Democratic values.Leni is running for State Central Committeewoman for Illinois' 9th District. She brings years of experience mobilizing support for Democrats up and down the ballot. When elected, she will be the first Asian American State Central Committeeperson in Illinois. Election Day is March 17, 2026. Read about Leni's vision for this role here.Leni is the first Filipina to serve on the Chicago City Council, representing the 48th ward. She serves as the Cook County Democratic Party Committeewoman for the 48th ward. As Committeewoman, Leni founded the 48th Ward Democratic organization.Read more about Leni here.

Leni's Endorsements

In the 2026 Primary Election on March 17, Leni has endorsed the following candidates:

Juliana Stratton — United States Senator
Holly Kim — Comptroller
Hoan Huynh — US Representative, 9th District
Eric Smith — State Central Committeeman, 9th District
Nick Uniejewski — State Senator, 6th District
Sunjay Kumar — State Representative, 13th District
Toni Preckwinkle — President of County Board
Fritz Kaegi — County Assessor
Drake Warren — County Commissioner, 10th District
Jon Stromsta — Judge, 20th Subcircuit

And, of course, Leni herself is also on the ballot for 9th District State Central Committeewoman, so be sure to Vote Leni!Find your voting information here.

About Leni

First Filipina to serve on the Chicago City Council
Cook County Democratic Party Committeewoman
Founder of Indivisible Illinois 9th District
Co-founder of Indivisible Illinois and ILVOTE
Founding Director of Operations for the IL Chapter of the Women’s March
Small-business owner since 2003
Mom of three Chicago Public School graduates
Licensed healthcare provider
Daughter of Filipino immigrants
Proud member of the LGBTQ+ community

Leni and her family on a bench with blue skies behind them

More About Leni...

Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth is a small-business owner, community organizer, and public servant dedicated to championing progressive Democratic values. She is an independent voice committed to reimagining the Democratic Party.Leni is running for State Central Committeewoman for Illinois' 9th District. She brings years of experience mobilizing support for progressive Democrats up and down the ballot. When elected, she will be the first Asian American State Central Committeeperson in Illinois. Election Day is March 17, 2026. Read about Leni's vision for this role here.Leni is the first Filipina to serve on the Chicago City Council, representing the 48th ward. In City Hall, Leni is deeply committed to the values that health, housing, and safety are human rights and that caring for our whole community leads to safety for everyone. Leni has sponsored and co-sponsored over 280 pieces of legislation, including the Green Social Housing ordinance, which provides Chicago with a new tool for creating affordable housing.Leni serves as the Cook County Democratic Party Committeewoman for the 48th ward. As Committeewoman, Leni founded the 48th Ward Democratic organization.Leni was the co-founder of Indivisible Illinois, where she collaborated with individuals and organizations with both rural and urban interests for the benefit of the entire state and coordinated grassroots efforts to knock on doors for progressive Democrats like US Congresswoman Lauren Underwood and Governor JB Pritzker.Leni was the founder of Indivisible Illinois 9th District (Indivisible IL9). Under Leni's leadership Indivisible IL9 got out the vote for Democrats both locally and nationally, and endorsed such initiatives as the Peace Book Ordinance, and the Empowering Communities for Public Safety ordinance (ECPS), which places police accountability in the hands of the people.Leni is the former Director of Operations for the Illinois Chapter of the Women’s March on Washington and helped mobilize 10,000 Illinoisans to Washington, DC in defense of women’s rights, including and especially reproductive rights and bodily autonomy for all.Leni founded ILVOTE, a state-wide organization with the mission to help the electorate stay informed and engaged in every election and was awarded the Peggy A. Montes Unsung Heroine Award of Cook County for her work at ILVOTE.Leni has been a small business owner for over 20 years. She was awarded the Kurt Mathiasson Award for community leadership by the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce for her work as a co-chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. Her business was also an early adopter of Chicago Therapy Collective’s Hire Trans Now initiative, which advocates for policies that help reduce barriers to employment for trans people, especially people of color.Leni is a Chicago Public School alum, mother of three Chicago Public School graduates, and former Local School Council Representative. She is an avid supporter of the arts, a tango dancer, and former board member of multiple dance theaters. Leni is a licensed healthcare provider and former Cook County Hospital employee. Leni is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Volunteer With Us!

Your Next IL 9th District Democratic State Central Committeewoman

Democracy doesn’t run on fancy mailers or yard signs.
It runs on people who show up.My campaign is grounded in equity, collaboration, and solidarity—especially with people who are too often pushed to the margins.We must listen first, build together, and make sure the people most affected have a real voice.I believe deeply in this party and I think we need to be honest. Between 2020 and 2024, most Democrats stayed true to our values—they voted locally and they showed up when it mattered.Then many stepped back.Not because they don’t care—but because life stayed expensive and stressful. Rent went up, childcare stayed hard, and healthcare stayed confusing.

That’s not a voter problem. It’s a party-building problem—and for too long, we’ve treated turnout like a moment instead of a relationship.

Recently, I met a young couple in the district who told me they love their neighborhood—and they want to stay.But between rising taxes, higher grocery bills, and the cost of childcare, they’re worried they’re being priced out of the life they’re trying to build.Then they asked something else.They wanted to know what Democrats are doing to protect their neighbors from an immigration system that feels like it operates with impunity—where ICE can act without real accountability, tearing families apart and treating people like targets instead of neighbors.They were angry.
Angry that people live with the fear of being taken from their homes or workplaces.
Angry that enforcement can escalate without transparency, without oversight, and with devastating consequences—including senseless loss of life.They weren’t asking for talking points.
They were asking whether anyone had their back.That conversation is why now matters.

If we want to win in 2028, we don’t start in the summer of 2028. We start now.

Here’s the good news: we know what works.

Democrats do better when help shows up in daily life, when leaders are clear about whose side they’re on, and when engagement doesn’t end after Election Day—when organizing happens year-round and relationships come before votes.People don’t expect perfection.
They expect honesty and follow-through.Imagine a party where people don’t just hear from us every four years, but see us every year- as a part of the fabric of their daily lives—at schools, union halls, and community meetings—building trust long before we ask for votes.Democracy doesn’t live only at the top of the ballot.It lives in every race—Congress, county board, and school board.Every role shapes real decisions: money, services, rules, and who gets heard.When people stay engaged up and down the ballot, democracy is stronger. When they disengage, decisions still get made—just without them.

That’s why the State Central Committee matters.

It’s where we decide whether we build a real candidate pipeline, whether organizing continues between elections, and whether new voters are welcomed—or overlooked.This role helps determine whether the party grows—or shrinks.

When elected, I’ll focus on three things:

Staying connected. Listening year-round, not just during campaigns.
Keeping our story straight. County, state, and national Democrats reinforcing each other.
Showing respect. Organizers, volunteers, and voters being heard—not just managed or ignored.

And no matter who holds this seat, we all have a role in keeping people engaged between elections.

That’s how we bring people back.
That’s how we rebuild trust.
And that’s how we win.I’m not running against anyone — I’m running for a party that grows by addition, organizes year-round, and shares power.

In Solidarity,

Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth
Candidate for IL 9th District Central Committeewoman

Election Day is March 17, 2026 — It's up to us!

Note: You can vote for two candidates for State Central Committeeperson, but they must be two different genders. So when you vote for Leni, please also vote for Eric Smith, who Leni has endorsed.Find your voting information here.

Voting Info

Early Voting everywhere begins on March 2 — vote any day between March 2 and March 17.

For Chicago voters, Early Voting downtown begins on Feb 12. Go to the Chicago Board of Elections site to look up your voter registration information, request a Vote By Mail ballot, get a Sample Ballot, and find Early Voting locations.
For Algonquin, Algonquin Township, Barrington Hills, Buffalo Grove, Cary, Crystal Lake, Evanston, Fox River Grove, Glenview, Hawthorn Woods, Island Lake, Lake Barrington, Lake in the Hills, Lakewood, Long Grove, Morton Grove, Niles, Northfield, Oakwood Hills, Port Barrington, Prospect Heights, Skokie, Trout Valley, Wauconda, and Wilmette voters, go to the Illinois State Board of Elections site to find your voter registration information, request a Vote By Mail ballot, and find Early Voting locations.

And remember: In Illinois, you can register to vote right at the polling location, even on Election Day!

Upcoming Events

Here are upcoming opportunities to get involved with the team, both virtually and in-person, as well as community events where you can meet Leni — click on any event for more details.Google Calendar users, you can also add these events to your own calendar so you won’t forget!Note: If you are having trouble viewing the calendar on this page, view it here.