# Miriam Balanoff

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Miriam_Balanoff
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Miriam_Balanoff.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriam_Balanoff
> Source revision: 1320382993
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

**Miriam Balanoff** (née **Dweck**; March 4, 1926 – September, 2017) was an American judge and politician who served as a [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) member of the [Illinois House of Representatives](/source/Illinois_House_of_Representatives).

## Biography

Balanoff was born March 4, 1926, in [Brooklyn](/source/Brooklyn). She spent much of her childhood in foster homes. She later attended [Hunter College](/source/Hunter_College) before moving to Chicago to earn her bachelor's at the [University of Chicago](/source/University_of_Chicago) and receive her J.D. degree from [University of Chicago Law School](/source/University_of_Chicago_Law_School) in 1963.[1] She then practiced law in Chicago. In 1978, she defeated incumbent [Frank Giglio](/source/Frank_Giglio) in the Democratic primary by a narrow margin.[2] She was elected to serve as one of the three members of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 30th legislative district with Democratic incumbent [Glenn Dawson](/source/Glenn_Dawson) and Republican incumbent [Phil W. Collins](/source/Phil_W._Collins) taking the other two spots.[3] She introduced the Employer Relocation Act which would have required that companies give advance notice before closing down, guarantee severance pay, and contribute to a special community fund for job retraining or development.[4] She was an advocate of the [Equal Rights Amendment](/source/Equal_Rights_Amendment) while a member of the House.[2]

She served in the Illinois House for two terms. In the 1983 election, she ran against Vrdolyak for alderman in the 10th ward receiving 30% of the vote. In the 1986 general election, she was elected to a judgeship on the [Circuit Court of Cook County](/source/Circuit_Court_of_Cook_County) with the backing of [Harold Washington](/source/Harold_Washington).[5] Her husband was Clement Balanoff, Sr., who was a steel worker and a union activist. Their son [Clem Balanoff](/source/Clem_Balanoff) also served in the [Illinois General Assembly](/source/Illinois_General_Assembly).[6][7] She died in September, 2017 at age 91 after suffering from dementia for several years.[1]

## Notes

1. Armentrout, Mitch (May 15, 2018). ["Miriam Balanoff, lifelong activist who 'wanted to make things right,' dies at 91"](https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/miriam-balanoff-lifelong-activist-who-wanted-to-make-things-right-dies-at-91/). *[Chicago Sun-Times](/source/Chicago_Sun-Times)*. Retrieved May 17, 2018.

1. Staff. ["The Equal Rights Amendment"](https://www.lib.niu.edu/1978/ii781009.html). *Illinois Issues*. **4** (10). [Sangamon State University](/source/Sangamon_State_University). [ISSN 0738-9663](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0738-9663). Retrieved July 5, 2020.

1. ["The 81st General Assembly"](http://www.idaillinois.org/cdm/ref/collection/bb/id/38685). *Illinois Blue Book 1979-1980*. [Springfield, Illinois](/source/Springfield,_Illinois): [Illinois Secretary of State](/source/Illinois_Secretary_of_State). p. 127. Retrieved July 5, 2020.

1. Lynch, Roberta. ["Unrestrained corporate power"](https://www.lib.niu.edu/1980/ii800735.html). *Illinois Issues*. **6** (7). [Sangamon State University](/source/Sangamon_State_University). [ISSN 0738-9663](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0738-9663). Retrieved July 5, 2020.

1. Fremon, David K. (October 22, 1988). [*Chicago Politics Ward by Ward*](https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0253204909). [Bloomington, Indiana](/source/Bloomington,_Indiana): [Indiana University Press](/source/Indiana_University_Press). p. 82. ISBN 0-253-31344-9. Retrieved March 13, 2017.

1. 'Illinois Blue Book 1981,' Biographical Sketch of Miriian Balanoff, pg. 128

1. 'Clement Balanoff Sr., 76, "Activists' activist, dedicated labor organizer,"' **Chicago Tribune,** James Janega, July 2, 2002

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Miriam Balanoff](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriam_Balanoff) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriam_Balanoff?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.