Artie McBride for Mayor — Cairo, Illinois

Meet Artie

A Life Rooted in Cairo

Born and raised in Cairo, Illinois, Artie McBride is a 1984 graduate of Cairo High School and a lifelong resident of the city she now hopes to lead. Her faith and family have shaped every step of her journey.

Where Artie Stands Get Involved
Artie McBride — professional headshot in a burgundy blazer, smiling warmly at the camera

Professional Experience

Three Decades of Public Service

Artie began her career with the State of Illinois in 1985, working her way from Clerk Typist to Public Aid Eligibility Assistant, Caseworker, and ultimately Local Office Administrator overseeing Alexander and Pulaski County — retiring in May 2018 after 33 years.

Since March 2020, she has served as Supervisor for the Illinois Department of Public Health's Pandemic Health Navigator Program, coordinating critical services for rural communities through the pandemic.

And she's continued to lead in her community — most recently standing by her son as a proud mother when he took the TEDxSIU stage in 2025 to speak on the change and struggles of adjustment.

Group of six people standing on the red carpet at TEDxSIU, smiling together with the red TEDx letters behind them

33

Years with the State of Illinois

Community Leadership

A Trusted Voice at Every Table

  • January 2023 WIN (Women In the NAACP) Woman of the Month
  • First African American Board President, Arrowleaf
  • Chairperson, Head Start Policy Council
  • Chairperson, Economic & Development Committee, Alexander/Pulaski County NAACP
  • Treasurer, Alexander & Pulaski County NAACP Chapter
  • Former President, Cairo School District Board
  • Secretary, Cairo Heritage Foundation
  • New appointee, Cairo Port Authority Board
  • 2024 "SHERO" Award recipient
Three people standing in front of The Legacy Museum wall display about enslavement and mass incarceration
Learning from History to Lead

Family & Faith

What Drives Her

Artie draws her strength from her spirituality and her family — mother of two sons, grandmother of 10, great-grandmother of 2. Whether traveling, shopping, or out in the community, her warmth is felt by everyone who knows her — and it's that same warmth she wants to bring to City Hall.

The shirt says it best: Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma — I just keep getting better.

Three people standing together indoors, with the woman in the center wearing a yellow shirt that reads 'Mom Grandma Great-Grandma I just keep getting better'

At Home

Family First, Always

The same people who've watched Artie lead are the people who keep her grounded. Sons, cousins, grandkids, family friends — Cairo is built on people like these.

Artie in a green top sits on a red couch between her two sons, all three smiling at the camera in a casual indoor setting
At home with her two sons
Group of seven people of varying ages smiling at the open trunk of an SUV in a parking lot during daytime
Family tailgates and weekends
Three people posing together on a paved road with vehicles and bare trees in the background
Proud of the service in our family

In Our Community

Showing Up — Every Day

Booths, schools, ceremonies, and gatherings — the work of a Mayor starts long before Election Day, and Artie has been showing up for Cairo for decades.

Woman with glasses wearing a green ruffled top sits at a table with jewelry displays at an event
Supporting small business at community events
Children and adults sitting at long yellow tables eating and socializing in a school cafeteria with blue walls
In the schools, with our kids
Three professionals holding a framed certificate on stage with wood paneling background and a potted plant
Recognizing on behalf of the NAACP
Large group of people posing together outside a modern barn building on a sunny day
Bringing Cairo's people to every table
"
I need you, the community, to be a part of a new Cairo! We cannot remain stagnant.

— Artie McBride