Elections
The deadline is May 26 for independent candidates to file at least 10,816 valid petition signatures. And the state is seeing plenty of challengers who say García’s last-minute decision to help his chief of staff get on the ballot as the Democratic nominee for the 4th Congressional District was a key factor in efforts to enter the race.
The Chicago Board of Ethics unanimously found that Vallas violated the rules during the 2023 mayoral election by accepting $202,000 in contributions from 12 individuals doing business with the city.
JB Pritzker, who is exploring his own 2028 presidential bid, said he would once again contribute if Chicago secured the convention, but he would not specify the amount.
Cardenas potential entry into the race could hurt retiring Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza by splitting the Latino vote. But the biggest loser could be Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, since Cardenas is a moderate who has made inroads with white ethnic voters.
Illinois Senate President Don Harmon said on Wednesday that a proposed state constitutional amendment on redistricting will not advance this legislative session so that legal experts can review the ruling and evaluate the best response for Illinois.
Johnson has just $813,125 in campaign cash months before mayoral race; Giannoulias has $18.3 million
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s anemic fundraising places him third among better-known potential mayoral challengers, and barely ahead of a few lesser-known candidates.
Withholding of Laquan McDonald shooting video, mass closing of Chicago public schools during Emanuel administration cited by Mayor Brandon Johnson.
November’s election will be the first time voters decide all 21 members of the school board, including the president.
In TV appearances, podcasts and op-eds, the former mayor is spreading the message that Democrats need a big change and a new agenda to win back the White House.
One proposed constitutional amendment imposing a 3% tax on millionaires would yield $1,500 checks to property owners. Another would divvy up proceeds between schools and property tax relief. An early May deadline looms to get a plan before voters this fall.
Democrats punted on taking a position on the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s influence on Democratic primaries — instead opting to support a blanket resolution condemning dark money. AIPAC spent nearly $14 million on Illinois primary races.
Illinois has joined 23 other Democrat-run states in a lawsuit against a Trump administration executive order. The order would establish a national list of eligible voters and restrict mail-in voting to those on the list.
Abughazaleh said Thursday that she will help campaigns “integrate mutual aid and direct action into their races,” across the country, “especially in the Midwest.”
About 85,000 Chicagoans ages 17 to 34 voted in Tuesday’s midterm primary, with more mail in votes still to be counted. That’s up from the close to 62,000 voters in that age group in the 2022 primary. Residents who are 17, but will be 18 years old by the November general election are allowed to vote in the primary.
Last year, Chicago’s median residential tax bill in the city rose 16.7%, to $4,457, the largest percentage increase in at least 30 years. In the 24th Ward, where bills skyrocketed the most — the median homeowner tax bill increased nearly $2,000, about 102% — Kaegi won just 34% of the vote while Hynes came away with nearly 66%.
Croke had declared a victory Tuesday night, but the Associated Press had not yet called the race until Thursday. With 92.4% of the expected votes counted, Croke had 34.6% of the vote, while her closest rival, state Sen. Karina Villa, had 32.3%.
Stratton’s results in downstate Illinois reflected a much broader coalition than people expected — and served as a testament of Gov. JB Pritzker’s popularity among Democrats in the state.
The Democratic governor deferred all credit to his longtime running mate herself, but elevating Stratton could prove key to Pritzker’s possible presidential ambitions.
At the moment, Democrats have little power to push back against Trump and his policies, but that didn’t stop candidates from using him as a campaign rallying cry.
An unprecedented influx of special interest money into primary races led to mixed results for big industries on election night.
Despite a surge of money from Illinois Democrats, Andrade couldn’t hold off Miguel Alvelo Rivera, who positioned himself as a progressive outsider. But Sen. Emil Jones beat back two challengers in the Democratic primary.
The Associated Press had not yet called the race. With nearly 90% of the expected votes counted, Croke had a 2 percentage point lead over state Sen. Karina Villa.
Davis endorsed State Rep. La Shawn Ford last summer after announcing he wouldn’t seek a 16th term in Congress.
The Associated Press called the race for Bailey about 90 minutes after the polls closed, as he held 48% of the vote with 34% of votes counted.
Voters decide today which Democratic hopeful will be on the ballot in November for the general election. Learn about the candidates and follow Illinois primary results when polls close at 7 p.m.
The Cook County Assessor is in charge of appraising the county’s land parcels and handling tax incentives, exemptions and some appeals.
After handily defeating Ald. Brendan Reilly, the Cook County Board President now heads to the general election in November, where she’s likely to win her fifth, four-year term.
The winner of the heavily Democratic district will replace U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, who left the office to launch a Senate bid. Learn about the candidates and follow Illinois primary results when polls close at 7 p.m.
A campaign funding boost Illinois’ lieutenant governor got from longtime running mate Gov. JB Pritzker helped her edge past U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and eight other candidates in the race to succeed Sen. Dick Durbin, and she is now a step closer to becoming the state’s fourth Black U.S. senator.
The Democratic primary is expected to come down to one of the three fundraising leaders. It’s the first time the seat held by the retiring Jan Schakowsky has opened up since 1999.
Challenger Liz Nicholson defeated first-termer Steele, who faces a DUI charge.