Chicago Election Begins Taking Shape As First Candidates File Petitions
The first day of candidate filings for the city elections in February gave some early indications about the various races, but can't tell the whole story.
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The first day of candidate filings for the city elections in February gave some early indications about the various races, but can't tell the whole story.
A Chicago election official has been fired in the aftermath of a contentious election that has resulted in a criminal probe of disruptive robocalls and complaints about "irregularities" in handling ballots in the state treasurer's race. A spokesman declined to say why the person was fired, saying it was a personnel issue.
Regardless of whether Gov. Pat Quinn concedes the race to Bruce Rauner anytime soon, it will be days before an official count confirms who won the race for Illinois governor.
At Welles Park, there were 50 people still in line at 2 a.m., having waited at least seven hours to cast their ballots. At one point, the gym was transformed into a makeshift holding area to accommodate waiting voters.
Chicago Board of Election Commissioners Chairman Langdon Neal said at least one precinct in all 50 wards had a problem with election judges not showing up, and the city had to enlist the help of 250 standby judges.
Need help locating your polling place or finding a sample ballot? We've got links to the information you need.
"Overall, for us in suburban Cook, 169,000-plus have already voted," Cook County Clerk David Orr said. "That's a 53 percent increase over 2010."
"There is an intent to try to disrupt the orderly administration of the election," Chicago Board of Election Commissioners Chairman Langdon Neal said.
With less than two weeks until Illinois' high-stakes elections, an attorney general opinion has some officials rethinking vote-counting procedures in ways that they say could cause big delays in announcing results.
Voter turnout in Chicago was extremely low on Tuesday, with about 4 percent of eligible voters casting a ballot as of noon, according to data from the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.
Election judges would no longer have to find a voter's name in a massive binder on Election Day.
Shortly before the polls closed Tuesday, State Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-Chicago) filed a challenge to the results in the 21st District Illinois House race, alleging fraud by election judges.
It appears that if you don't have a lot of voters, you don't have a lot of problems.
Chicago election officials say they have 500 different ballots ready to go, and they are hoping that the ballots get used in the primary Tuesday.
With Illinois a player in the Republican primary election for the first time in decades, the number of voters asking for a GOP ballot is up, but election officials still expect low turnout overall.
With voter registrations still on the low side, local elections officials are debating whether it should be easier for people to register.
Even though it's Presidents Day and most government offices are closed, voters can still cast an early ballot in Chicago's mayoral primary.
A hearing is underway at the Chicago Board of Elections, on more than two dozen challenges to Rahm Emanuel's spot on the Chicago mayoral ballot, among other filings.
If candidates in Chicago's municipal elections want to knock the competition off the ballot, 69 West Washington is the place to be for the next several days.
A woman was critically injured when she was hit by a car while riding her bike on Thursday afternoon in west suburban Aurora.
All eyes were glued to the TVs at a pizzeria in Evergreen Park on Thursday as fans cheered on hometown Olympian Abbey Murphy and Team USA in a thrilling overtime win in the gold medal game against Canada in women's hockey.
A group of Black classically trained musicians called D-Composed have made it their mission to celebrate the work of Black composers from the past, present and future.
A new schedule of funeral and celebration of life services for Rev. Jesse Jackson have been released. He died early Tuesday morning at age 84.
The man who heroically jumped into Lake Michigan to save an 8-month-old baby in a stroller who had been blown into Belmont Harbor doesn't know how to swim.
The longest-serving Assembly speaker in Wisconsin history, who acted as a block on the battleground state's Democratic governor and also drew the ire of President Donald Trump, isn't running again.
Wisconsin Republicans who long blocked a bipartisan measure to expand postpartum Medicaid coverage plan to pass the measure following pressure from Democrats.
Dozens of municipalities across the Chicago area have referenda and propositions on the ballot in the 2026 Illinois primary, giving voters the opportunity to weigh in on local priorities.
A commission that advises the federal government on architecture and the arts voted to approve President Trump's overhaul of the White House East Wing.
The Chicago Bears have taken a big step forward in finding a new site for their stadium, and that momentum is moving fast toward Northwest Indiana.
This is after Mayor Brandon Johnson vetoed an ordinance that would have banned most hemp-derived products this weekend.
This week marks Identity Theft Awareness Week, and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza emphasized some safety tips Monday for avoiding and dealing with identity theft.
A controversial data center in Naperville, Illinois, could be the cause to pack a city council meeting there on Tuesday night.
Police in the west Chicago suburb of Geneva are warning of a scam involving spoofed phone numbers.
Protesters on Tuesday were cranking up the heat on Peoples Gas over a recently proposed rate hike that would add an additional $10 to $11 a month to utility bills.
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital announced this week that it is planning to open a new pediatric hospital in the west Chicago suburb of Downers Grove.
It has been nearly six years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and one of the many questions doctors are still working to answer concerns the long-term effects.
Leaders from Cook County, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository denounced changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on Wednesday.
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center has received a grant from The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation for a new cancer center.
Chicago's Lurie Children's Hospital said Tuesday that it is no longer initiating gender-affirming medical treatment for minors.
Lizard's Liquid Lounge announced recently that it will be closing for good in April after 18 years on Chicago's Northwest Side.
BP refinery workers in Northwest Indiana hit the picket line this past weekend as they escalate their fight for a contract.
Funkytown has now received a $3.7 million grant from the City of Chicago. The money will be used to create a new brewery and tap room on the Near West Side.
With his name now hanging in the rafters, former Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose is helping the United Center with its major redevelopment.
A potential bidding war is taking shape for the Daily Herald, the newspaper of record for suburban Chicago.
Garth Brooks, Ed Sheeran, Post Malone and Jelly Roll are among the artists headlining in the 2026 SummerFest in Milwaukee this summer.
Anderson Cooper will report multiple stories for "60 Minutes" before the end of the television season in May.
Warner Bros. Discovery said that Paramount Skydance is considering enhancing its buyout offer for the entertainment company.
Robert Duvall was in such classics as "The Godfather," "To Kill a Mockingbird," "M*A*S*H," "The Great Santini" and "Tender Mercies."
"Dawson's Creek" and "Varsity Blues" star James Van Der Beek has died at 48 years old.
The White Sox’s multi-talented young catcher Kyle Teel has bulked up this offseason to help improve his power at the plate as he continues his development in his second year in the majors.
There's a change of plans for services honoring the late Rev. Jesse Jackson. His family is adjusting the dates for memorial services planned in Chicago, because Washington D.C. and Jackson’s home state of South Carolina are also now hosting services for the late civil rights icon.
A man who neighbors say is a stranger to them was arrested after a home invasion and hourslong standoff in Arlington Heights.
Strong storms possible Thursday night amid dropping temperatures, and followed by snow.
All eyes were glued to the TVs at a pizzeria in Evergreen Park on Thursday as fans cheered on hometown Olympian Abbey Murphy and Team USA in a thrilling overtime win in the gold medal game against Canada in women’s hockey.
Despite a pause in talks on an Arlington Heights stadium, Illinois lawmakers are still optimistic they can pass legislation the Bears have sought.
The man who heroically jumped into Lake Michigan to save an 8-month-old baby in a stroller who had been blown into Belmont Harbor doesn't know how to swim.
Police in the northwest Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights were engaged in a standoff with an armed home invader.
Two members of a Chicago dance team were killed, and three others were injured in a crash on the Bishop Ford Freeway early Thursday morning.
A woman was critically injured when she was hit by a car while riding her bike on Thursday afternoon in west suburban Aurora.
The city of Chicago is about to write some big checks to thousands of vehicle owners who had their cars, vans, or trucks towed by the city without the proper warning.
Gary residents hoped the new partnership between U.S. Steel and Japanese company Nippon Steel would mean changes to how much coal is being used and how much emissions are being released, but that's not what's in the works.
Chef Art Smith said the carjacking and fatal shooting of his employee, Darwin Tirado, 22, was devastating not only to his family but also to the larger community.
A state lawmaker is joining the growing call for accountability from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services about past abuse allegations before an 8-year-old boy's murder.
Chicago's rodent problem is well known, but a new pilot program testing rat birth control to curb the population in problem areas is underway to help rein it in.
The Chicago Bears have taken a big step forward in finding a new site for their stadium, and that momentum is moving fast toward Northwest Indiana.
As far as his own game is heading into the upcoming season, Hayes said he feels strong and healthy.
With all of his success so far, the 35-year-old lefty said he's excited for what's to come in year two for both himself and the team.
Northern Iowa football player Parker Sutherland has died two days after collapsing during an offseason workout.
Clark's decision took place during an investigation by the U.S. Attorney in Brooklyn, New York, into OneTeam Partners, a licensing company founded by the union, the NFL Players Association and RedBird Capital Partners in 2019.
A Yorkville man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after he was convicted of repeatedly sexually assaulting a girl for nearly four years in Chicago's far southwest suburbs.
An armed home invasion suspect is in custody after an hourslong standoff with police in northwest suburban Arlington Heights, Illinois.
It took more than three years, but charges have been filed in the deaths of two young women in Hobart, Indiana, back in 2022.
A man was left in critical condition early Thursday after a crash in Chicago's Pilsen area.
A CBS News analysis found 126 cases that were brought by federal prosecutors last year arising out of threats to public officials.
