It was a dark and stormy night in Chicago as polls closed and votes were tallied. Here’s what we know.
Presidential Race
While Kamala Harris won Illinois in the presidential race, Donald Trump has declared victory. For months, Chicagoans have speculated what a second Trump presidency could mean for the city from redevelopment projects like the Red Line extension to mass deportation.
School Board Races
The results are still rolling in for the city’s first elected school board, and we kept a close eye on the crowded races in Districts 4 and 10.
- CPS employee and former teacher Ellen Rosenfeld is set to represent District 4, which covers North Side neighborhoods. Rosenfeld — who was endorsed by a mix of Democrats and pro–charter school groups — beat out five other candidates. She is married to 47th Ward Democratic committeeperson Paul Rosenfeld.
- In District 10, it’s still close to call. Rapper and songwriter Che “Rhymefest” Smith leads nonprofit CEO Karin Norington-Reaves by more than 1,000 votes to represent a socioeconomically diverse area on the South Side. Smith has high-profile endorsements and Norington-Reaves is backed by a pro–charter school PAC.
Who’s leading in the other eight districts?
- District 1: Jennifer Custer (just barely)
- District 2: Ebony L. DeBerry
- District 3: Carlos A. Rivas Jr.
- District 5: Aaron “Jitu” Brown
- District 6: Jessica Biggs
- District 7: Yesenia Lopez
- District 8: Angel Gutierrez
- District 9: Therese Boyle
Congressional Races
The jury is still out on whether Republicans held onto their slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. But it’s looking like conservatives aren’t going to gain any seats in Illinois.
- Democrat Rep. Nikki Budzinski is in the lead to hold onto her seat in the 13th District stretching from the St. Louis area to Champaign. Budzinski raised significantly more money than GOP challenger Joshua Lloyd.
- The 17th District
remains blue: Incumbent Rep. Eric Sorensen won another term. Rockford judge Joe McGraw had hoped to return the northwestern seat to Republicans for the first time since 2012. House Speaker Mike Johnson was hopeful, too: He backed McGraw.
Eileen O'Neill Burke is Cook County’s new state’s attorney. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune / Getty)
Cook County State’s Attorney
Former state appellate justice Eileen O’Neill Burke will be the county’s next top prosecutor. The tough-on-crime Democrat faced Republican Bob Fioretti and Libertarian Andrew Kopinski in Tuesday’s election. Kim Foxx decided not to run again after two terms.
A non-binding state advisory question asked Illinoisans about election worker protections. (Alex Wroblewski / Getty)
State Advisory Questions & City Referenda
Illinois voters were also asked three non-binding advisory questions, aka glorified voter surveys. Voters said:
- ✅ YES to taxing higher earners for property tax relief
- ✅ YES to making insurance plans cover IVF
- ✅ YES to candidates facing penalties for interfering with election workers
Some Chicago voters also weighed in on binding referenda: A small group of North Siders were in favor of lifting an alcohol ban, and South Siders are approving tax levies for free mental health programs.
Want more local election results? Turn to WTTW and Injustice Watch.
