A lot of eyes are on the presidential race, but City Cast Chicago is here to remind you about the other races on your ballot.
Chicagoans support campaign finance reform for school board candidates during a news conference last week. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune / Getty)
School Board Races
Chicagoans get to vote for the city’s first elected school board this fall. One person will be elected from each of the 10 districts. Some of the races have gotten crowded — and expensive.
- A rapper, education consultant, pastor, and public servant are all vying to represent District 10, which spans from South Loop to the Indiana border.
- Covering North Side neighborhoods, District 4 has six candidates in the running, one of whom has been accused of being too much of an insider while another has said he is in favor of school closings.
Something else to note: Mayor Brandon Johnson will appoint another 11 members. The city will vote for a fully elected school board in 2026.
Congressional Races
Illinois is a blue state: 14 of our 17 representatives are Democrats. But there are a couple of races to watch — especially as Republicans try to hold on to their slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Retired Rockford judge and GOP challenger Joe McGraw wants to take the 17th District from first-term incumbent Rep. Eric Sorensen. It’s possible — races have been tight in the northern Illinois district.
- Down in Springfield, freshman incumbent Nikki Budzinski is facing off against Republican challenger and veteran Joshua Loyd. Will the 13th District flip back to red?
Bob Fioretti and Eileen O'Neill Burke are vying to be Cook County state’s attorney. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune / Getty)
Cook County State’s Attorney
After a narrow primary in the spring, voters will decide who will replace Kim Foxx as the county’s next top prosecutor. Former state appellate justice Eileen O’Neill Burke is running on the Democratic ticket, though some progressives think she is too right-leaning. Ex-Ald. Bob Fioretti, the GOP candidate and a former Democrat, is backed by Rev. Jesse Jackson. Andrew Kopinski is running as a Libertarian.
Advisory Questions & Referenda
Illinois voters will all see three advisory questions on ballots. These are non-binding, kind of like voter surveys. Voters will be asked if high earners should be taxed more for property tax relief, if insurance plans should cover IVF, and if candidates should face penalties for interfering with election workers.
Chicago voters might see some referendum questions, too. Depending on where you live in the city, you might also be asked to weigh in on a binding referendum about a free mental health program on the South Side or a North Side liquor ban or a nonbinding referendum like the South Shore community benefits agreement.
Correction: The North Side liquor ban is a binding referendum. Hey Chicago regrets the error.
