Illinois Primary Election 2024

Mayor Brandon Johnson makes his inaugural address at Credit Union 1 Arena on Monday, May 15, 2023.

City Hall

Petition drive launched to give Chicago voters power to recall mayor

If Daniel Boland’s petition drive collects 56,464 valid signatures by Aug. 5, the question could go on the November ballot. But that would just give Chicago voters the power to remove a mayor via recall, which they don’t now have.

By Fran Spielman

Columnists

Democratic Party leaders meet in Chicago this week for pre-convention talks

Columnists

No dice for No Labels? How Chris Christie almost made third-party presidential run — but didn't

2024 Democratic National Convention

'Security footprint' plan for Democratic Convention kicked to City Council for Wednesday vote

Politics

Chicagoans, including Rahm Emanuel, attend White House State Dinner for the Japanese prime minister

Donald Trump speaks while pointing to something or someone while standing at a lectern and microphone.

Columnists

Donald Trump's abortion stance is politically convenient and sensible

By Jacob Sullum

Politics

As Cook County mourns Clerk Karen Yarbrough, planning starts to pick her successor

By Kristen Schorsch | WBEZ Chicago

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, from left, Mayor Brandon Johnson and Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., greet President Joe Biden as he arrives at the Soldier Field landing zone aboard Marine One before attending a campaign fundraiser on Monday.

Elections

Biden visits Chicago for fundraiser after pitching student loan relief in Wisconsin

By Emmanuel Camarillo and Cindy Hernandez

Elections

Biden heading to Chicago for fundraiser

By Lynn Sweet

Elections

Bring Chicago Home map: View which precincts voted for and against the referendum

With more than 100,000 mail-in ballots outstanding, the fate of Bring Chicago Home is not yet known. See a breakdown of the votes that have been counted.

By Jesse Howe, Matt Kiefer, and 1 more

Education

Rhymefest announces he is running for a seat on Chicago’s new elected school board

The 10th District, where Che “Rhymefest” Smith is running, spans from Bronzeville through Hyde Park, South Shore and South Chicago to the southern border of the city. His opponent, Adam Parrott-Sheffer, a former principal and education consultant, was one of the first to file paperwork to run for the board.

By Sarah Karp | WBEZ

Members of The Salvation Army Chicago give a homeless man supplies like blankets and hand warmers as all stand clad in coats and hats on Lower Wacker Drive.

City Hall

Johnson's failed Bring Chicago Home referendum gets boost from unlikely source

At a news conference announcing subsidies to adapt downtown office buildings for residential and commercial use, developer Quintin Primo III touted creation of a fund to reduce homelessness, which was rejected by voters in March.

By Fran Spielman

Politics

Chicago area man who joined mom, aunt at Jan. 6 Capitol riot gets probation

Prosecutors say Nicholas Von Keudell “pulled up a lawn chair to watch the violence further unfold for nearly an hour.”

By Jon Seidel

Politics

Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough hospitalized for 'serious medical condition'

Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough was hospitalized for serious medical condition, her spokesperson said. “Her family is requesting privacy, and we ask for prayers for the Clerk and her family at this difficult time,” said Sally Daly, deputy clerk of communications.

By Kaitlin Washburn

Elections

How Eileen O'Neill Burke won the razor-thin primary for Cook County state's attorney

The neck-and-neck Democratic race between O’Neill Burke and Clayton Harris III was marked by huge margins at the precinct level, data show.

By Alden Loury and Michael Puente | WBEZ

Elections

State's attorney primary victor O’Neill Burke says it's wrong to paint her as the tough-on-crime choice

Despite the nearly evenly split Democratic vote in the March 19 primary, O’Neill Burke said she won’t change her positions in the run-up to the November election, instead pinning the close race on “a question of messaging.”

By David Struett

Obituaries

Richard Phelan, former Cook County Board president who restored abortion services, dies at 86

A Roman Catholic, Mr. Phelan used his executive powers as board president to restore abortion services to the county’s health care provider. Planned Parenthood Illinois Action created the yearly Richard J. Phelan Profile in Courage Award in his honor.

By David Struett

Chris Kennedy (left) participates in a debate in Chicago in 2018; Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (right) attends a campaign event in Oakland, California, on March 26, 2024.

Columnists

Sibling rivalry: Kennedys back Biden over one of their own — with plans to 'make up afterwards'

In an exclusive Sneed interview, Chicago businessman Chris Kennedy talked about not supporting the independent White House bid of his brother Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the family’s Oval Office chat with Joe Biden.

By Michael Sneed

Eileen O’Neill Burke speaks at her election night watch party at the RPM event space in River North.

Elections

It's over (finally)! Ten days later, O’Neill Burke declares victory, Harris concedes in state's attorney primary

After almost two weeks of uncertainty, Eileen O’Neill Burke edged out Clayton Harris III for the Democratic nomination, with mail ballots tallied Friday sealing the most hotly contested race of the primary a full 10 days after the polls closed. The Associated Press called the race over — and the two candidates agreed.

By Mitchell Armentrout and Matthew Hendrickson

Eileen O'Neill Burke (left) speaks with reporters during a campaign stop at Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen on Election Day; Clayton Harris III (right) speaks at Taste 222 in the West Loop on Election Night.

Elections

Harris edges a few votes closer to O’Neill Burke as state's attorney primary nears counting finish line

Eileen O’Neill Burke is leading Clayton Harris III, 50.15% to 49.85%, a margin that changed only by hundredths of a percentage point, after city and suburban officials tallied more mail-in ballots Thursday.

By Emmanuel Camarillo

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle pitched her 2024 budget to the Cook County Board of Commissioners Thursday.

Elections

Pritzker sends Cook County Democratic Party $250K 'to turn out voters' in November

The funds will help target a big problem for a city opening its doors to President Joe Biden and the Democratic National Convention in August. Just 17.94% of registered voters in suburban Cook County and 25.7% of registered voters in Chicago voted in the March 19 primary.

By Tina Sfondeles

Elections

Federal appeals judges skeptical of Republican challenge to Illinois' vote-by-mail law

The lawsuit challenges Illinois’ counting of mail-in-ballots after election day, and has potential impact in this presidential election year.

By Dave McKinney | WBEZ

Clayton Harris III (left) and Eileen O'Neill Burke (rght) campaign for Cook County state's attorney on election day.

Elections

Ebb turns to slow for O'Neill Burke, whose thinning lead thickens ever so slightly

The latest batch of city and suburban mail-in ballots in the Cook County state’s attorney’s race show Eileen O’Neill Burke leading Clayton Harris III by 1,637 votes, up 39 since Tuesday.

By Emmanuel Camarillo

Education

Chicago's first school board elections mean crash course time for voters, candidates

Much of the public still knows little if anything about this year’s Chicago school board elections. But behind the scenes, candidates and special interest groups are gearing up for this opportunity to shape the city’s education system.

By Sarah Karp | WBEZ and Nader Issa

President Joe Biden sits with his hand near his mouth in front of Israeli and American flags.

Elections

Did Gaza protest vote make a mark on Illinois primary and impact support for Biden?

The president appears to have gotten less support from Cook County voters than any incumbent Democratic presidential candidate since Jimmy Carter 44 years ago.

By Nader Issa

Clayton Harris III (left) and Eileen O'Neill Burke (right) answer reporters’ questions after a debate during the Cook County state’s attorney’s race at ABC7 Studios in February.

Elections

One week and half a million votes later, still no Democratic nominee for Cook County state’s attorney

Unofficial results show Eileen O’Neill Burke now leads Clayton Harris III 50.15% to 49.85%. Both campaigns say they are prepared for next steps in the contest.

By Emmanuel Camarillo

Elections

Mail ballots whittle O'Neill Burke's lead over Harris in state's attorney race for 6th straight day

Based on unofficial results, O’Neill Burke now leads Harris 50.16% to 49.84%. They are separated by less than 1,700 votes.

By Emmanuel Camarillo and Sophie Sherry

A large camp of homeless people along Lower Wacker Drive on Feb. 15, 2018. | Kevin Tanaka/For the Sun Times

City Hall

City Council's Progressive Caucus responds to 'Bring Chicago Home' defeat with 'we heard you' humility

The caucus’ statement Monday was in stark contrast to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s defiant tone after Chicago voters rejected a referendum last week to combat homelessness.

By Fran Spielman

Elections

City mail vote slices O'Neill Burke's lead over Harris in state’s attorney race

More mail-in ballots were counted Sunday, leaving 2,015 votes separating Harris and Burke. The two were separated by 4,771 votes after Saturday’s count. Burke is leading Harris 50.19% to 49.81% overall.

By Emmanuel Camarillo

Elections

Mail ballots trickling in cut Eileen O'Neill Burke’s lead over Clayton Harris in Cook County state's attorney race

She’s easily ahead in the suburbs, while Harris has a narrow edge in Chicago. On Friday, thanks to the counting of mail ballots from Chicago voters, Harris had a net gain of 1,366 votes.

By Matthew Hendrickson