Chicago, Cook County voters weigh in on ballot questions

Complete coverage of the local and national primary and general election, including results, analysis and voter resources to keep Chicago voters informed.

Chicago and Cook County voters weighed in on several ballot questions in addition to voting for governor, Illinois attorney general and other key races in the state.

The advisory questions on the ballot included measures about banning plastic straws and marijuana sales — if legalized — helping fund Chicago Public Schools.

Within an hour of polls closing, about 88 percent of Chicago residents had agreed that if marijuana is legalized, money from its sale should help fund Chicago Public Schools and mental health services.

When it came to a citywide tax exemption, 80 percent voted yes to creating a homeowners’ property-tax exemption for families in municipalities of over 500,000 that have lived in their home for more 10 years whose income is under $100,000.

And 55 percent of residents voted to ban plastic straws within corporate city limits.

One ballot measure — on term limits for the Chicago mayor — was ruled legally invalid by the Chicago Board of Elections, but that decision is being contested.

And nearly 80 percent of voters said the city should create the position of an elected consumer advocate.

Follow the Sun-Times’ 2018 Illinois election results updated in real-time.