Campaigns & Elections News
Campaigns & Elections
Coalition seeks to let IL voters deliver message on parents' rights in November
Thousands of volunteers aligned with conservative social policy groups across Illinois are seeking signatures to place an advisory referendum on the fall ballot asking voters if they believe Illinois law should require parents' consent before children receive non-emergency medical care or therapy
Campaigns & Elections
Chuy Garcia takes down ex-alderman candidate's defamation claims over domestic violence rumor
A state appeals panel says one time 14th Ward aldermanic candidate Jaime Guzman can't revive defamation suit accusing U.S. Rep Jesus "Chuy" Garcia of launching a false rumor accusing Guzman of domestic violence to take him out of 2019 campaign for Ed Burke's seat
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Campaigns & Elections
Finally: O'Neill Burke declared victor in tight Cook County State's Attorney's race
After 10 days of counting ballots, ex-judge Eileen O'Neill Burke claimed victory and promised to follow through on her pledges to reverse controversial prosecutorial policies of current State's Attorney Kim Foxx. She defeated Clayton Harris III, who had the backing of Chicago Democratic Party bosses and left-wing activists
Campaigns & Elections
Spyropoulos wins circuit court clerk race, becomes latest to pledge to modernize, restore trust in embattled office
Mariyana Spyropoulos rode big support from Cook County Democratic Party to defeat incumbent one-term incumbent Iris Martinez
Campaigns & Elections
Foxx's No. 2 Lanier loses bid for bench; Cook voters select nominees for 40 open county judgeships
Only 13 of the 40 open Cook County judgeships produced contested races in the March Democratic primary election. Republicans field candidates for only four judgeships in two suburban subcircuits.
Campaigns & Elections
Bring Chicago Home headed to defeat, in big loss for Mayor, political allies
Votes were still being counted, but as of Wednesday morning, nearly 54% of Chicago voters had voted to reject the controversial Bring Chicago Home referendum, strongly backed by Mayor Brandon Johnson and his political allies at the Chicago Teachers Union, among others
Campaigns & Elections
Cunningham cruises to win in Cook Dem IL Supreme Court race; GOPer Holder White unopposed in 4th District
Illinois Supreme Court justices Joy V. Cunningham and Lisa Holder White - the state's first two black female high court justices - are expected to secure 10-year terms on the court. Cunningham was appointed to replace ex-Chief Justice Anne Burke; Holder White appointed to replace retired Justice Garman
Campaigns & Elections
Bring Chicago Home votes will be counted after IL Supreme Court nixes challengers' bid for appeal
The decision lets stand an appellate court's ruling that Illinois residents cannot ask courts to review before the election any referendum questions placed on the ballot by the Chicago City Council or other elected "legislative" bodies, "regardless of how blatantly unconstitutional"
Campaigns & Elections
Foxx's No. 2 Risa Lanier seeks judgeship; Lands on list of judicial candidates rated 'Not Qualified' by state bar association
According to an evaluation published by the Illinois State Bar Association, Risa Lanier, First Assistant to Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, was rated "Not Qualified" in part because of other lawyers' concerns over her "honesty" and "poor decision making"
Campaigns & Elections
Bring Chicago Home tax hike referendum gets new life; Appeals court says legal challenge 'premature'
A state appeals panel overturned the ruling of a Cook County judge who had invalidated Mayor Brandon Johnson's real estate sales tax hike ballot measure because it illegally asked voters two questions in one referendum. The appeals court said validity challenges need to wait until after the election
Campaigns & Elections
Race for Cook County State's Attorney dead heat, new poll says
A poll from survey firm M3 Strategies says retired judge Eileen O'Neill Burke, who has pledged to undo many of the perceived soft on crime policies of current Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, is tied at 21% with attorney Clayton Harris III, who is endorsed by allies of Foxx and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Campaigns & Elections
Supreme Court boots ballot challenges to Trump, says states can't block presidential candidates under 14th Amend
The unanimous ruling strikes down rulings from Democratic judges in Colorado and Cook County, which had declared individual states have the power under the Fourteenth Amendment to block "insurrectionists" from seeking federal office
Campaigns & Elections
Cook County judge says Colorado got it right, says Trump should be kicked off IL ballot
Cook County Judge Tracie Porter, a Democrat, said she agreed that Trump engaged in "insurrection" and should be removed from the Illinois ballot. She placed her decision on hold, however, leaving it appeals courts, and perhaps the U.S. Supreme Court, to have the final say
Campaigns & Elections
Cook County State's Attorney race offers voters stark choice in approach to prosecuting crime
Retired Appellate Justice Eileen O'Burke says she will restore strong prosecution of gun crimes and retail theft in Chicago and elsewhere. Clayton Harris III, who is endorsed by Chicago political bosses, says he believes current State's Attorney Foxx has earned top grades and he will continue many of her policies and goals
Campaigns & Elections
Chicago Board of Elections, City Hall each seek to appeal ruling invalidating Chicago tax hike referendum
Both the Chicago Board of Elections and city of Chicago will argue a Cook County judge was wrong to block the city from intervening in the court fight over the so-called Bring Chicago Home referendum. The judge ruled the ballot question is illegally drafted, and votes should not be counted.
Campaigns & Elections
Judge invalidates 'Bring Chicago Home' real estate sales tax hike referendum
The judge said the referendum supported by Mayor Brandon Johnson in the name of fighting homelessness was illegally placed on the ballot. Supporters said the decision was racist 'voter suppression' and vowed appeal. Opponents say the referendum is a backdoor property tax increase with no safeguards on how the funds would be spent
Campaigns & Elections
Burke's lasting legacy: Cook County's courts harbor favored, connected judges
Former Chicago Ald. Ed Burke, once one of the most powerful politicians in Illinois, has left behind a long list of loyalist judges on Cook County's courts, including several in high places within the county's controversial divorce and family law courts
Campaigns & Elections
Appeals court rejects bid by Republican to overturn 2020 judge election he claims was stolen
Park Ridge Republican lawyer Frank DiFranco has claimed Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough used then-novel Vote By Mail rules to cheat in counting votes to allow a Democrat and former Yarbrough staffer to eke out a win in the northwest suburban judicial race
Campaigns & Elections
Wisconsin governor can't win sanctions from attorneys working for Trump to overturn 2020 results
Appeals panel said request to punish lawyers was filed too late, after parties dropped their claims
Campaigns & Elections
Judge tosses lawsuit challenging Illinois' vote-by-mail law's 2 week ballot counting window
Rep. Bost, other plaintiffs, alleged 14-day window for counting mailed ballots violates Constitution and federal law