It's Election time, Chicago -- again.
Beginning at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Chicago voters will have their final chance to head to the polls and cast their ballots for the next mayor of the city. But that's not the only race at stake on Election Day.
Beyond the Chicago mayoral race, there are a number of City Council and suburban races that voters will be tasked with deciding.
LIVE UPDATES: Live Election Day updates from across Chicago and the suburbs
According to the Chicago Board of Elections, the early vote total currently stands at 292,591 ballots cast. Of those, 107,686 are mail-in ballots. On Monday alone, 30,044 ballots were cast.
If you haven't voted early, head's up: try and head to the polls early, as there's a chance of severe weather in the forecast. And remember, if you're in line before polls close at 7 p.m., you can still cast your vote.
As Election Day gets underway, here's a last-minute guide on what the latest polls show, where to vote, how to register, how to find results and more (and yes, you can pull this guide up on your phone in the voting booth).
Local
Latest Mayoral Polls On Vallas, Johnson
Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson are Chicago's two mayoral runoff candidates.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
Vallas is not a stranger to the Chicago electoral scene, running for mayor in 2019. He also launched an unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign in 2002, losing the Democratic primary to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and an unsuccessful bid to become the state’s lieutenant governor in 2014, losing as Pat Quinn’s running mate.
This time around he won nearly one-third of the votes in the Feb. 28 election, easily finishing first in the nine-candidate field.
Johnson, a Cook County Commissioner and a former Chicago Public Schools teacher who has earned the endorsement of the Chicago Teachers Union, finished second in that balloting, easing ahead of incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the final weeks of the campaign.
MORE: How Johnson, Vallas Say They Would Address Crime, Public Safety in Chicago
Johnson made his first foray into Chicago politics in the 2018 Cook County Board race, unseating incumbent Richard Boykin.
The latest independent poll, conducted by Victory Research, shows Vallas with a very slight edge, up by four points. But the 3% margin of error makes the race too close to call.
For full campaign platforms for Johnson and for Vallas, voters can visit their campaign websites.
Mayoral Candidate Endorsements
Vallas started the election cycle by picking up notable endorsements from the Chicago Tribune, the Fraternal Order of Police’s Chicago chapter, and from Ald. Tom Tunney, and since then he has picked up several endorsements from former political rivals, with Roderick Sawyer and Willie Wilson both backing his campaign.
Johnson meanwhile has earned endorsements from the Chicago Teachers Union and several other local labor groups, while also picking up the support of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Illinois Rep. Jan Schakowsky and more.
You can find an up-to-date list of endorsements here.
Other Runoff Races on the Ballot
While most of the focus will be on the mayoral election, there are 14 City Council races also went to an April 4 runoff.
Most of those runoffs will take place in wards where the incumbent either retired or ran for higher-office, but several incumbents will also face runoff challenges, including two Lightfoot appointees, as 11th ward Ald. Nicole Lee will face Anthony Ciaravino and 24th Ward Ald. Monique Scott will face Creative Scott.
MORE: 7 Races to Watch in the 2023 Chicago Runoff Election
Ald. Chris Taliaferro will face a runoff after receiving under 50% of the vote in his 29th ward, while 36th ward Ald. Gilbert Villegas also came up short of that 50% threshold.
Ald. Jim Gardiner and Ald. Timmy Knudsen will face runoffs in the 45th and 43rd wards, respectively.
A full list of the runoff races can be found here.
Suburban Elections
Dozens of suburbs and communities near Chicago are holding consolidated elections on April 4.
A handful of cities including Naperville will be voting on Mayor. Communities will also be voting on village trustees, school board members and more.
Some referendums will also be on the ballot, with questions about mental health facility funding, increased funding for fire departments and more being presented to voters in the off-year voting.
Find out what's on the ballot where you live right here.
How to Find Your Polling Place
The Board of Elections provides a tool to help voters find their polling place. Voters will be asked to fill out their address and provide their last name.
For those outside of Chicago, click here.
What Time Are Polls Open?
As with all elections in Illinois, polls will open at 6 a.m. on April 4, and will close at 7 p.m.
What to Bring to Vote
While a government-issued photo ID is not required to vote under Illinois law, it can be helpful bring one, should any questions about registration, address, signature or other topics arise during the voting process.
Can You Register to Vote on Election Day?
Yes.
If you are not registered, you can do so at your polling place on Election Day. In that situation, a voter will need to bring two forms of identification, at least one of which has to have a current address -- for example, a driver's license and a utility bill.
Voters will also be asked to vote at the same time that they register.
Returning Your Mail-In Ballot
Mail-in ballots must be post marked by Tuesday, April 4 in order to be counted in the runoff election.
Chicago ballots can be returned via any of the city's drop-boxes. A full list can be found here. In the suburbs, visit your county's website for the correct location to return your mail-in ballot.
How to Get Live Results
Live Election Day coverage will air on NBC 5’s 24/7 Streaming Channel throughout the evening, and coverage will kick off on NBC 5 at 10 p.m.
You can also track live up-to-the-minute results live in the NBC Chicago app. Be sure to sign up for news alert notifications to get the latest information.
