While much has been reported about the race for mayor in Chicago, voters will also notice a number of other items on their ballots this Election Day.
From an entirely new election grouping to referendum questions and more, there will be plenty for voters to think about before heading to the polls.
Here's a breakdown of what else will be on your ballot, beyond the mayoral race:
Referendum questions
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While referendums and ballot questions are a key component to any election, in the city of Chicago there will only be a limited number of queries posed to voters this February, and they will all be non-binding.
According to the Chicago Board of Elections, advisory referendums, such as the ones that will appear on select ballots on Feb. 28, are designed not to create or approve of laws, but rather “to solicit the opinion of voters on a question of public policy.”
Such referendums are non-binding, and are only intended to give officials an idea of what residents in a particular community are seeking to achieve.
Local
Here are the questions, and which precincts will vote on them.
Chicago Police District Council
While residents are used to voting for citywide offices and for members of the City Council in off-year elections, this year’s ballot will include a new series of offices, as district councils will be elected in each of Chicago’s 22 police districts.
The new councils, formed as part of a City Council effort to improve police oversight and accountability, will consist of three individuals elected in each police district, according to officials. They will be elected every four years, on the same schedule as the mayoral and City Council races.
According to a city-run website, the councils will aim to build connections between police and communities, while also developing and implementing community policing initiatives.
Aldermanic races
While most of the attention has been focused on the nine candidates running for Chicago mayor, the Chicago City Council will also have a decidedly-new look in the new term, as a dozen incumbents aren’t running for reelection and several others are facing tough fights.
In all, 12 members of the City Council will not be seeking reelection, with several more defending seats that they’ve only recently been appointed to.
Just like in the mayoral election, if no candidate receives a majority of the votes in the Feb. 28 election, meaning 50% plus one additional vote, then the top two vote-getters would advance to a runoff, which will be held on April 4.
A full list of candidates can be found here.
