Election Day in Illinois is officially here, with voters across the state heading to the polls Tuesday. Here's a look at some essential resources to help you prepare for the big day —
WHAT ARE THE RACES TO WATCH?
On the Democratic side, the battle to unseat incumbent Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner has already seen harsh words and heavy spending. The candidates include (from left to right): state Sen. Daniel Biss, physician Robert Marshall, billionaire Hyatt heir J.B. Pritzker, downstate school superintendent Bob Daiber, Chicago community organizer Tio Hardiman and businessman Chris Kennedy. Both Kennedy (son of the late Robert F. Kennedy) and Pritzker have donated significantly to their own causes, though Kennedy has contributed $500,000 to Pritzker's $42 million as of January 2018. Pritzker, Kennedy and Biss have all taken to the television airwaves to make their case to voters - largely looking to capture the progressive vote to survive the primary. The campaign rhetoric has grown heated at times, from Biss mocking the wealthy, self-funding candidates, to Kennedy accusing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel of "strategic gentrification," and more.
But before Rauner can think about the general election, he's got to make it through the primary. After months of speculation, state Rep. Jeanne Ives launched her campaign to take down the first-term governor from the right. The Wheaton lawmaker is among conservatives angered by Rauner's signing of a measure to allow Illinois to cover abortions for state employees and Medicaid recipients, as well as to keep abortion legal in the state should the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade be overturned. Other moves that have angered right-wing voters include Rauner's signing of a bill to effectively turn Illinois into a so-called "sanctuary state" for undocumented immigrants, as well as a landmark overhaul of the state's school funding formula. While the largely self-funded billionaire incumbent has an advantage when it comes to campaign cash, Ives has earned the support of various conservative groups and even won a straw poll of the Chicago Republican Party by an overwhelming 17-3 vote.
While it remains to be seen which candidates will capture their respective party's nomination, the race for Illinois governor is already hot and will only get hotter leading up to Election Day. If Republican voters let Rauner carry the GOP mantle, will Illinoisans let him have a second term? The conservative magazine National Review called him "The Worst Republican Governor in America" and his approval ranking has been among the lowest of governors across the country - thanks in large part to the more than two-year budget impasse he presided over while gridlocked with Democrats in the legislature. While he certainly has the cash (giving himself more than $71 million since Oct. 2016), Rauner isn't the only billionaire in the race that's expected to break records. Pritzker, a powerful Democratic fundraiser who has seemingly garnered the most significant portion of the party's backing, has also been self-funding, and as the fifth richest person in Illinois, according to Forbes, he's got the cash flow to keep the contributions going. The race passed the $100 million mark in October 2017, close to the record $112 million spent over the entirety of the last gubernatorial campaign in 2014, more than a year out from Election Day. The battle of the billionaires is also on pace to set a record for the most expensive gubernatorial campaign in U.S. history, a title that currently belongs to California's 2010 race that came with a $280 million price tag.
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Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s September announcement that she would not seek a fifth term in office sent shockwaves through the state’s political circles, with several names floated as potential candidates for the high-profile job. Ten candidates have filed to run for the position: (top row, left to right) DuPage County Board member and former Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso (R), former Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) Chief Sharon Fairley (D), ex-gubernatorial candidate and state Rep. Scott Drury (D), attorney and one-time downstate congressional candidate Erika Harold (R), former assistant U.S. attorney and MSNBC political commentator Renato Mariotti, (bottom row, left to right) 33rd Ward Democratic committeeman and former Cook County public defender Aaron Goldstein (D), Highland Park Mayor and former 10th District congressional candidate Nancy Rotering (D), Chicago Park District President and former chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education.Jesse Ruiz (D), state Sen. Kwame Raoul (D) and former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D).
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He's been the Cook County Assessor since 2010, and the well-connected chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party since 2007, but this year Joe Berrios (left) faces what looks to be a more formidable threat to reelection than ever before. A June 2017 Chicago Tribune investigation exposed widespread inequities in the county's residential property tax system, while another Tribune/ProPublica Illinois piece six months later revealed that Berrios did not estimate the value of thousands of properties, sometimes simply carrying over the assessment from one year to the next. Rauner and Kennedy have been among the candidates for governor calling on Berrios to step down, while three members of Congress - Reps. Danny K. Davis, Bill Foster and Robin Kelly - have all endorsed his opponent, Fritz Kaegi. Kaegi has made campaign finance a core issue of his platform, saying he believes taking contributions from lawyers who appeal taxes is corrupt and vowing not to do so, at a time when Berrios' political ties are under increasing scrutiny.
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In the fallout surrounding the ill-fated sweetened beverage tax, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle drew a challenger. Former Chicago Ald. Bob Fioretti represented the 2nd Ward from 2007 to 2015, when the redistricting map pushed him outside the ward boundaries and he decided instead to run for Chicago mayor. He eventually dropped out of the race, later launching an unsuccessful bid for a state Senate seat, though this time he could have more luck. Preckwinkle was formerly so popular that it seems she was one of the few candidates who could unseat Mayor Rahm Emanuel, but the controversial penny-per-ounce soda tax that lasted less than four months before it was repealed spurred lawsuits, angry retailers and potentially even blowback at the polls.
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A major fight for the soul of the Democratic Party is happening right here in Illinois. Marketing consultant and anti-bullying advocate Marie Newman is mounting a challenge to longtime Rep. Dan Lipinski, a seven-term lawmaker who is seen as one of the most conservative Congressional Democrats. Lipinski has positioned himself against abortion rights, voted against the Affordable Care Act, and has taken other, more conservative stances on issues like immigration. Newman - who has earned support from various progressive groups as well as rare endorsements from sitting Democrats, Reps. Luis Gutierrez and Jan Schawkowsky - has painted herself as a grassroots candidate advocating for policies like universal healthcare, paid family leave and more.
Widely seen as one of the nation's most outspoken advocates for immigrants, longtime Rep. Luis Gutierrez announced in November that he would not seek reelection but insisted he's "not retiring" from the fight for immigrant rights. Nevertheless, the district he's represented for 24 years will soon have a new congressman. The Democratic candidates vying to take the seat include (from left to right): former Chicago Police Sgt. Richard Gonzalez, 1st Ward Ald. Proco Joe Moreno, executive director of nonprofit La Casa Norte Sol Flores, 15th Ward Ald. Raymond Lopez, and Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, who Gutierrez himself endorsed for the role.
The race to represent Illinois' 6th Congressional District is garnering national attention, as it has implications well beyond its suburban boundaries. In 2016, GOP Rep. Peter Roskam (top right) held onto his seat even though Hillary Clinton won the the district - making him a high-profile target for Democrats. Roskam's votes on tax reform and to repeal Obamacare, plus criticism over his refusal to hold town hall meetings with constituents in person, have been among the issues that have spurred now seven candidates to jump in the Democratic primary race to unseat him. They include (top row, left to right): Rep. Bill Foster's former district chief of staff Carole Cheney, data analyst and former President Barack Obama's campaign staffer Ryan Huffman, Barrington Hills Plan Commissioner Kelly Mazeski, (bottom row, left to right) scientist and entrepreneur Sean Casten, co-owner of Anderson’s Bookshops and Naperville City Council member Becky Anderson Wilkins, regulatory attorney Jennifer Zordani, plus civil rights attorney and former educator Amanda Howland, who ran against Roskam in 2016.
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While he may not be on the ballot this year, you should still keep an eye on Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Even though the political focus this year will largely be on November 2018, the mayoral election comes up quickly, with his name on the ballot in February 2019. With the political chess game surrounding Gutierrez's retirement, Garcia, who drove Emanuel to an unprecedented runoff election in 2015, is presumably out of the picture. Thus far, only former Chicago Public Schools principal Troy LaRaviere has announced his candidacy - though ex-Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy, who Emanuel fired in 2015 amid fallout over the shooting of Laquan McDonald, has been publicly mulling a run against his old boss. Though the election itself isn't this year, it will come quickly, and we'll certainly know by the end of 2018 who's in and who's out.
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Incumbent Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner officially announced his run for re-election in late October with a video in which he doubled down on a few familiar refrains, promising to fight "corrupt career politicians" and pushing for elements of his so-called "Turnaround" agenda. Rauner has already raised more than $70 million for his re-election bid, $50 million of which he personally dumped into his campaign fund in December 2016. That contribution was the single largest political donation in the state's history, eclipsing the previous record Rauner set when he poured $10 million into his campaign in 2014. A native of Winnetka, Rauner spent $65 million total on his 2014 gubernatorial bid, his first run for public office after a career spent in venture capital. Since taking office, Rauner has often pledged to freeze property taxes, set term limits for politicians and institute business-friendly reforms - though he has spent much of his term at odds with the Democratic-controlled legislature, and has faced criticism over the state's two year budget impasse.
State Rep. Jeanne Ives, who has represented Wheaton for five years, filed to officially challenge Rauner in the Republican primary after publicly mulling a run for months. Her decision was sparked in part by Rauner's signing of a measure to allow Illinois to cover abortions for state employees and Medicaid recipients. She also said she disagrees with his approval of an education funding reform plan as well as a bill to make Illinois a so-called "sanctuary state." Although Rauner has dismissed her as a "fringe" candidate, Ives has garnered the support of various conservative organizations looking to take down the first-term incumbent from the right.
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State Senator Daniel Biss, of Evanston, is a former University of Chicago math professor who has represented the 9th District since 2013. Prior to running for the Illinois State Senate, Biss served in the Illinois House of Representatives for one term. He announced his candidacy via Facebook Live in March 2017, saying he "plans to build a movement to take our state back from wealthy and insider interests." Biss has continually painted himself as a "grassroots" alternative to the multiple billionaire candidates in the race, and won a straw poll conducted after a forum organized by dozens of women's groups in December.
Facebook.com/bobdaiber2018
The only candidate hailing from southern Illinois, Bob Daiber currently serves as Madison County Regional Superintendent of Schools, a role he has held since 2007. Calling himself an "advocate for labor," Daiber said in his February 2017 announcement that he wants to address the state's financial problems - without anti-union efforts like right-to-work legislation similar to what Rauner has championed in the past.
kennedyforillinois.com
Chris Kennedy, son of the late Robert F. Kennedy, announced his candidacy in February 2017 after months of speculation. In the year leading up to his announcement, Kennedy met with labor and party leaders across the state and spoke at the Democratic National Convention, slamming Rauner in front of the Illinois delegation. Kennedy, who previously managed Chicago’s Merchandise Mart and now heads a hunger-relief nonprofit alongside his wife, has also turned to his own personal wealth to fund his campaign, cutting his committee two checks in 2017 worth a total of $500,000.
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Chicago community organizer Tio Hardiman threw his hat in the ring in June 2017, after unsuccessfully running for governor in 2014. A former director of CeaseFire Illinois, Hardiman is best known as an anti-violence advocate and has made that community work central to his campaign platform. Hardiman faces a financial challenge in the race, as his campaign committee has raised just $5,445 versus the committees of multiple self-funding billionaires.
citizensforrobertmarshall.net
Physician Robert Marshall has run for multiple offices as both a Republican and a Democrat. He ran for state representative in 1988 and 1994, as well as for a seat in the Illinois State Senate in 1992 as a Republican, and was a Burr Ridge trustee from 1989 to 1993. He then ran for Congress in 1998 and lost to Rep. Bill Lipinski in the general election. After switching parties to become a Democrat, he unsuccessfully ran for both the U.S. Senate in 2010, then for the 6th District in 2016, losing in the primary election. He has also self-funded, donating $29,000 to his campaign in two contributions.
twitter.com/JBPritzker
Billionaire J.B. Pritzker is a member of the Pritzker family, most famous for owning the Hyatt hotel chain. After months of speculation, Pritzker announced in April 2017 that he would join the growing field of candidates looking to unseat Rauner. A powerful Democratic fundraiser, Pritzker was deeply involved in both of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaigns and has contributed to candidates including Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth. His sister Penny Pritzker served in President Obama's administration, while Pritzker himself unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 1998. A venture capitalist, Forbes listed Pritzker as the fifth richest person in Illinois, with a net worth of $3.4 billion. Pritzker has almost entirely self-funded his campaign, pouring more $42 million into his committee in six separate $7 million contributions.
With a wider field of six candidates, here's a look at some background information on the Democrats running for the chance to unseat incumbent GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner (or take on his conservative challenger, state Rep. Jeanne Ives):
Hometown: ChicagonnAge: 53n nOccupation: Businessman nnEducation: Bachelor's degree, Duke University; Law degree, Northwestern University School of LawnnPublic offices held: None.nnProfessional experience: Entrepreneur who helped found Chicago tech incubator 1871. Early childhood education advocate, organizing President Barack Obama's 2014 Summit on Early Childhood Education. Former chairman, Illinois Human Rights Commission. Helped Holocaust survivors build the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center.nnRunning mate: State Rep. Juliana Stratton, Chicago
Hometown: Kenilworth n nAge: 54 n nOccupation: Founder of Top Box Foods, a non-profit that provides high-quality, affordable foods to needy Northern Illinois communities. Chairman of Joseph P. Kennedy Enterprises, Inc. n nEducation: Bachelor's degree, Boston College; master of business administration, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business n nPublic offices held: None. n nProfessional experience: Former chairman, University of Illinois Board of Trustees; former president of Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc.; former chairman, Greater Chicago Food Depository; current board member, Ariel Mutual Funds; former Lund-Gill Chair at Dominican University. Taught honors course on effects of government and community policies on social justice organizations. n nRunning mate: Ra Joy, Chicago
facebook.com/danielbiss
Hometown: Evanston n nAge: 40 n nOccupation: State senator n nEducation: Bachelor's degree, Harvard University; doctorate in mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. n nPublic offices held: Illinois House of Representatives, 2011-2012. Elected to Illinois Senate in 2012. n nProfessional experience: Former math teacher at North Lawndale High School and the University of Chicago. Member, Evanston Environment Board; former president, Democratic Party of Evanston; board member, Indo-American Democratic Organization; social action committee member, Temple Beth Israel. n nRunning mate: State Rep. Litesa Wallace, Rockford
Facebook.com/bobdaiber2018
Hometown: Marine n nAge: 61 n nOccupation: Regional schools superintendent, township supervisor, farmer. n nEducation: Bachelor's and master's degrees in education, Eastern Illinois University. Doctorate in education, Southern Illinois University_Edwardsville. n nPublic offices held: Marine Township supervisor, 2001 to present; former Madison County Board member; former member of Marine village board; Appointed regional superintendent of schools in 2007 and elected in 2008, 2010 and 2014. nProfessional experience: Career and technical teacher at Triad High School in Troy, 1979-2007; Member, Illinois Education Association, including four years as local president. With wife Karen, owns 250 acres of farmland in four locations in Madison and Macoupin counties. Personally farms 120 acres, corn and beans. n nRunning mate: Jonathan Todd, Chicago
facebook.com/tio.m.hardiman
Hometown: Calumet City n nAge: 55 n nOccupation: President of Violence Interrupters, a not-for-profit anti-violence organization. Adjunct professor of criminal justice and restorative justice. n nEducation: Bachelor's and master's degrees in inner city studies, Northeastern Illinois University. n nPublic offices held: None. n nProfessional experience: Former director of CeaseFire Illinois; violence prevention expert and adjunct professor; community leader. n nRunning mate: Patricia Avery, Champaign
citizensforrobertmarshall.net
Hometown: Burr Ridge n nAge: 75 n nOccupation: Physician n nEducation: Phillips Exeter Academy, Oberlin College, Harvard Medical School. n nPublic offices held: Former trustee, Burr Ridge Village Board. n nProfessional experience: Physician since 1969. n nRunning mate: Dennis Cole, Westchester
WHO ARE THE CANDIDATES FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL?
AP/Andrew Harnik, File
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A former federal prosecutor, state Rep. Scott Drury, of Highwood, announced on Sept. 19 that he was withdrawing from his campaign for governor and instead running for attorney general. Drury has served in the General Assembly since 2013, and in that time has painted himself as an anti-establishment candidate, often breaking ranks with members of his own party and vocally opposing longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan.
The former head of Chicago's new police oversight agency Sharon Fairley officially announced on Oct. 10 that she would be throwing her hat in the ring. Fairley was appointed in 2016 to serve as the first chief administrator of COPA, a role she assumed when the office officially opened on Sept. 15 - just 10 days before news broke of her eventual departure. Prior to COPA, the former federal prosecutor and assistant attorney general led the new agency's beleaguered predecessor, the Independent Police Review Authority, beginning in Dec. 2015.
Orange County Sheriff's Office
After unsuccessfully running for state representative on Chicago's Northwest Side in 2014, Aaron Goldstein ran for 33rd Ward Democratic committeeman against former Ald. Dick Mell and won. A former Cook County Public Defender, Goldstein also teaches criminal law at North Park University.
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An attorney from Burr Ride, Gary Grasso is running for the Republican nomination. He was the mayor of Burr Ridge from 2005 to 2012, when he resigned to take his seat as a member of the DuPage County Board, on which he currently serves.
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Republican Erika Harold is an attorney and former Miss America who ran for Congress downstate in 2013 and announced her intent to run against incumbent Lisa Madigan in September 2017. After Madigan announced she would not seek reelection, Harold said she would like to thank her for her service, and that "regardless of who the Democrats put forward, our campaign will continue to focus on protecting the people and not the powerful."
facebook.com/RenatoForIllinois
Former assistant U.S. attorney Renato Mariotti announced his candidacy on Oct. 26 in an appearance on MSNBC, where he has been a commentator and legal analyst. A Chicago native, Mariotti spent nearly ten years as a federal prosecutor and has worked in the private sector since 2016. He said in his announcement that he can no longer "sit on the sidelines."
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State Sen. Kwame Raoul, who has represented Chicago’s South Side since 2004, made his plans to run official on Sept. 20. “As a prosecutor and legislator, I’ve spent my career advocating on behalf of victims, speaking up for the voiceless and producing real change in our justice system,” Raoul said in a statement. “As Attorney General, I’ll put my problem-solving and advocacy experience to work to ensure that justice in Illinois is blind, never discriminating between city, suburban and Downstate, between brown, black, and white or between rich and poor.” Raoul has long eyed the position and was one of the first Democrats whose names circulated following Madigan’s announcement. Adding to the incentive, his Senate seat is not on the ballot until 2020, meaning he does not need to give up his current position to run, and will be able to return to the legislature if he loses.
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Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, elected in 2011, launched her campaign in late September. In 2016, she unsuccessfully challenged former Rep. Brad Schneider in the Democratic primary for the north suburban 10th Congressional District he previously held, losing the bid to unseat incumbent Rep. Bob Dold. In announcing her entry into the race, Rotering told Politico that one of her chief accomplishments as mayor was Highland Park's ban on assault weapons, which the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear in 2015 - leaving the policy intact.
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President of the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners Jesse Ruiz announced his campaign on Oct. 18, saying, "For too long, many of us have felt forgotten and let down by our government. As Attorney General, I will use all of the powers of the law as a shield – and if necessary, a sword – on behalf of everyone in Illinois." Ruiz said that as the son of Mexican immigrants, President Donald Trump's comments on immigrants motivated him to run for office. Ruiz is a practicing attorney and in the past has served as vice president of the Chicago Board of Education, interim CEO of the Chicago Public Schools district, as well as chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education.
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Former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn announced his intention to run for attorney general on Oct. 27, saying he wants to be "the lawyer for the people." Quinn served as governor from 2009 to 2015 before he was ousted by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
WHO'S ENDORSED?
If you're still undecided, it can be helpful to known who's backing whom. Click here for a breakdown of publications and their endorsements, and here for a list of organizations and elected officials who have thrown their support behind a candidate.
WHAT QUESTIONS WILL BE ON THE BALLOT?
Nearly every election includes some sort of referendum, and this year is no different. In addition to voting for your candidates, you can weigh in on issues specific to your municipality. Click through to find the questions that will be asked of Chicago voters, Cook County voters, and voters in suburban counties.
WHERE TO VOTE EARLY
If you want to avoid the rush and cast your ballot before Election Day, you have plenty of options:
With the exception of Will County, if your county offers multiple early voting locations, you can pick whichever one is most convenient for you.
HOW TO FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE
If you prefer to cast your ballot on Election Day, you have just one option: your designated polling place. If you don't know where that is, click here and choose your county to find out.
WHAT TIME POLLS ARE OPEN
Polls open at 6 a.m. statewide, and will stay open through 7 p.m. But remember - if you are IN LINE when polls close, you can still vote! So if you're rushing to your polling place at the last minute, don't worry if you see a line - and don't let anyone try to dissuade you from casting your ballot.
WHAT YOU SHOULD BRING
While a government-issued photo ID is not required to vote under Illinois law, it can be helpful to bring one should any questions about registration, address, signature, or more arise during the voting process.
It's important to remember: you legally do not need any form of identification to cast your vote in Illinois, unless you are registering for the first time or changing your registration.
SHOULD YOU TAKE A BALLOT SELFIE?
NO. In Illinois, ballot selfies are prohibited by state law. It's a felony to mark your ballot so another person can see how you voted, carrying a potential prison sentence of one to three years.
State election officials have said it's "unlikely" anyone would be prosecuted for a ballot selfie, but you should play it safe and take a picture of your "I Voted" sticker or pose next to the polling place sign instead.
NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE?
If you're not registered in Illinois but still want to vote, it's not too late! You can take advantage of grace period registration through Election Day. You simply have to bring two forms of identification, one with your current address, to your polling place and be prepared to vote at the same time.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU RUN INTO PROBLEMS
While millions of people will cast their ballots without any problems, some may be challenged on their voting eligibility, experience voter intimidation, or have trouble at their polling place.
If you run into any issues at all, or even have questions about the process, you are encouraged to call the Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (English only), 888-VE-Y-VOTA (English/Spanish) and 888-API-VOTE (English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Bengali, Hindi, Urdu and Tagalog).
The hotline is run by a nonpartisan coalition of more than 100 organizations, led by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
HOW TO GET LIVE RESULTS
Live Election Day coverage will air on NBC 5 throughout the evening and at 10 p.m. You can also track up-the-minute race results live in the NBC Chicago app and right here on NBCChicago.com.
