The Chicago Teachers Union is fielding candidates in just 13 of Chicago’s 20 school board districts. To win a majority on the school board, it must win 11 of those 13 races, 85%. Most of the South Side has no CTU endorsed candidate on the ballot.

I estimate Alexi Giannoulias’ Chicago only cable and network TV buy is at least $300,000, after analyzing public ad disclosures. The ad is for his Secretary of State reelection, but its timing, weeks before mayoral petitions, suggests City Hall ambitions.

After years of fighting for an elected Chicago school board, CTU has candidates on the ballot in only 13 of 20 district races (plus a write-in). It must win 11 of 13 races, 85%, to secure a majority on the board.

Operating Engineers Local 150 paid for this YouTube ad backing Alexi Giannoulias for Illinois Secretary of State. But it ran only in Chicago and is heavily Chicago themed, calling him “Chicago’s Answer.”

Just In: An Illinois election hearing officer recommends removing independent candidate Mayra Macias from the IL04 ballot after finding she failed to meet the 10,816-signature minimum. Macias is challenging Patty García, the heir apparent to retiring Congressman Chuy García.

The Nutella Cafe reopened today!

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas is giving away 100,000 bars of soap stamped: “Maria Pappas Mayor: Clean Up Chicago.” 🧼

Alexi Giannoulias, rumored Chicago mayor candidate, just reported an additional $2.5 million in contributions. $1M came from billionaire Neil Bluhm and family: $500K from Neil Bluhm, $300K from JMB Realty, and $200K from son Andrew Bluhm.

Very saddened to hear about Russ Stewart’s passing. I started my political career on Chicago’s Northwest Side and Russ was one of the first journalists to use me as a source. Unfortunately, he was one of the last hyper-local political journalists. May he rest in peace.

Alderman Marty Quinn told Fran Spielman he won’t seek reelection as alderman. Quinn was Michael Madigan’s hand-picked successor to run Chicago’s storied 13th Ward political organization and what remained of the Madigan machine. End of an era.

Dr. Lisa Nee, a cardiologist and medical whistleblower, officially announces her run for Chicago mayor, with a nice Chicago Tribune profile today, pictured with her dogs. She pitchs herself as an outsider: “I’m inside the community, I’m just outside the political machine.”

Navy officer and downtown alderman Bill Conway just loaned his campaign $500k. If he runs for Chicago mayor, he’d instantly be a top candidate. As the son of the Carlyle Group co-founder, he would have access to raise tons of money for a run for mayor

As of today, these are all publicly reported aldermanic endorsements in the 2027 Chicago mayor’s race: Susana Mendoza has 2, Mike Quigley has 1. Giannoulias and Johnson have not officially announced, so any private or expected support is not included here.

Rumored Chicago mayor candidate Alexi Giannoulias reports $1.1 million in campaign donations, led by $500K from Liz Lefkofsky. Her husband, Eric Lefkofsky, is the billionaire founder of Groupon and Tempus. Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts also gave $7,300.

Chicago mayoral candidate Matt Brewer reports $76K in large individual contributions, plus $10k candidate loan. His largest single donation, $25,000, came from Sidney Herman, chair of Bartlit Beck, the law firm where Brewer works.

Just in: In Watson v. RNC, SCOTUS says federal Election Day does not force states to toss mail ballots received after Election Day if they were postmarked on time. Big for Illinois: our 14-day window survives. Close races may still move after Election Night.

With so many Chicago mayoral candidates, I ranked them by who could best win a runoff against another top-tier candidate. Alexi Giannoulias would fare best, while Republicans would fare worst in a roughly 90% Democratic city.

New in the 2027 Chicago mayoral race: Former CHA Board Chair Matthew Brewer has officially launched his campaign. The South Side native and Bartlit Beck partner just dropped his campaign website.He could complicate Brandon Johnson’s re-election path.

Dr. Lisa Nee is entering the 2027 Chicago mayor’s race with an unusual résumé: cardiologist, MBA, former ICU nurse, UIC-trained doctor, VA whistleblower, and lifelong Chicagoan raised in Humboldt Park.

Willie Wilson appears likely to run for Chicago mayor again, loaning $50,000 to Willie Wilson for Mayor 2027. It would be Wilson’s 4th try for mayor. His best showing came in 2015, when he finished 3rd with 10.66% of the vote.

Former Chicago Ald. and current Cook County Board of Review Commissioner George Cardenas is formally jumping into the Chicago mayor’s race, with a kickoff announcement tomorrow in Back of the Yards on the South Side.

The potential Bears stadium and related facilities would be exempt from property taxes. Interest on bonds issued under the Act would be exempt from Illinois income tax. The municipality could also pursue STAR Bond districts near the stadium.

Before any construction begins, the Stadium Authority must enter into a Project Labor Agreement and set a goal of awarding 20% of contracts to minority-owned businesses. It must also maintain labor peace agreements with relevant unions.

Revenue from non-sports events like concerts would be determined by the terms of that lease between the sports team and the stadium authority.

The main financing tool for the Stadium Authority is revenue bonds. Before issuing any bonds, the Authority must secure a 35-year lease with a professional sports team approved by the city council. The bonds would be repaid only from stadium revenues.

The Stadium Authority would be governed by a mayor-appointed board subject to FOIA and the Open Meetings Act. It must post quarterly financial reports and annual audits online and submit annual reports to the city and Auditor General.

To qualify, a municipality must be home-rule, have a population of at least 70,000, and be entirely located in Cook County. This would include Chicago, Cicero, Evanston, Schaumburg, and Arlington Heights.

The Chicago Bears Stadium bill was just filed. Senate Amendment 2 to HB958 creates the Municipal Stadium Authority Act, which would allow certain large Cook County municipalities to establish a public authority to help finance and build a professional sports stadium.

Four candidates filed today for Chicago School Board President: Victor Henderson: attorney, Urban Prep board, Sendhil Revuluri: ex-CPS Board VP under Lightfoot Jessica Biggs: CPS Board member, ex-principal Jennifer Custer: CPS Board member

Danielle Carter-Walters, the face of “Chicago Flips Red,” filed a committee to run for Mayor of Chicago. Chicago mayoral elections are nonpartisan, but her own committee paperwork checks the box: “Republican.”