Voting in Illinois is springing to action this March 19th, with polls set to open bright and early at 6:00 A.M. and will shut down at 7:00 P.M., according to NBC Chicago. Illinoisians will have a chance to weigh in on a wide range of races from the president down to local court judges, and every voter will be putting their votes in on particular referendums depending on their county.
While the presidential nominees seem to be a foregone conclusion, with Biden and Trump leading their parties, all eyes are on those undercard matches. Races to watch include the contentious bout for Cook County State's Attorney and a cluster of hotly-contested congressional seats, as reported by the Chicago Tribune. Yet, voter turnout might dip this time around, with the absence of a heated presidential primary the usual catalyst for driving people to the polls. Despite the expected drop in numbers, the stakes are high for those on the ballot.
For the last-minute planners, it's too late to mail in a ballot. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot for the Illinois Primary was March 14.
Down in Cook County, the showdown for State's Attorney is generating some serious buzz. Eileen O’Neill Burke and Clayton Harris III are battling to clinch the Democratic nod, with both candidates promising to carry on Kim Foxx's progressive banner, each with their own spin. The Congressional parade, from the 7th to the 12th district, features incumbents and challengers alike slugging it out for party nominations. For voters in Chicago, the Bring Chicago Home referendum offering that multi-paragraph question isn't just a tough read – it's a significant decision on whether to hike the real estate transfer tax for funding homeless services.
