Chicago Elections

  • Last-minute help for voting in the Nov. 2016 election

    4 November 2016

    Here's Inside Chicago Government's last-minute help for voting in the November, 2016 election.

  • Using lawyers' ratings to vote for judges

    29 October 2016

    Interview with a curious voter on how, step by step, to use bar association recommendations to guide your votes for Cook County judge candidates.

  • 2016 primary election freaks out voters and pols

    2 April 2016

    Interview with the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky on whether political parties (rather than taxpayers) should bear the cost of primary elections, and more.

  • Presidential delegates vex voters in March primary

    14 March 2016

    In Chicago's March 15 primary election, hundreds of people are running to become their parties' delegates to presidential nominating conventions. Many are unknown to voters.

  • 2015 council: rugged spines vs. rubber stamps

    9 June 2015

    Interview with the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky on the three elected aldermen most likely to resist the dark side, and more.

  • Refuting the rationale for closing schools

    5 May 2015

    Interview with the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky on what proponents of school closings have missed, and more.

  • What 2015 election says about Emanuel and voters

    26 April 2015

    Interview with the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky on the most pathetic contingent of voters in Chicago, and more.

  • Fioretti's plan clearer than Chuys?

    1 April 2015

    Interview with the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky on Ald. Fioretti's real motivation for endorsing Rahm Emanuel, and more.

  • Reimagining Rahm's "sweater" campaign ad

    15 March 2015
    Rahm Emanuel's reelection campaign has put out a video ad in which a sweater-clad mayor "owns" that he "can rub people the wrong way." Here's an audio version (2.3 minutes) showing what else some think Emanuel should have owned:

    Music: "Ego Grinding" by Megatroid

    Standard audio:

    Here's the original 30-second ad:

    Standard audio:

  • What's missing in the mayoral election?

    9 March 2015

    Interview with the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky on how Mayor Emanuel's perceived financial gravitas might not work in a second term, and more.

  • Rep. Danny Davis endorses Chuy Garcia for mayor

    4 March 2015

    Congressman Danny K. Davis (IL-7th) has endorsed Jesus "Chuy" Garcia for mayor in the April 7, 2015 runoff municipal election.

  • Why Obama won't vote for Rahm

    22 February 2015

    Interview with the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky on Rahm's attributes that Obama decided he didn't need after all, and more.

  • 2015 elections: some council incumbents are flush

    19 February 2015

    Interview with the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky about which incumbents had ads funded by the Emanuel-tied PAC, and more.

  • Obama anoints, Rahm's on point

    12 February 2015

    Interview with the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky on voters' panic that they're about to do something stupid, and more.

  • Reimagining Obama's endorsement of Emanuel

    6 February 2015

    Rahm Emanuel's reelection campaign has put out a radio ad in which Pres. Barack Obama urges Chicagoans to vote for Rahm. Here's what some have suggested Obama meant to say:

    Standard audio:

    Here's the original 60-second ad:

    Standard audio:

  • Willie Wilson's 2015 radio ads

    6 February 2015

    2015 mayoral candidate Willie Wilson has put out two entertaining radio ads.

  • Emanuel campaign: don't call us, we'll call you

    21 January 2015

    We recently got the following from a staff person with a non-governmental organization in Chicago.

    "My coworkers and I had been trying to track down the contact information for Rahm Emanuel's reelection campaign.

    "For all the other mayoral campaigns, we were able to find mailing addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses within the first hour of looking. Within the second hour we generally had the names and direct contact information of their campaign managers and schedulers.

    "We noticed that Rahm's campaign Web site provided no contact information whatsoever. Not a mailing address, not a phone number, not an e-mail address. Curious, right?

    "We did tons of Google searches, drawing blanks. No information anywhere on the Web about where this campaign office is, or how to reach it. I was dumbfounded.

    "So I contacted three aldermen with whom I have relationships to see what advice they'd have, and I asked if they could help poke around to find a phone number or mailing address. No dice.

    "Then I had a brainstorm: the Chicago Board of Elections. They would have to know, right? When I called, the guy said they 'don't deal with that' and redirected me to the City Hall info line.

    "So I called City Hall. The person there redirected me to the fifth floor. The fifth floor placed me on hold for five minutes, then finally gave me a number to Rahm's 'field office,' 312/854-3074.

    "I called the field office. The number rang endlessly. No voicemail. After allowing the phone to ring for literally five minutes, a staffer picked up. She was willing to provide a mailing address and general inquiry e-mail address for the campaign. It's This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., if you're wondering.

    "Taking advantage of finding a real live human on the phone, I mentioned to her that Emanuel's campaign Web site doesn't provide any contact info, and I said that, as a result, the campaign is nearly impossible to reach.

    "She said, 'Yes, that's correct, it is.'

    "And ended the call."

  • Does social promotion pass the test?

    18 December 2014

    Interview with the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky on the justification for staying in school when you don't learn much, and more.

  • State/county election brings choice insights

    30 October 2014

    Interview with the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky on the Sun-Times Rauner endorsement and McKinney resignation as a low moment in Chicago journalism, and more.

  • Reelection run means selective endowment

    13 October 2014

    Interview with the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky on parents who vote for Rahm having delusional issues, and more.

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