It’s Tuesday, and the Illinois primary elections are happening today. Before you hit the polls, make sure to check out our 2026 Voter Guide and tune into WTTW or our website tonight for two live “Chicago Tonight” broadcasts at 5:30 and 10 p.m.
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Gov. JB Pritzker and lieutenant governor candidate Christian Mitchell prepare to file nominating petitions at the Illinois State Board of Elections building in Springfield on Monday, October 27, 2025. (Jerry Nowicki / Capitol News Illinois)
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Most people would agree that Chicago is a town that loves its politics, for better or worse.
But if that love is so strong it’s got you thinking about running for elected office, you’d do well to think long and hard before jumping into the challenging and sometimes-cutthroat process of getting your name on the ballot.
While legal experts say the process has evolved in favor of greater ballot access, there are still plenty of hurdles hopeful candidates must jump over — and plenty of areas where reformers hope to see change.
On paper, the mechanics of getting on the ballot in Chicago aren’t so different from elsewhere in Illinois. After filing the raft of necessary paperwork, it’s time to pass petitions. Anyone who’s come in or out of a grocery store, ‘L’ station or other high-traffic area in the runup to election season is all too familiar with those eager-eyed folks clutching their clipboards and asking you to help so-and-so get on the ballot.
At first glance, it’s a sign of the democratic process at work.
But how many signatures do they need to nab? That’s where it gets interesting.
In the 2023 election, aldermanic candidates needed 473. Candidates for a seat on a police district council needed between 193 and 758 signatures. Mayoral hopefuls needed a whopping 12,500 valid signatures.
By contrast, major party candidates for governor of Illinois only need 5,000 valid signatures. That disparity can in part be chalked up to the fact that Chicago’s elections are nonpartisan — gubernatorial candidates running as independents or as representatives of a new political party need 25,000 valid signatures.
More context:
The rule of thumb for prospective candidates is to gather at least three times the minimum number of signatures so they don’t get ejected.
In the ballot challenge process, candidates must defend themselves against charges like failing to gather enough signatures or not having lived in their ward long enough.
Those who sign candidates’ petitions must be registered voters, and in the case of city and police district council races and school board races, must live in the right ward or district. Voters also can’t sign petitions for more than one candidate in any given race.
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Incarcerated Northwestern University student André Patterson shakes hands with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson during his visit to Sheridan Correctional Center on Sunday, March 15, 2026. (Blair Paddock / WTTW News)
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On Sunday, more than 100 people gathered in Sheridan Correctional Center’s gymnasium, about 70 miles southwest of Chicago. Students of the Northwestern Prison Education Program, which offers undergraduate degrees to men incarcerated at Sheridan, their families and professors had the opportunity to speak with the mayor.
In 2023, their initial graduating class became the first group of incarcerated students to earn a bachelor’s degree from a top university. Northwestern also offers a bachelor’s degree program at the largest women’s prison in the state, Logan Correctional Center.
“I’m here to learn and ensure that my responsibility as a leader of the city in Chicago, that you all know that you will always be front and center in all of the decisions that I make,” Johnson said to the crowd.
What happened:
In a fireside chat-style program, student Nikolas Gacho spoke about how he was expelled three times with little support from the five different schools he attended. Giovanni Rios told Johnson how every day he had had to split two loaves of bread with numerous family members for a meal. Hugo Ocon raised concerns over federal immigration raids across the city.
Following their personal statements, the students, now all graduates or graduates-to-be of Northwestern University, moved on to questions. They asked what Johnson’s administration is doing to strengthen public schools, enact compassionate immigration policy and support incarcerated people, as about 40% of people in Illinois prisons are sentenced in Cook County.
In his response, Johnson discussed his family’s own experience with the prison system, the necessity of educational investments, and the city’s Director of Reentry Joseph Mapp, who is tasked with providing Chicagoans leaving prison with access to housing, mental health support and job training.
“People who are closest to the danger, are closest to the solutions. We have to center our work around the people who have experienced these failed systems,” Johnson said.
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An infestation of grubs has laid waste to Welles Park for the second time in five years, March 13, 2026. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News)
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For the second time in five years, a pair of North Side parks have been devastated by an infestation of grubs so severe that fields have been laid to waste.
Welles Park and Winnemac Park — both in the Lincoln Square community area — were hit hard in 2021 by a surge in beetle larva, which fed so voraciously on swaths of grass that acres were reduced to bare dirt.
The Chicago Park District confirmed to WTTW News that grub infestations have been identified at the same parks again, as well as at Humboldt Park and Williams Park.
The affected areas will be chemically treated later in the spring, “when the grub life cycle is optimal for success,” according to Michele Lemons, Park District spokesperson.
Fields will then be reseeded and closed to the public until adequate root growth has been established, Lemons said.
The district is working on securing alternative locations for programs including youth baseball, CPS high school sports and special events.
The sites of the infestations are:
Welles Park, ball fields on the east side of the park.
Winnemac Park, ball fields on the south end of the park.
Humboldt Park, one ball field south of Division Street and an area adjacent to the boathouse.
Williams Park, both ball fields and an area on the east end of the park.
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More From WTTW News:
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Back in the Day: March 17, 1956 - First Downtown St. Patrick’s Day Parade Since 1869
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When Richard J. Daley was elected in 1955 as Chicago’s mayor, one of his campaign promises was to bring back a downtown St. Patrick’s Day Parade. A Loop event celebrating the holiday hadn’t happened since 1869, an 87-year absence. But on this day 70 years ago, Daley made good on his pledge and hosted a downtown parade, where over 250,000 people watched 10,000 marchers trek from State and Wacker to Old St. Patrick’s Church. WGN filmed the first parade. Last Saturday marked the 2026 St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the 71st of its kind.
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This Week’s Staff Recommendations
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Every Tuesday, WTTW News staffers highlight their favorite things in Chicago. This week, it’s investigative reporter Jared Rutecki’s guide to Portage Park.
Jared Rutecki: Whether you’re eating out or enjoying the outdoors, Portage Park offers plenty of options to fill the day. Nestled into the Bungalow Belt in Chicago, here are some ideas to keep you entertained in this Northwest Side community area.
If you need a pick-me-up to get started, it’s difficult to beat a cup of coffee at Perkolator. The single-origin coffees and blends are best enjoyed while absorbing the local artists’ work on the walls. (6032 W Irving Park Rd.)
Hop over to Junebug Cafe at Six Corners, the neighborhood’s main business hub, for beignets from the French-Creole spot. These are best dunked in strawberry basil dipping sauce. (4042 N Milwaukee Ave.)
Take a taco tour for lunch. On my second visit to Pueblo Nuevo, owner Lulu Alvarez asked if I wanted the same thing I ordered last time. I almost argued with her — until I realized she remembered my order better than I did. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. (4342 N. Central Ave.)
Migo’s Fine Food put halal Mexican food on my radar. I eat the mushroom pastor tacos in my dreams and at the neighborhood farmers’ market. (5044 W Montrose Ave.)
Walk a few calories off through the namesake Portage Park. Admire the fieldhouse, one of about 20 designed by architect Clarence Hatzfeld, and stroll through the native plants and trees in the Nature Garden. (4100 N. Long Ave.)
The weather soon might just be warm enough for a cocktail crawl down Milwaukee Avenue. Sip, then order any and every dumpling on the menu at Community Tavern. Dumplings loaded with mushroom or short rib are almost always on the menu while the others change with the seasons. (4038 N. Milwaukee Ave.)
Don’t stuff yourself before heading down the street to Moonflower, where the namesake cheesy casserole by Funeral Potatoes should help soak up the excellent drinks amid the peaceful plants. (4359 N. Milwaukee Ave.)
My spouse swears by the burger at both locations. Score bonus points if you hit Nightshade, Moonflower’s basement speakeasy, on the weekend.
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