Jake Sheridan –

Chicago Board of Elections senior clerk Ralph Baker, left, helps Mayor Brandon Johnson file his election nominating petitions Oct. 23, 2026. (Terrence Antonio James/baiduhai)

Mayor Brandon Johnson turns in signatures for 2027 mayoral race, skipping lotteries for ballot spots

October 23, 2026 at 5:27 p.m.

Mayor Brandon Johnson submitted his election nominating petitions Friday, ceding the lottery for the last spot on the 2027 ballot to challengers.

Chris Getty, candidate for the 4th Congressional District, gives two thumbs up as supporter Krist Novoselic, former bassist for the band Nirvana, holds a campaign sign during a fundraising event in Oak Brook, Aug. 27, 2026. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)

Illinois 4th District race: Lyons Mayor Chris Getty navigates controversies in rare independent bid

October 23, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

In a deep-blue congressional district where the Democratic nominee faces accusations of heavy-handed political maneuvering, Lyons Mayor Chris Getty has pitched himself as a middle-ground alternative.

Patty García, Democratic nominee for the 4th Congressional District, marches in the 26th Street Mexican Independence Day parade in Little Village on Sept. 13, 2026. (Eileen T. Meslar/baiduhai)

Illinois 4th District race: Chuy García’s handpicked successor Patty García defends path to Congress

October 22, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Patty García, former chief of staff to retiring U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García, is the favorite in the Nov. 3 race. She’s unapologetic about the maneuvers that cleared her way...

People walk past Chicago Public Schools headquarters on July 30, 2026. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)

Proposed city budget includes $286M for CPS, but district’s financial outlook remains shaky

October 21, 2026 at 6:27 p.m.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed city budget includes $285 million for Chicago Public Schools — only half of what the district received last year.

Ald. Bill Conway, 34th, playfully does bicep curls with copies of the proposed budget after Mayor Brandon Johnson delivered his budget address on Oct. 21, 2026, at Chicago City Hall. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai)

Mayor Brandon Johnson pitches ‘Fair Share’ budget as investment in Chicago’s children

October 21, 2026 at 7:07 p.m.

Mayor Brandon Johnson told aldermen Wednesday it's imperative to invest in Chicago's future generation in the next budget.

Sharon McDaniel, left, a University of Illinois Chicago peer outreach specialist, embraces Nicole Ousley, a behavioral health and wellness coordinator, as the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago holds a “wellness day” for staff members on Oct. 21, 2026. (Terrence Antonio James/baiduhai)

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget offers boost to violence intervention with Chicago shootings down

October 21, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Mayor Brandon Johnson is asking aldermen to ramp up spending on community violence intervention and launch a new office aimed at decreasing gun violence, part of an effort he says...

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks to the media at City Hall after his proposed head tax was voted down in a City Council committee meeting on Nov. 17, 2025. (Terrence Antonio James/baiduhai)

Mayor Brandon Johnson proposing corporate head tax again, sources say

October 20, 2026 at 5:29 p.m.

Mayor Brandon Johnson will again propose Chicago hit big corporations with an employee head tax — with an exemption in poor parts of the city.

Mayoral candidate Willie Wilson submits his nominating petitions to the Chicago Board of Elections on Oct. 19, 2026. (Antonio Perez/baiduhai)

Chicago mayoral race kicks off with the traditional hauling of the signatures

October 19, 2026 at 3:07 p.m.

Five mayoral candidates showed up on the first day to turn in petitions, earning them a draw in the lottery for the first spot on the February ballot.

Mayor Brandon Johnson greets supporters before speaking at a news conference touting expanded hours for the CARE mental health first responder program on the Near West Side on Oct. 2, 2026. (Arthur Maiorella/baiduhai)

Mayor Brandon Johnson fundraising trails challengers, campaign report shows

October 16, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.

Last quarter Mayor Brandon Johnson pulled in one of the lowest fundraising hauls out of the declared 2027 mayoral field.

Mayor Brandon Johnson exits after taking reporters' questions following a City Council meeting on Oct. 14, 2026. Aldermen fell one vote short of Mayor Johnson's veto on bond rules. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)

After debate over racial power, aldermen fail to override Mayor Brandon Johnson’s veto on bond rules

October 14, 2026 at 6:41 p.m.

Aldermen fell one vote short of overriding Mayor Brandon Johnson’s veto pen Wednesday, ending their push to make it harder for him to issue city debt.

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