Preckwinkle launches bid for re-election as Cook County Board president

If re-elected, she’ll focus on public safety and health care, Preckwinkle, 66, said Tuesday night at a a fund-raising event at the Chicago Cultural Center. “We’re working towards the sustainability of our health-care system, and we still have some critical challenges to address in public safety, in particular in reducing the number of nonviolent offenders who are pretrial detainees in our jail,” Preckwinkle said.

Incumbents roll in contested Evanston city races

Evanston voters went with experience on the City Council, strongly backing three incumbent aldermen to new four-year terms. But voters followed a different script in the District 202 race.

Early indicators show low turnout in Evanston

Turnout is low in Evanston as the once- in-every-four years school board and City Council election enters its final hours. Evanston City Clerk Rodney Greene visited as many as 3/4 of the city’s precincts Tuesday morning.

Election Day polls are closed

It’s Election Day. Voters will be choosing among candidates for village, library, park district, school and township boards, and, in some cases, village leaders and referendums. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Choices shaping up in city races

EVANSTON — Last fall during the hot national election, City Clerk Rodney Greene practically acted as a traffic cop, directing waves of voters waiting to get into Room 2200 at the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center to cast their vote early.

First Ward candidate in Evanston survives objection

EVANSTON — A resident has withdrawn her petition objection in the First Ward aldermanic election, leaving candidate Edward Tivador on the April 9 ballot.

Resident challenges Evanston candidate’s petitions

EVANSTON — An election challenge has been filed against a First Ward Aldermanic candidate in the April 9 election, alleging he failed to correctly identify the office he was running for on his petitions and that the documents contain other violations.

The city’s Municipal Officers …

Evanston candidate filings ebb and flow

EVANSTON Four years ago, six of the City Council’s aldermanic seats were contested and the mayor’s race featured a field of four candidates. With filing ending last week, only two aldermanic races were contested, and that number could easily slip to one, with a petition …

Two more defections in Evanston city election

EVANSTON — With two candidates dropping out, only two City Council seats look to be contested at this point in the April 9 municipal election.

Newcomer James C. Dyer, who filed petitions more than a week ago to run for alderman in the city’s centrally …

Late filings set races in Evanston

EVANSTON — Incumbent aldermen in four of the city’s nine wards will face challenges, and there also will be also be a contested race for the township supervisor position.

The city race is looking like a quiet one compared to four years ago, with five …

How much did it cost Tea Party GOPer Joe Walsh to lose? About $70 a vote

If money “buys” a vote for a candidate, then ultimately the tens of millions of dollars poured into Illinois congressional races failed to pay off. Outside groups plowed $43 million into the top six U.S. House races in the Land of Lincoln on top of individual campaign spending. However, in the three top Chicago-area congressional races, those who spent the most money — or had the most spent on their behalf — lost.

Evanston Dems export firepower

EVANSTON — Cheers erupted at the Prairie Moon restaurant where Evanston Democrats had gathered Tuesday night when news flashed across the TV screens placing Wisconsin in President Barack Obama’s win column.

“This is great,” said state Sen. Jeff Schoenberg, D-9th, the party’s committeeman, turning to …

Biss wins 9th state senate seat

EVANSTON

Daniel Biss, D–Evanston, now represents the 9th Senate District in Illinois, after defeating Republican opponent Glenn Farkas on Tuesday.

With all 168 precincts reporting, Biss won with 64,909 votes (67 percent) to Farkas’ 32,495 (33 percent).

Before Election Day, Biss was the state representative …

Schakowsky scores eighth term in Congress

EVANSTON

Democrat Jan Schakowsky will return for an eighth term as Illinois’ 9th District congresswoman after defeating Republican challenger Tim Wolfe by a wide margin in Tuesday’s election.

With all 538 precincts reporting, Schakowsky had 186,594 votes to Wolfe’s 95,289.

Speaking briefly to supporters at …

Gabel wins second term in legislature

EVANSTON — Evanston Democrat Robyn Gabel easily won her second term as state representative for the 18th House district Tuesday night, defeating fellow Evanstonian Eric Lieberman by a wide margin.

With 79 of 84 precincts reporting at 9:40 p.m. Tuesday, Gabel had 29,503 votes to …