Your Daily Guide

Independents Struggle to Get on Ballot in Illinois

Illinois State Board of Elections judges are recommending Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) and Mayra Macías not appear on the ballot this November. Both are running as independents to represent the 4th Congressional District, following Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia’s abrupt retirement.

The Retirement Debacle: Chuy suddenly announced his retirement last November — on the day of the filing deadline to run for his seat. He had previously filed petitions to run again. Only his chief of staff, Patty Garcia (no relation), was able to file in time to replace the Democrat on the primary ballot. Critics slammed the insider move.

• A Local Tradition: Illinois has a long history of shady political transitions.

Challenging Chuy’s Machine: After missing the chance to run in the Democratic primary, Macías and Sigcho-Lopez petitioned to run as independents in the general election. Macías is a Back of the Yards native and political organizer. Sigcho-Lopez is a Democratic Socialist alder. Each initially received the 10,000-plus signatures needed to run, but they may get booted from the ballot over challenges to those signatures.

An Uphill Battle: After the state board of elections reviewed their signatures, Sigcho-Lopez was short by around 1,200, and Macías was short by around 500. Both candidates then rushed to verify those signatures — so far to no avail. There’s also evidence Chuy associates actively fought the validity of Macías’ and Sigcho-Lopez’s signatures.

• Previously: Lindsay Church dropped from the 4th District race due to the "substantially higher threshold” of signatures needed for independent candidates.
• Let’s be honest: Is Chuy thumbing the political scales?

Other Candidates on the Ballot:

• Democrat Patty Garcia, Chuy’s chief of staff, who was handpicked to replace him
• Republican Lupe Castillo
• Two independents: Ed Hershey of the Working Class Party and Lyons Mayor Chris Getty

What Now? Hearing officers have recommended both Sigcho-Lopez and Macías be removed from the ballot, but the Illinois State Board of Elections is set to meet tomorrow to make an official decision. Sigcho-Lopez is calling on the board to reject the recommendation, calling the process “rigged from the very get-go.”

Big Money for The 78. Also, Summer Music Magic!

Alders recently approved a $425 million infrastructure plan for The 78, a mixed-use megadevelopment coming to South Loop and anchored by the forthcoming Chicago Fire stadium. We discuss what that means on today’s podcast, plus what was a magical week of Chicago music and more. [City Cast Chicago 🎧]

Watchdog Calls Out Teen CPD Employee’s Nazi Cosplay

A teen Chicago Police Department employee resigned after wearing a Nazi uniform to school and goose-stepping across the stage while doing a “Sieg Heil” salute. (CPD employs teens who are interested in law enforcement.) Another CPD member was also fired for showing photos of the act at work. The city’s report does not identify when this occurred, but a similar incident at Jones College Prep High School in 2022 prompted the principal to step down. [WTTW]

• Also: CPD failed to supervise cop who fatally shot his partner last year. [Sun-Times]

Construction to Shut Down 59th Street Metra Station in Hyde Park

Metra’s 59th Street station overhaul will begin early next year and take three years to complete. The station and lanes of nearby streets will close during that time. Passengers will be redirected to other nearby stations as the $74 million project aims to make 59th Street accessible to riders with disabilities. [Block Club]

State Board of Education Releases AI Guidance — Using AI

In response to lawmakers’ growing concerns over artificial intelligence in student learning, the Illinois State Board of Education has released a 409-page document to help schools and districts weigh the use of AI. It includes a disclosure that some of the content was developed using tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. [Capitol News Illinois]

A Viral Heron Downtown

A black-crowned night heron stopped by a River North office building’s windowsill — and totally derailed the meeting. Footage of the out-of-place bird is now going viral. The endangered breed arrived in Chicago 16 years ago, and since then, hundreds have nested at Lincoln Park Zoo. [Fox 32]

• “It’s bigger than a hot dog!” One heron snacks on a rat along the river. [Instagram]