The 2024 Illinois primary election took place on Tuesday, March 19. Candidates for President, Congress, the Illinois General Assembly, Illinois Supreme Court, and various local races appeared on the primary ballot to decide the Democratic and Republican Party nominees for the November 5 general election. Statewide turnout rates are expected to be the lowest in a presidential election year since 2012. The City of Chicago reported 20% turnout, down from 38% in 2020 and 54% in 2016.
The 2024 Illinois primary election featured one competitive Supreme Court race, nine competitive Congressional races, six competitive State Senate races, and 22 competitive State House races. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump easily secured their respective Democrat and Republican nominations for President. Congressional incumbents performed very well with Reps. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Sean Casten, Danny Davis, Bill Foster, and Mike Bost all defeating their primary challengers.
In the General Assembly, two Democrat incumbents failed to secure their party’s nomination. Progressive Graciela Guzman defeated incumbent Sen. Natalie Toro in the 20th Senate District Democrat primary. Toro was only appointed to the Senate on July 10, 2023 to replace former Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas. Illinois’ longest serving state representative, Mary Flowers, lost the 31st House District Democrat nomination to Michael Crawford, who received funding from House Speaker Chris Welch’s political operation.
Chicago voters appear to have rejected the Bring Chicago Home ballot measure. With 80% of votes counted, the “no” campaign has a 7.2% lead. The measure, backed by Mayor Brandon Johnson, seeks to increase the real estate transfer tax rate on all property sales over $1M in the city to raise an estimated $100M in new annual tax revenue that would be used to provide services for Chicago’s homeless population.
See the attached document for a full summary of the primary election results.
Important Upcoming Dates – Statewide
April 5 – House Committee Deadline
April 12 – Senate Third Reading Deadline
April 19 – House Third Reading Deadline
May 3 – Opposite Chamber Committee Deadline
May 17 – Opposite Chamber Third Reading Deadline
May 24 – Adjournment
May 25-31 – Contingent Session Days for Budget
November 5 – 2024 General Election
In the News
Pritzker is headed to Hollywood to tout state’s film and TV industry – Crain’s Chicago Business, March 21, 2024
Gov. J.B. Pritzker will head to California this weekend to pitch Hollywood studios on the state’s burgeoning film and television industry, which saw a record $700 million spent by entertainment companies in 2022. The stop in Los Angeles is part of a California trip aimed at raising Illinois’ business and economic profile and will also include a visit to San Francisco, where the governor will promote the state’s investments in quantum computing and manufacturing.
With primary in past, McCombie takes the temperature of her caucus’ November chances, Freedom Caucus’ victories – The Daily Line, March 21, 2024
House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) has her eyes set on November’s contests after incumbent House Republicans came away from Tuesday night’s primaries with victories. Each Republican backed by the House Republican Organization (HRO) came away with victories on Tuesday night, along with members of the Freedom Caucus who faced primaries without the protection of the HRO. With any crisis avoided for McCombie, she’s moving her focus to November’s races and districts where she hopes she can build the size of her 40-member caucus.
At Least 2 State Legislators Lose Their Seats in Primary Election. A Look at the General Assembly Results – WTTW, March 20, 2024
At least two sitting members of the Illinois state legislature – including the longest-serving member of the General Assembly – won’t be returning to Springfield next year after losing their primary races Tuesday. One, South Side Democratic state Rep. Mary Flowers, has been a member of the House for four decades and ran a shoestring campaign.
Decision 2024 – Illinois Primary Election Results – NBC 5 Chicago, March 19, 2024
Illinois Primary Results: ‘Shockingly Low’ Turnout, Few Surprises – Patch, March 20, 2024
Despite “shockingly low” voter turnout, the people of Illinois have spoken, and while there were no primary contests in several key races, some candidates — including Democrat incumbents Sean Casten (D-6th) and Bill Foster (D-11th) — did face challenges from within their own parties. The Illinois Board of Elections predicts the state will see its lowest voter turnout for a presidential primary in 12 years, ABC reported.
Incumbency advantage: Bost, Davis, Garcia all defeat primary challengers – The Daily Line, March 20, 2024
It was a victorious night for three incumbent members of Illinois’ congressional delegation, who faced some of the most serious threats of their careers. Even with Congress’ approval rating at a low level, Illinois voters decided they liked how U.S. Reps. Mike Bost, a Murphysboro Republican, and Chicago Democrats Jesus “Chuy” Garcia and Danny Davis, represent them in Washington, D.C.
Race results: Guzman wins Senate seat; Flowers ousted; Wilhour survives challenge – The Daily Line, March 20, 2024
The primary election night drew to a close on Tuesday with two closely-watch incumbents, Sen. Natalie Toro (D-Chicago) and Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago), losing their seats in the General Assembly, while downstate, incumbent Republicans prevailed over challengers. Cook County Democratic voters also supported incumbent Supreme Court Justice Joy Cunningham in a race that asked voters to decide about the racial breakdown of the state’s high court.
Ahead of primary in Illinois, Trump renews war of words with Pritzker – The State Journal-Register, March 19, 2024
Former U.S. President Donald Trump took a shot at Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker during a rally Saturday in Dayton, Ohio, reigniting a public feud between the two politicians ahead of the primaries in both states. While speaking to a crowd at the headquarters of an aviation fuel supplier at Dayton International Airport, Trump said of Pritzker that he, “wants to eat all the time. ‘I’ll have five burgers, please.’ Who the hell orders five burgers?” The quote was a shot at Pritzker’s weight.
Joy Virginia Cunningham declares victory in Illinois Supreme Court primary – Chicago Sun-Times, March 19, 2024
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Joy Virginia Cunningham declared victory Tuesday night as she fended off a challenge from Jesse Reyes in his second bid to become the court’s first Latino justice. Their Democratic primary contest between two highly qualified and experienced candidates focused on racial identity.
On Election Day, progressive candidates and causes are at the center of Democratic primary ballot – Chicago Tribune, March 18, 2024
With the presidential nominations of Democratic incumbent Joe Biden and Republican challenger Donald Trump already assured, the focus of Tuesday’s primary election in Illinois moves to down-ballot contests that could represent a defining moment in the steady advance of the Chicago area’s progressive movement.
Illinois lawmakers recently passed 186 bills out of committee. Here are 5 to know – The State Journal-Register, March 19, 2024
The Illinois General Assembly advanced a whopping 186 bills out of committee over a three-day stretch last week before a Friday deadline. From a bill dropping pet adoption fees for veterans to one creating the Student-Athlete Bill of Rights, the pieces of legislation will now advance to full chamber votes in either the House or Senate. Here are five bills to know.
Feds say they will call ex-Ald. Daniel Solis to testify against Madigan – Chicago Tribune, March 18, 2024
Federal prosecutors said Monday they plan to call former Chicago Ald. Daniel Solis to the witness stand at the upcoming corruption trial of former House Speaker Michael Madigan, marking a key change in strategy on how to introduce secret recordings Solis made during his turn as an FBI mole. The disclosure came in two lengthy filings that also made public new details in the investigation of Madigan, the longtime former leader of the state Democratic Party who is charged in a racketeering indictment with using his office to bolster his own political power and rain cash on his friends.
These 3 items top Rockford’s wish list as it renews lobbyist contract – Rockford Register Star, March 18, 2024
Seeking pension relief, restoration of state funding and fewer unfunded mandates, Rockford on Monday agreed to renew its contract with lobbyist Michael Cassidy of Zephyr Government Strategies. The contract approved unanimously by City Council will pay Cassidy $10,000 per month or $120,000 in 2024. Cassidy has served as the city’s lobbyist since 2009.
US Rep. Mike Bost says a Bailey upset would be ‘bizarre’ – NBC 5, March 18, 2024
During his short career in politics, Darren Bailey has crafted his outsider persona by loudly railing against all the things he opposes: income taxes, gay marriage, the city of Chicago, vaccines, workplace mask mandates, gun laws, ‘woke’ curriculum and abortion. Now, on the eve of primary election night in Illinois, he faces the prospect of defeat at the hands of the party — and the president — he supports.
Khalil and Ryan Battle For Open Seat In 36th District: Primary 2024 – Patch, March 18, 2024
Democrats Sonia Anne Khalil and Rick Ryan are battling it out for an open seat to represent the 36th District in Illinois House. The race has not been without its share of mudslinging in what is shaping up to be a lackluster primary. The 36th District includes all or parts of Palos Hills, Palos Park, Palos Heights, Oak Lawn, Chicago Ridge, Worth, Evergreen Park and Chicago’s Beverly, Wrightwood and Mount Greenwood neighborhoods.
State Senate race omitted from vote-by-mail ballots in Will County – The Center Square, March 18, 2024
A candidate for Illinois’ 19th Senate District discovered her name isn’t on some Will County vote-by-mail ballots, but it’s not just her name that was missing. The ballots were missing the entire race. Samantha Gasca is a candidate in the Republican primary for the 19th Senate District. A voter in the district approached Gasca and told her there was no race on her vote-by-mail ballot.
Candidate Q&A: Cunningham, Reyes make pitch for Supreme Court seat – Capitol News Illinois, March 15, 2024
There’s one contested primary for an Illinois Supreme Court seat on the March 19 ballot, with appointed incumbent Justice Joy Cunningham facing challenger and 1st District Appellate Court Justice Jesse Reyes. The 1st District race is for one of three Cook County seats and one of seven spots on the high court. Reyes sat for an interview with Capitol News Illinois, while Cunningham declined, citing scheduling issues as the court was in session.
History favors State Rep. Flowers over political rookie backed by Welch – The Crusader, March 15, 2024
As State Representative for the 31st District, Flowers, since the years when Ronald Reagan was president, has made mincemeat of her opponents at the polls during the Democratic Primary and the General Election. Flowers has never lost an election in 40 years. She has been reelected 19 times. Flowers has been serving her district since Chicago Mayor Harold Washington was in office.
Mistakes come back to haunt state Rep. Adam Niemerg in heated downstate race – Chicago Sun-Times, March 15, 2024
“The woke left is coming after me for peeing on a tree during my college days,” state Rep. Adam Niemerg, a Republican from Dieterich, told me not long ago. I’ve told you about this race before. The 102nd Illinois House District is one of a handful of southeastern and southern Illinois Republican primaries that might slow or intensify the Republican Party’s rightward lunge. They’ve featured far-right candidates trying to fend off or battling with more mainstream Republicans. U.S. Rep. Mike Bost’s race against the much further-right Darren Bailey has been another.
Rep. Jesus ‘Chuy García and Ald. Raymond Lopez face off in race for seat in Illinois’s 4th congressional district – WGN 9, March 16, 2024
The Illinois primary election is just days away, and one of the more closely watched contests is the race for a seat in Illinois’s 4th congressional district. From the Southwest Side to parts of several western suburbs, two well-known, experienced politicians are facing off. In the March 19th primary, progressive Congressman Jesus “Chuy” García must fend off a challenge from conservative Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez.
Has Illinois gotten bluer? Really, not so much – A look back at what Primary Election data shows – Center for Illinois Politics, March 17, 2024
We regularly hear that voter turnout is “abysmal” and Illinois is a solidly blue Democratic state. But exactly how blue now, compared to 10, 20, 30 or even 60 years ago? The Center for Illinois Politics, with the help of the State Board of Elections, looked through the “way back machine” at primary vote totals in midterm and presidential primary election years between 1978 and 2022.
Who’s giving the big money in Illinois to Biden and Trump? – Chicago Sun-Times, March 16, 2024
Though Illinois’ primary on Tuesday won’t factor into the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have already clinched — Illinois money directly and indirectly boosted the two remaining White House contenders.
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s first chief of staff quits less than a year into the job – Crain’s Chicago Business, March 21, 2024
Frustrated by a diminished role, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s chief of staff, Rich Guidice, is leaving the role by the end of the month. Guidice, a City Hall veteran of four mayoral administrations who led the Office of Emergency Management & Communications under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, was tapped by Johnson for his experience and is leading the internal planning for the Democratic National Convention in August.
Eileen O’Neill Burke’s lead slips slightly in race for state’s attorney as mail-in ballots begin to be tallied – Chicago Tribune, March 21, 2024
Retired Appellate Judge Eileen O’Neill Burke’s tight lead in the Democratic primary for Cook County state’s attorney shrank ever-so-slightly Thursday evening as the last-remaining votes on Election Day from city precincts were tabulated along with a batch of mail-in ballots from the suburbs. Unofficial results from the Chicago Board of Elections and Cook County clerk showed O’Neill Burke with a 50.8% to 49.2% lead over former prosecutor and government official Clayton Harris III.
NASCAR knows it has a perception problem — and coming to Chicago is part of its solution – Crain’s Chicago Business, March 22, 2024
NASCAR rides with a weighted racial reputation — and in some ways, the outside perceptions reflect reality. At a race in Daytona Beach last month, a few defiant fans flaunted the Confederate flag despite the organization’s ban on the symbol. Just three Black drivers have ever won at the sport’s highest level, and even one of those wins was doused in racist rejections of the results.
Chicago City Council to mull $1.25 billion of bonds – The Bond Buyer, March 20, 2024
On Friday, the Chicago City Council’s Finance Committee will discuss $1.25 billion of general obligation and Sales Tax Securitization Corporation bonds that Mayor Brandon Johnson has urged the City Council to approve. But no vote will take place on the bonds as of yet.
How building owners’ lawsuit lost in court but won at the ballot box – Crain’s Chicago Business, March 21, 2024
The failure of “Bring Chicago Home” upended conventional wisdom that a low-turnout race would benefit progressives with a strong ground game. Its defeat is less stunning when you consider the confusion that a protracted legal battle over the ballot initiative’s existence might have sowed among voters. The Building Owners & Managers Association of Chicago sued the Chicago Board of Elections in January, arguing against the wording of the ballot initiative.
Mayor, supportive alderpeople on what’s next for Bring Chicago Home referendum – The Daily Line, March 21, 2024
Thousands of mailed ballots have yet to be counted, but results have not looked promising for the signature policy proposal for Mayor Brandon Johnson and progressive allies on the City Council — the Bring Chicago Home referendum. Although the question survived a legal challenge from a coalition of real estate and business groups, about 53.6 percent of voters opposed the real estate transfer tax changes as of the latest results Wednesday, which would increase the tax on sales over $1 million and decrease the tax for sales under $1 million.
Council approves multiple cabinet appointments, ordinance requiring confirmation votes for health commissioners, millions in police-related settlements – The Daily Line, March 21, 2024
The City Council approved millions of dollars in police-related settlements and multiple mayoral appointments on Wednesday. Among the items approved included a landmark $45 million settlement to the victim of a car crash related to a police pursuit, the appointment of a new transportation commissioner and an ordinance mandating City Council confirmation votes for public health commissioners.
Johnson Taps Official Who Greenlighted Botched Little Village Smokestack Implosion to Lead Buildings Department – WTTW, March 20, 2024
Mayor Brandon Johnson Wednesday tapped one of the city officials Chicago’s watchdog said could have prevented a plume of dust from enveloping Little Village in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic — but did not act — to lead the city’s Department of Buildings. Johnson nominated Marlene Hopkins to permanently replace former Buildings Commissioner Matthew Beaudet, whom Johnson fired last month. Hopkins’ nomination must be confirmed by the Chicago City Council.
New ordinance would rename ‘Columbus Drive’ to ‘Barack Obama Drive’ – Chicago Tribune, March 20, 2024
The downtown Chicago street Columbus Drive could be renamed Barack Obama Drive in a new City Council effort. Ald. Lamont Robinson, 4th, introduced an ordinance Wednesday to rename the roadway. The move to honor Obama, a former 4th Ward resident, would further cement Chicago as a tourist destination for Black history, Robinson said in a statement.
Winner of Cook County state’s attorney primary may not be decided until end of the week — or later – Chicago Sun-Times, March 20, 2024
Some 100,000 votes or more are still to be counted in the close race for Cook County state’s attorney, and it will likely be days before a winner is declared in Tuesday’s Democratic primary. Eleven of the city’s 1,291 precincts still have not reported their totals in the race between Eileen O’Neill Burke and Clayton Harris III after officials announced Wednesday evening that they had added unofficial results from nine more precincts of the 20 that were not immediately available on election night. Election officials said judges in those precincts left before the results were “properly transmitted.”
Bring Chicago Home referendum appears to fail at the polls after surviving legal challenge – The Daily Line, March 20, 2024
The future of a proposal to raise Chicago’s real estate transfer tax on property sales over $1 million, decrease it for sales under $1 million and use the new tax revenue to fund services and housing to reduce homelessness did not look promising Tuesday night as favorable votes for the ballot question known as Bring Chicago Home trailed opposition votes. With 97 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday night, 53.8 percent of voters had voted against the ballot question.
O’Neill Burke maintains close lead in heated race for Cook County state’s attorney – Chicago Sun-Times, March 20, 2024
A heated race likely to decide the next state’s attorney for Cook County remained too close to call early Wednesday as votes continued to be counted, including mail-in ballots that could take days to be tallied. Eileen O’Neill Burke, who stepped down from a seat on the appellate court to run for state’s attorney, took an early lead against her opponent Clayton Harris III but the gap narrowed as the evening wore on.
Primary Election Day arrives in Chicago. Voters? Not so much. – Crain’s Chicago Business, March 20, 2024
With polls closed, the city is heading for a disappointing, though not unexpected, voter turnout. According to an unofficial estimate from the Chicago Board of Elections, 343,639 ballots were cast by 7 p.m. when polls closed, with a potential 109,000 outstanding mail-in ballots, although the board expected only 80-85% of those ballots to be returned, based on past elections.
News in brief: Martinez loses circuit court clerk primary; Stamps wins over Smith-Members, Pogorzelski loses in MWRD primary – The Daily Line, March 20, 2024
The incumbent circuit court clerk lost her primary, and an incumbent Cook County commissioner is headed to the general election to defend her appointed seat. Finally, most of the Democrats’ water reclamation district board slate won its primary.
From parades to pulpits, candidates make one final push before primary – Chicago Tribune, March 18, 2024
Politicians fanned out across Chicago during a furious final weekend of campaigning, making appearances in St. Patrick’s Day parades, church pulpits and restaurant gatherings as they sought to energize voters ahead of Tuesday’s Illinois primary elections. A day after tens of thousands of green-clad revelers watched the front-of-the-line jousting among politicians at Chicago’s downtown parade along Columbus Drive, the focus on Sunday was the traditional South Side Irish Parade, where candidates trekked down Western Avenue amid Irish Wolfhounds and high school marching bands.
Chicago voter turnout significantly low ahead of Illinois primary election, political experts say – ABC 7 Chicago, March 17, 2024
The Illinois primary election is Tuesday, and early voters continued to cast their ballots Sunday at the super site in the Loop. When comes down to the candidates and issues on the ballot, so far both have not been strong enough to bring many people out to the polls, political experts said. Voter turnout in Chicago is significantly down from years past.
The DEI backlash has come for Chicago C-suites – Crain’s Chicago Business, March 18, 2024
Wall Street, seen as a forecaster of business and economic trends, is retreating on many of the diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives pledged and created in the aftermath of what was called a “racial reckoning” in summer 2020. Programs created to ensure fair treatment and broader representation are under attack across the U.S.
