Live Updates: Elections 2020 In Illinois

Proponents of moving Illinois to a graduated income tax system admitted voters defeated their ballot measure this morning.

The Associated Press said a proposed constitutional amendment to move Illinois to a graduated income tax has failed, with 55% of voters against it.

Quentin Fulks, chairman of the Vote Yes For Fairness committee that fought for the amendment’s passage, released a statement expressing his disappointment in the results.

“Republican legislators and their billionaire allies who brought us the dysfunction and pain of the [former Gov. Bruce] Rauner years continue to stand in the way of common sense solutions, choosing instead to play partisan games and deceive the working families of our state,” Fulks said. “Now lawmakers must address a multibillion dollar budget gap without the ability to ask the wealthy to pay their fair share. Fair Tax opponents must answer for whatever comes next.”

The proposal would have taxed people based on their income, rather than the current flat tax rate. Lawmakers approved companion legislation to the amendment that would have taxed income in excess of $250,000 at a substantially higher rate than anything less than that.

Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, who won election in 2018 while advocating for a graduated income tax, has warned residents that without the amendment’s adoption, the options for confronting the state’s massive budget hole is cuts or an increase in the flat 4.95% income tax.

He’s called on Congress to send financial support to states that are seeing massive budget holes due to the COVID-19 pandemic and he’s asked his administration to consider 5% cuts across the board.

Well-funded groups that fought the initiative questioned if voters trusted state officials to spend the more than $3 billion annually the measure was expected to raise.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is commenting on the election the morning after. Here’s a statement released from her office:

“We wake this morning with little clarity in the presidential race, but with some important known facts. While counting of some ballots in Chicago continues, we know thanks to the collaboration and support of our City’s departments and agencies, and the Chicago Board of Elections, a near-historic number of Chicagoans rose to meet this moment in an unprecedented year by casting their ballots, volunteering at polling places, and making their collective voice heard. We have much to be proud of as a city.

“As we anxiously await the outcome of the presidential and other races, I am heartened that our city remains calm and peaceful. This election has generated a lot of emotions on all sides. There will be a lot of chatter until the election results are verified, but it is crucial for us as a city to be focused and diligent to be sure, but also calm and peaceful. Let’s channel our emotions into a productive expression of our First Amendment rights. No matter the outcome, we will get through this by remaining together, as neighbors who need each other and love our great city and country.”

Chicago commuters trickled into a North Side “L” station to head to work early this morning after trying not to watch election returns too late last night. Many at the Chicago Transit Authority’s Belmont Station in the Lake View neighborhood said they woke to surprise that the presidential election was still so close. Some expressed frustration that polls had been inaccurate.

“It’s just a waiting game. We did everything we can do, so we just have to wait it out,” said Meredith Schroeder, of Chicago.

“We still don’t know the results — and so that’s aggravating, so I’m just going to have some coffee and wait it out,” said Dan McNally at the Dunkin Donuts under the “L” tracks.

“I’m willing to wait, but it’s going to be a tough fight and a long fight,” said Charsetta Gary while she waited for a bus at the station.

“They are waiting for the mail-ins and the absentees. I’m disappointed and fearful that Trump might win again,” said Juanita Smith.

Democratic Rep. Sean Casten was elected to a second term after a spirited challenge from Republican Jeanne Ives in historically GOP territory outside Chicago. That’s according to the Associated Press, which declared Casten the winner early today. With nearly 100 of precincts reporting, Casten had 51% of the vote vs. Ives’ nearly 47%. Libertarian Bill Redpath had nearly 2%. The 6th District covers parts of Chicago’s northwest and western suburbs.

Chicago cops waited for hours tonight in police staging areas around the city as feared civil unrest tied to the election did not materialize.

In Humboldt Park’s boathouse parking lot, some officers waited on two idling CTA buses and ate fast food. Nearby were more than 30 police vehicles in which many cops watched election coverage on their smartphones.

“Trump 2020!” an officer exclaimed from a police SUV.

Downtown, the Police Department braced for an announced protest at Millennium Park. Officers were posted at corners. Steel barricades limited access to the park.

Around 9:30 p.m., a dozen officers stood with police bicycles at a park entrance near Michigan and Washington.

As the night progressed and no protesters showed up, most of the officers headed out.

Several election-related protests are planned for tomorrow in Chicago.

Incumbent Rep. Lauren Underwood ended the night with an optimistic speech to supporters tuned into a near three-hour virtual watch party.

“We’re still waiting for results, and yet I know we’re winning, you know why? Because people are voting in unprecedented numbers, and when our democracy is strong, we all win.”

Republican Illinois state Sen. Jim Oberweis’ campaign manager Travis Akin said they, too, remain optimistic they’ll pull off a victory, but that they might not know for a few days as mail-in and early vote ballots continue to be counted.

The campaigns wrapped up the night shortly after 11 p.m. As of that time, about 83% of precincts were reporting, with Oberweis with a razor-thin-lead over Underwood.

With a concession from Republican challenger Pat O’Brien, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has won a second term.

A former judge and prosecutor, O’Brien — a lifelong Democrat who ran as a Republican to challenge Foxx — conceded Tuesday evening.

Foxx, speaking at a virtual event, came out on stage a little before 11 p.m. to Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright,” and stood alongside her daughters and other family members.

Foxx, whose victory in 2016 made her the first Black woman to serve as the county’s top prosecutor, said today’s win was a sign that the county would not repeat the mistakes of the past.

“Conversations about race in our justice system are uncomfortable, and I’ve been having those conversations since 2016. And I will be frank and honest with you, that as an African American woman leading this job, it is one thing to celebrate that I am the first. But it also comes with the recognition that when you do this work in this skin, in this body, that sometimes you see the things that we don’t talk about publicly,” Foxx said. “It has been difficult, but I do it because I know as a county, we are better for the tough conversations about race. That we won’t have to recycle the fear and terror that we saw this summer if we meaningfully address these issues head on.”

O’Brien had promised a return to a more aggressive law-and-order stance, as opposed to Foxx’s focus on criminal justice reform.

O’Brien beat Foxx handily in the Cook County suburbs, which he hoped would carry him to victory.

But Foxx was the overwhelming favorite within Chicago city limits.

“We did what we could and maybe some good will come of this,” O’Brien said to reporters outside of White Eagle Convention Center in Niles, Ill., before declining to take questions.

The DuPage County Clerk’s office suffered from technical difficulties that hampered its ability to report the vote tonight.

“We ran into an issue where our data from our tabulation system is not exporting,” spokesman Adam Johnson said.

As a result, the Associated Press reported minimal election results out of the west suburban county as of 10:17 p.m.

Even the clerk’s office didn’t begin publishing substantial results with information about individual precincts until nearly 10:30 p.m.

Johnson said the problem had never happened before at the clerk’s office.

Within an hour of saying they’d fixed the problem, the county indeed had tallies from more than 83% of precincts.

Coming off a campaign rally in Wisconsin with President Donald Trump last night, Republican Congressional candidate Jim Oberweis kicked off his campaign watch party at a hotel with several supporters and campaign workers.

Oberweis is challenging Democrat incumbent Lauren Underwood to represent the sprawling 14th congressional district in northeastern Illinois.

The Oberweis campaign has two rooms for the campaign event, with 25 people allowed per room. Despite inviting media to the event, it was closed last-minute to the press, who were invited instead to camp out in the parking lot.

“I feel bad for you guys out here in the cold,” Oberweis said. “Of course it isn’t as cold as it was last night in Kenosha.”

Oberweis addressed reporters in the parking lot and said he’s hopeful despite Underwood’s initial lead, saying he’s told that lead was due to mail-in ballots.

“We kind of knew we’d be down on those. Now as the precincts are starting to report, it’s getting much better,” Oberweis said.

Meanwhile, Underwood is holding a virtual event, with promised appearances from former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg and Illinois U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, among others.

“We have a great evening ahead of us … with D.J. Frankie … and a few surprises as well,” Underwood campaign advisor Ronnie Cho said.

Burning a papier-mâché Donald Trump head, about 15 Black and Latino high school students blocked traffic tonight in front of the village hall of west suburban Oak Park.

But that did not mean they are big fans of Joe Biden.

“They say that Biden in the president’s office will help us and save us and make everything all-around better,” said Ray Longstreet, 16, a sophomore at Oak Park and River Forest High School. “The truth is, even with Biden, we’re still going to be messed up. Down deep, he is a silent racist.”

The group, the Revolutionary Oak Park Youth Action League (ROYAL), formed two years ago when the students attended Percy Julian Middle School, said Cindy Brito, an advisor of the students, who include two of her own children.

After the students blocked the eastbound lanes of West Madison Street for about 30 minutes, they dispersed as a fire truck arrived to put out the smoldering papier-mâché head.