What the heck just happened, Chicago? Lori Lightfoot won the mayor’s race by a gargantuan margin. City Council veterans got the boot. Here’s what Tuesday’s results might mean for the future of the city.Reporting by Becky Vevea, Claudia Morell and Dan Mihalopoulos. Editing by Al Keefe. Production by Justin Bull and Becky Vevea.Each week at On Background, WBEZ’s team of political reporters brings you the backstory on the week's big story. Host Becky Vevea and guests take you inside the back rooms of Chicago and Illinois government to better understand the people, places and forces shaping today’s politics.

On Background: WBEZ's Politics Podcast

Chicago Elects First Openly Gay Black Woman As Mayor

Lori Lightfoot was catapulted into the spotlight in the fallout from Laquan McDonald’s murder. But before that, she was hardly a household name in Chicago. WBEZ’s Claudia Morell zooms in on three pivotal moments in the life of the unlikely mayoral frontrunner — moments where she defined her circumstances, and moments where she was defined by them.

Who is Lori Lightfoot?

There are a lot of ways people describe Toni Preckwinkle. Progressive pioneer. Party boss. Prickly county board president. But the image of her in the race to become Chicago’s next mayor doesn’t tell the entire story of her long career. WBEZ’s Becky Vevea digs into Preckwinkle’s life and just a few of the moments that tell voters something more about the kind of mayor Preckwinkle might be.

Who is Toni Preckwinkle?

There have been so many soundbites and headlines about the remaining two candidates for Chicago Mayor. But maybe you find yourself still wondering: Who exactly are these people?This week we’re taking a break, because next week we’ll have two episodes to help you get to know Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle before you cast your vote on Tuesday, April 2. Check back next week Wednesday.

COMING SOON: Who are Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle?

The plans to build a mini-city along the North Branch of the Chicago River have been winding their way through the byzantine City Council process for the last year. The $6 billion project, known as Lincoln Yards, is one that Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants to lock in before he leaves office in May. But with the clock ticking, public money on the line, and a heated runoff election just weeks away, the development along the muddy riverfront is leading to a lot of political mudslinging at a pivotal moment in Chicago. 

The Politics of Chicago’s Lincoln Yards

A decade ago, Illinois politicians legalized video gambling in hopes of generated much-needed money for the state. But like so many stories in Illinois, this one didn’t turn out to be that simple. WBEZ’s Dan Mihalopoulos and ProPublica Illinois’ Jason Grotto have spent months digging into what happened.

Illinois’ Bad Bet On Video Gambling

It was an election for the history books. With no incumbent on the ballot and 14 candidates for mayor, just a third of all registered voters in Chicago cast ballots this week and the results are in. WBEZ’s Becky Vevea, Dan Mihalopoulos, Claudia Morell break down what it all means for the city and what’s next.

The Results Show

It’s the final countdown! Chicago’s municipal elections are next Tuesday. Voters will get to pick from 14 candidates to be the next mayor and pick someone to represent their neighborhood too. This week, WBEZ’s team of political reporters will answer your last minute questions and introduce you to a person taking his job as citizen very seriously

The Final Countdown: Chicago Election Extravaganza!

Newspapers, unions, and even celebrities are throwing their weight — and in some cases, money — behind their choice for Chicago’s next mayor. This week, the WBEZ politics team digs in to a time-honored political tradition: endorsements. Do they still matter in 2019?

Do Endorsements Matter?

How the heck is a Chicago voter supposed to make sense of a mayor’s race with 14 candidates? Well, you’ve got about two weeks to figure that out. So WBEZ has cooked up a nifty way to help you choose which candidate you most align with, and our reporters answer some of your questions. Deep breath.

Help! I don’t know who to vote for!

A second alderman is in the crosshairs of federal authorities. Last week, Ald. Danny Solis (25th) was revealed to be wearing a wire in the case against powerful Alderman Ed Burke (14th). This week, a series of stories from the Chicago Sun-Times explains why Solis’ has been cooperating with the FBI. Turns out, the feds built a case against him in 2014, involving Viagra, a massage parlor, and a party at Oprah’s former farm, as well as lots of personal spending from campaign accounts. The 120-page affidavit obtained by the Sun Times also outlined a meeting Solis arranged between a Chinese hotel developer and Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Jon Seidel, reporter with the Chicago Sun-Times, joins host Becky Vevea with the latest.

Feds Investigate City Hall: Sex, Drugs, and Not-So-Happy Endings?

We all hate them. But parking and traffic camera tickets generate millions for the city of Chicago every year. A WBEZ/ProPublica Illinois investigation reveals that system puts a huge burden on the very people who can least afford it. We look at how one ticket can ruin someone’s life, and what mayoral candidates will do to change the discriminatory system.

How Chicago’s Ticketing System Can Ruin Someone’s Life

There are hundreds of neighborhoods in the city of Chicago and 15 candidates vying to represent all of them. Many communities have been left behind in the city's economic growth and dozens of prominent neighborhood activist groups want that to end. This week, many of those organizations are pushing the candidates to break from the horse race and the mudslinging to talk about the issues most important to their communities. Learn about some of the top issues facing Chicagoans at the street-level. Reporting by Linda Lutton and Becky Vevea. Editing by Alex Keefe and Cate Cahan. Production by Becky Vevea and Justin Bull.  Each week at On Background, WBEZ’s team of political reporters brings you the backstory on the week's big story. Host Becky Vevea and guests take you inside the back rooms of Chicago and Illinois government to better understand the people, places and forces shaping today’s politics.

Chicago Neighborhoods Define The Issues

A handful of the races for alderman this February are especially hot races. That's in part because they touch on issues deeply important to Chicago right now. Issues like the Obama Presidential Center (20th Ward), rapid gentrification (25th Ward), big money in politics (47th Ward), and old guard Chicago politics versus new guard Chicago politics (40th Ward).  WBEZ’s Becky Vevea talks with A.D Quig from The Daily Line about why these wards will be so interesting to watch this spring.  Editing by Cate Cahan and Alex Keefe. Production by Justin Bull. 

Wards To Watch

Federal authorities have charged Chicago’s longest-serving alderman with a single count of attempted extortion. The charge comes a month after the FBI raided Ald. Edward Burke’s City Hall and neighborhood offices. The WBEZ politics team takes a closer look at what the feds say Burke did and what it all means for Chicago politics. Reporting for this episode comes from Dan Mihalopoulos, Kristen Schorsch, Claudia Morell, Alex Keefe, and Becky Vevea. Editing by Alex Keefe. Production by Justin Bull. Each week at On Background, WBEZ’s team of political reporters brings you the backstory on the week's big story. Host Becky Vevea and guests take you inside the back rooms of Chicago and Illinois government to better understand the people, places and forces shaping today’s politics.

Have It The Chicago Way? Alderman Charged With Shaking Down Burger King Execs

On Background is WBEZ Chicago’s weekly political podcast. Each week, our top-notch team of political reporters brings you the backstory on the week’s big story. We’ll take you inside the back rooms of Chicago and Illinois government to explain the story, and why it matters.

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On Background: WBEZ's Politics Podcast

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