>> OFF TO THE RACES ELECTION, 2024 OFFICIALLY GETS UNDERWAY TODAY AS DOZENS OF CANDIDATES HOPING TO WIN COUNTY OR STATE OFFICE CROWDED INTO THE PET WAY DOWN IN THE LOOP IN THE HOPES OF BEING FIRST ON THE BALLOT.

WDW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER SEAN JOINS US NOW WITH A LOOK AND WHO IS SET TO RUN IN THE MARCH 19TH PRIMARY ELECTION AND WHY THE MOST IMPORTANT RACE WON'T FUTURE ANY CANDIDATES.

HEATHER, IT'S THE MOST SOMETHING TIME OF THE YEAR.

I THINK ALL HAVE LOTS OF MEMORIES BEING DOWN WAY.

AND FOLKS COMING IN WITH THEIR STACKS OF A PETITION.

SO TAKE US THROUGH WHAT OFFICES ARE UP FOR GRABS RIGHT NOW.

WELL, THE COOK COUNTY RACES ARE REALLY GOING TO BE AT THE TOP OF THE BALLOT CHICAGO AREA VOTERS.

WE ARE GOING TO ELECT A NEW STATE'S ATTORNEY, A NEW CIRCUIT COURT CLERK AND BUNCHES OF SEATS ARE UP FOR GRABS ILLINOIS, HOUSE AND SENATE, ALONG WITH A SPOT ON THE ILLINOIS SUPREME ALONG WITH ALL OF THE CONGRESSIONAL U.S. SEATS UP FOR THE ILLINOIS DELEGATION.

LET'S NOT FORGET THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 20 FOR A VERY BIG YEAR.

SO WHAT'S AT STAKE IN THE RACE TO SUCCEED?

>> CURRENT COOK COUNTY STATE'S ATTORNEY KIM FOXX WILL THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY IS LIKELY TO PICK CLAYTON HARRIS?

A UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO LECTURING AN ATTORNEY AGAINST EILEEN O'NEILL BURKE, WHO WAS A FORMER APPELLATE COURT JUSTICE.

NOW, HARRIS HAS THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE COOK COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

AND HE SAYS THAT HE THINKS THIS RACE IS REALLY GOING TO TURN ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM ACT KNOWN AS THE SAFETY ACT.

AND IT MAY JUST BE FILING TODAY, BUT HE'S GOT HIS SOUND BITES DOWN.

HE SAYS THAT HE'S CONVINCED THAT THE SAFETY ACT HE'S MADE COOK COUNTY SAFE OR >> VERY IMPORTANT SOUND BITE.

YOU KNOW, HEATHER, EVERY TIME WE COVER THIS, THERE'S THIS WHOLE RACE TO BE ON THE TOP OF THE BALLOT.

PEOPLE GET THEIR LIKE LIKE AT THE CRACK OF DAWN BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE FIRST.

I WAS AT HAPPENING TODAY.

SO HARRIS WAS IN LINE BRIGHTON EARLY, BUT O'NEILL BURKE WAS AND HER CAMPAIGN TOLD ME THAT SHE PLANS TO TO FILE ON MONDAY.

SHE SAYS THE CAMPAIGNS GOOD SHAPE AND SHE DOESN'T NEED TO FIGHT FOR BALLOT POSITION.

AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN ANY SCIENTIFIC STUDIES THAT SAY WHETHER YOU HAVE THE TOP POSITION REALLY HELPS YOU ARE NOT SO.

>> YOU'RE ALSO READING THAT THERE'S A RACE FOR THE NORTHWEST SIDE, THE ILLINOIS HOUSE SEAT THAT THAT WILL BE BELLWETHER.

>> IN THIS SORT OF BATTLE BETWEEN PROGRESSIVE ORGANIZATIONS OVER THERE AND MORE CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATES WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT LIKE THE 45TH WARDA, JEFFERSON PARK AREA.

SO THIS IS THE 20TH STATE SENATE DISTRICT WHERE NATALIE TORO WAS APPOINTED TO FILL THE REMAINING TERM OF CHRISTINA PAST YOAN SIZE.

WHO'S NOW MAYOR JOHNSON'S TOP AIDE.

INSTEAD SHE FACE SHE WILL FACE CROSS THE L A GUZMAN WHO HAS THE PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL MOVEMENT THAT HELPED ELECT BRANDON JOHNSON BEHIND HER.

NOW, THE RESULTS OF THIS RACE REALLY MAKE IT CLEAR WHETHER PREVAILING POLITICAL FORCE ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE IS PROGRESSIVE ARE MORE CONSERVATIVE.

POLITICIANS LIKE SARAH COURT CAR LURK IRIS MARTINEZ, WHO IS IN A DONNYBROOK OF A RACE TO KEEP HER DAY JOB.

AND HER POSITION IS THE 33RD WARD COMMITTEE.

PAT WAS TAKEN THAT.

44 54 IS A DIFFERENT BATTLE ON ITS OWN, BUT THIS IS AT HUMBOLDT PARK AREA AND THAT BATTLE OVER THERE.

>> MIGHT IT?

SO WHAT COMMITTEE PERSON DOES BECAUSE IT'S A VERY VAUNTED POLITICAL POST IN CHICAGO ARE SO MANY YEARS, BUT MOST SKY WAS PROBABLY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT DOES.

WELL, USED TO HAVE A LOT MORE POWER THAN UNDER THE OLD MACHINE DAYS.

BUT NOW THEIR PRIME SOURCE OF POWER FOR COMMITTEE PEOPLE'S TO APPOINT PEOPLE TO VACANT POSITIONS, JUST LIKE THE ONE LEFT VACANT BY HASSAN ON ISAIAS.

AND THAT IS WHY IRIS MARTINEZ FINDS HERSELF IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF ALDERMAN ROSANA RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ, A LEADING MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST CAUCUS ON THE CITY COUNCIL WHO WANTS TO REMOVE HER FROM THAT POSITION OF PARTY POWER.

THERE'S ALSO SEES FOR CONGRESS ON THE BALLOT AS YOU MENTIONED.

SO WHAT ARE THE CONTESTS ARE WATCHING?

WELL, JESUS GARCIA, HE'S RUNNING AGAIN IN THE 4TH DISTRICT.

HE WILL FACE ALDERMAN RAYMOND LOPEZ OF THE 15TH WARD, WHO'S PROVED TO BE A THORN IN THE SIDE OF MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON.

MUCH LIKE HE WAS A THORN IN THE SIDE OF MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT.

AND BEFORE THAT, RAHM EMANUEL, HE IS HOPING TO BRING MORE CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP TO THE 4TH DISTRICT IN THE 3RD DISTRICT.

DELIA RAMIREZ LOOKS TO HAVE A PRETTY EASY PASS TO RE-ELECTION WITH NO PROMINENT CANDIDATES ANNOUNCING YET AGAINST HER ARE A LOT OF THESE PRIMARIES, ESPECIALLY SO CLOSE TO OTHER ELECTIONS LIKE THE COUNCIL ELECTIONS CAN BE LOW TURNOUT.

BUT THERE REALLY IS A REASON FOR CHICAGOANS TO COME OUT HERE, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NO COUNCIL SEAT ON THE BALLOT TO TELL US WHY.

WELL, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE 1800 CHICAGO VOTERS WILL GET A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN ON A BINDING REFERENDUM THAT WILL SET POLICY FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

AND THIS, OF COURSE, IS THE PROPOSAL KNOWN AS BRING CHICAGO HOME.

VOTERS WILL DECIDE WHETHER TO GIVE THE CITY COUNCIL POWER TO HIKE THIS REAL ESTATE.

TRANSFER TAXES ON THE SALES OF PROPERTIES OF MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS.

AND IF THEY DO, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL THEN HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER TO RAISE NEARLY 100 MILLION DOLLARS EARMARKED FOR TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE UNHOUSED IN CHICAGO.

ALRIGHT, HARD TO BELIEVE.

ELECTION SEASON ALREADY UNDERWAY THE GREATEST TIME OF YEAR.

WILL ALL BE