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Election 2014: What's At Stake

wttw Chicago Tonight

Illinois voters have until seven tonight, when the polls close, to help decide the state's future.

Let's begin with the top of the ballot, with two proposed constitutional amendments. One would create protections for voters against discrimination; the other would give crime victims more rights, like a guarantee they be notified when a perpetrator is released.

There are also three, non-binding referendums. Voters can weigh in on if Illinois should hike its minimum wage, keep ensuring that employee benefits cover birth control, and if it's a good idea to create an additional tax on millionaires.

Now for the most contentious race: the contest for governor. Polls say Gov. Pat Quinn is neck-and-neck with Republican challenger Bruce Rauner, a private equity investor. There's also a third candidate, Libertarian Chad Grimm. For the first time, candidates for governor got to pick their running mates.

The other statewide constitutional offices are also on the ballot: Attorney General Lisa Madigan, a Democrat, faces Republican former military attorney Paul Schimpf; Illinois' longest-serving Sec. of State, Jesse White, is running against Republican accountant and private practice lawyer Mike Webster; Republican Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka has opposition from Quinn's current Lt. Gov, Sheila Simon; and, in the only open office (left vacant when Tres. Rutherford unsuccessfully tried to get the GOP nomination for governor) pits state Sen. Mike Frerichs against former Illinois House Minority Leader Tom Cross.

When it comes to the legislature, Democrats currently hold super-majorities in the General Assembly.

Illinois House Republicans are trying to lessen that grip on power; look for some tight races. Illinois Senate Democrats have no chance of losing their super-majority, but the GOP is trying to win one or two more seats. Illinois is also home to a handful of Congressional contests that could be close.

And longtime U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Democrats' Majority Whip, is facing off against GOP State Sen. Jim Oberweis, the dairy magnate.

One of Illinois' Supreme Court justices is up for retention; Republican Lloyd Karmeier has represented  Illinois' southernmost counties on the court for the past decade. The match has pulled in big-dollar contributions on both sides in recent week, in a match closely mirroring is tight election in 2004.

Amanda Vinicky moved to Chicago Tonight on WTTW-TV PBS in 2017.
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