Ald. Sophia King (4), chair of the City Council Progressive Caucus who ran as a mayoral candidate in the Feb. 28 election, endorsed former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas in the mayoral runoff. But a group of nine aldermen who are members of the Progressive Caucus issued a statement saying King’s endorsement doesn’t speak for the caucus. 

Joe Dunne and Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) are two aldermanic candidates using red boxes on their websites. [Courtesy photos]

Candidates in multiple aldermanic runoffs are using red boxes on their campaign websites often used to highlight approved ad messaging to independent political action committees, a strategy that — while not explicitly banned in Illinois — some election experts say essentially skirts legal prohibitions on coordination between campaigns and outside PACs.

Joe Dunne, an affordable housing developer competing in the 48th Ward, and Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36), who is defending his City Council seat in the April runoff, both have red boxes on their websites. The boxed text includes messaging about both the candidates and their opponents. 

From top left, Ald. Daniel La Spata, Ald. Jim Gardiner and Ald. Chris Taliaferro and from bottom left, Sam Royko, Megan Mathias and CB Johnson. (courtesy photos) 

Fourteen aldermanic races are set to be decided with a runoff election on April 4, according to official election results published by the Chicago Board of Elections Wednesday.

Thirty-six freshly elected members of Police District Councils on Monday announced their endorsement of Cook County Comm. Brandon Johnson (D-1) for mayor in the runoff election. The Taste of Chicago is now set for a September weekend after NASCAR pushed the fest out of Grant Park during its traditional July weekend. Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Monday signed an executive order requiring a bi-annual pay equity audit of the city’s workforce. 

The City Council Committee on Finance is set to meet at 10 a.m. Monday. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]

The second phase of an equitable transit-oriented development in Bronzeville could take a step forward Monday if members of the City Council Committee on Finance approve a measure to sell city property and provide funding for the development. 

Aldermen meet in council chambers Wednesday. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]

Aldermen in two separate committees on Wednesday approved measures that if approved by City Council next week will allocate $20 million in state funding for asylum seekers and several other proposals to sell city-owned land. 

Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas and Cook County Comm. Brandon Johnson (D-1) each added to their lists of endorsements on Wednesday, with Vallas picking up support from a second former mayoral candidate and Johnson notching support from a large labor union.

A Chicago voter participates in the 2022 primary. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Ahead of the municipal runoff election in less than a month, voters may be wondering when they can register, how they can vote or where they should vote if they’ve moved since the Feb. 28 election.

A bike lane is blocked by a vehicle. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line] 

The City Council Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety will meet virtually Friday to consider a proposal from Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the Chicago Department of Transportation and some aldermen that would establish a pilot program for automatic bike and bus lane violation enforcement.