Don’t vote dumb / News quiz! / ‘Leftist claptrap’ redux

Chicago Public Square’s taking a few days off. Back next Friday with a news-quiz-only issue.

■ We’ll return in full force Tuesday, Feb. 17, with a special 2,000th regular edition (this one and next week’s don’t count!) to follow soon after that.

■ Meanwhile, bookmark the Square account on Bluesky for between-edition breaking news and perspective.

■ And for now …

Don’t vote dumb. It’s time for this year’s edition of the Square guide to Illinois primary voter guides.

■ It’ll be updated continually through March 17. Spot a mistake? Know of another source that’ll help people vote smart? Email Voterguide@ChicagoPublicSquare.com.

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Do it for Chicago journalists—or do it for the chance at a $100 gift card. Take a few minutes for a survey to help news organizations working with Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism better understand the public they serve.

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‘Go 8 for 8 and award yourself a gold medal.’ Past Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions winner Fritz Holznagel cheers you on for this week’s edition of The Conversation’s weekly news quiz.

■ Your Square columnist notched a typical 6/8 correct.

‘Leftist claptrap’ redux. Chicago Public Square T-shirts bearing that reader’s 2022 unsubscribe note on the back are in stock again—and you can buy one here.

■ To mark Square’s ninth anniversary, you get a special code good for $9 off the purchase price of any Square T-shirt or hoodie if you support this publication for any amount—even $1, just once.

The Chicago Public Square Illinois Primary Voter Guide Guide

Early and mail voting is underway in the Illinois primary. Don’t cast your ballot in ignorance. Square’s here to help.

Mark your calendar.
■ Feb. 17: Last day for regular (paper) voter registration.

■ Feb. 18: First day of grace period for in-person voter registration and voting at election authority and early voting sites; continues through Election Day.

■ March 1: Last day for regular online voter registration.

■ March 12: Last day for your election authority to receive vote-by-mail applications.

■ March 17: Election Day—from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Be ready.

■ Learn how to vote in Illinois from Capitol News Illinois and WBEZ.

■ The League of Women Voters runs down the races at stake.

■ Register to vote in Chicago and suburban Cook County.
■ Outside Cook County? See your county’s website: DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, McHenry, Kendall …
■ … or the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Be smart.

■ Here’s a customized ballot with all the decisions you’ll face in suburban Cook County or Chicago.
■ Every item and race on your ballot, explained: BallotReady and Ballotpedia.

■ See what’s on your ballot, courtesy of the League of Women Voters.

■ Check out the Evanston Roundtable’s profiles of candidates in contested primaries for Congress and the General Assembly.

■ Consider endorsements from the Chicago Tribune, the Girl, I Guess Progressive Voter Guide and veteran political strategist Don Rose.

■ Slice through all those judicial races with bar association ratings of Cook County candidates (still in progress) …

■ … and Injustice Watch’s judicial primary guide (ditto).

■ Have questions for the candidates? WBEZ wants your suggestions here.

Do it.

■ Here’s where to vote Election Day in Chicago and the suburbs.

■ Trouble at your polling place? Call 866-OUR-VOTE.

Go beyond.

■ Get updates around the clock on the Square Bluesky page.

■ Be informed for every election. Sign up for Square email, sent to your inbox (free!) weekday mornings at 10.

■ If you’ve found this useful, you can help keep Square coming with a contribution—of as little as $1, just once.

This is a work in progress.

■ Spot a mistake? Know of another source that’ll help people vote smart? Email Voterguide@ChicagoPublicSquare.com.