Chicago voters return to school board election

Voters in Chicago will select all 21 members of the Board of Education on Tuesday, ending decades of mayoral control over the district. The board manages a $10 billion budget and serves 304,000 students. Its members decide on contracts, property taxes, and school closures.

The election follows a period of intense political activity. Candidates have spent weeks distributing flyers and holding local forums. A recent poll sponsored by the Chicago Public Education Fund found that 77% of voters are now aware of the race. That number rose from 59% in May. However, only one-third of the 1,062 surveyed residents knew who their current board representative was.

The political dynamics shifted after Mayor Brandon Johnson appointed half the board in 2024. Those appointees largely align with the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU). The union has endorsed candidates in 15 of the contested races. Five races remain uncontested. This leaves CTU with a difficult path to securing an 11-member majority on the board.

Two main groups are competing for control. The first includes CTU and Mayor Johnson. The second consists of pro-school-choice groups, specifically Common Ground Collective and the Illinois Network of Charter Schools. These groups have spent more than $4.6 million against CTU-backed candidates. Super PACs associated with these groups have outspent the union in many district-level contests.

The race for the board president position is the most expensive. Three candidates are fighting for the single citywide seat: Jessica Biggs, Hilario Dominguez, and Victor Henderson. Nearly $8.7 million has been spent in this contest through fundraising and independent spending. Biggs has raised $1.85 million since last fall. This total includes $1 million from billionaire donor Michael Sacks. Sacks has also provided millions to Common Ground.

Dominguez has raised $1.75 million, mostly from CTU and the CTU-funded Our Schools PAC. Henderson has raised $737,000, funding most of his campaign himself. Common Ground and INCS have spent $3.1 million on advertisements targeting Dominguez. Campaign finance has become a central point of contention in the race.

In District 10A, incumbent Che Smith faces a write-in challenge from Tameka Walton. Smith is the only candidate listed on the ballot. He is treating the write-in effort as a serious threat. Walton was removed from the ballot but has organized volunteers to canvass the area. She said her goal is to leave no stone unturned. Smith, a Grammy-winning rapper, said he did not expect to face such a challenge in an uncontested race.

In District 2B, Kyna Lenhof is running against incumbent Debby Pope. Lenhof, a political fundraiser, noted that most candidates in this cycle are first-time office seekers. Pope, a retired teacher and CTU endorsee, has lived in the district for 46 years. She is spending her final days campaigning at polling sites. Pope said she saw a dozen residents recognize her name at the Broadway Armory polling site yesterday.

Anthony Hargrove is running in District 5B on the West Side. He is challenging incumbent Michilla Blaise, who has CTU support. Hargrove said his campaign is focused on direct contact with voters. He is visiting homes and staking out voting locations. This approach continues the strategy his team has used since the campaign began.

Nelson Gerew, chief of internal and public affairs for the Chicago Public Education Fund, noted that the school board election appears as the last question on the ballot. He expressed hope that voters will complete the entire ballot. The fund's data shows increased awareness compared to the start of the primary season. Candidates are now in the final phase of their outreach efforts before Tuesday's vote.