Overview
- A total of 51 people submitted paperwork to run by the Tuesday filing deadline for 20 subdistrict seats and the citywide board president, with two incumbents running unopposed.
- The petitions now enter a legal vetting phase with objections due June 2 and a Board of Elections final ballot expected in late August after a challenge period that has historically removed many entrants.
- Five candidates filed for the citywide president post — Jessica Biggs, Jennifer Custer, Hilario Dominguez, Sendhil Revuluri and Victor Henderson — while most current mayoral appointees are seeking election again and Sean Harden is not running.
- Candidates must meet steep signature thresholds to qualify for the ballot—district hopefuls need 500 to 1,500 valid signatures and the president needs at least 2,500—and meeting those rules often requires costly legal help.
- Who wins will shape decisions on CPS’s budget, chief executive oversight, school openings and closings, and charter accountability, and observers warn low public awareness plus expected outside spending could reshape which candidates remain competitive.