>> Hello and thanks for joining us on a special election night edition of Chicago tonight.

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

>> It seems with the polls that they're neck and neck in.

All right.

Also, it could go either way, but I'm the son doing my part.

>> Election Day is officially here for voters across the country.

We're live at the Chicago Board of Elections with the latest.

Plus, Democrats and Republicans are offering 2 very different visions for the country are spotlight politics team on what to know is polls begin to close.

>> In Chicago when you feed your ballot machine on Election Day, you're essentially putting it in a ballot box with 2 compartments.

And what exactly happens to your ballot after you Vote.

>> W T Tw News explains.

>> We kick off our election coverage tonight as some Chicagoans are still casting their ballots at polling places across the city, polls opened at 6 this morning and will remain open until 7 tonight are.

Joanna Hernandez joins us live from the Board of Elections.

Super site in the loop for the latest on voter turnout.

Joanna.

>> Brandis, I have to tell you, it has been really busy so far.

We've been out here for a couple hours outside the super site in the loop along lake in the line has wrapped around the corner.

Same thing we've seen all week for early voting.

But you know what?

The people that we chatted with say there's something exciting about voting on election night, especially even though it's a rainy day.

They said there's like some type of special vibe.

Now we have here, Max.

Better from the Chicago Board of Elections.

Joining us to break down in sharing all the details about our voting turnout.

Now, Max, I know it's been a busy day for you.

He said you're running up 2 hours of Tell us about what the energy has been like today.

Well, I'm not alone.

We've got our hard-working poll workers behind us.

They've been awake even longer than I have.

And this is what we like to see.

We like to see a high turnout on Election Day are last few election days have been pretty sleepy.

>> There's good news and there's bad news when it comes to that.

The good news is high turnout.

People are fired up.

Bad news is that we are seeing some lines.

But I do want to remind boaters if you're in line by 07:00PM, you still will vote.

As of last night.

We were excited to see that we had over 330,000 people cast their early vote ballot.

And as of right now, it looks like we're just over 890,000 ballots cast so far for the November 5th election.

And, you know, talking about early voting was the voting a strong showing here in Chicago as expected it is presidential elections are generally our most consistent turnout.

This is where we see 70% of the city's registered voters turned out that usually over 1 million voters looks like we're on track early voting with similar to previous presidential cycles, especially the quote, unquote, regular years like 2016, 2020 is a little bit of a special case because it was the middle of the pandemic.

Early voting was expanded.

Voting by mail was expanded.

We're seeing people turn out like they have in previous presidential cycles.

So thank you for everyone's patients for all of these lines.

We know it's as exciting as a roller coaster at the end of these 2 out, especially to that it's raining outside and it's raining out.

We're glad that that hasn't dampened spirits.

But these last 2 hours between 5 and 7 o'clock, that's usually where we see the big final push.

So we're expecting to see a lot of people still turn out to the polls and past 7 o'clock, those votes of some keep coming And have you seen as supporting any patterns in the voting precincts when it comes to the turnout?

Yes, you know, we are seeing pretty high turnout citywide.

Obviously we've got some more popular early voting sites and others along our lakefront of our north side where there's public transit accessible.

So we're glad that people who might have missed their chance to early vote over this weekend by seeing those lines were turned up today because we have both centers like the super site that are open and it's a vote anywhere program, too.

Otherwise we've seen all of our voters to go to their assigned precinct polling places seen lines nice and busy.

That's the way we like to see it.

And let's talk about the issues we know sometimes that happens.

Has there been any issues at the polling places?

We know there has.

There was some technical issues with people.

Tell us about that.

There was there was a couple of glitches, unfortunately, in a few of our precincts this morning for same day registers, those people are changing their address or updating their name or getting registered for the first time poll works went immediately so we moved them to paper.

Thankfully was fixed within the hour at those handful of sites that we saw.

We've also seen some issues just, you know, when we have 2 ballots, we've got to make sure all of our election judges are handing out the correct ones.

Multiple reminders were sent to judges today.

We've got to put precincts and a lot of other locations.

But beyond that, we've seen just the regular type issues and equipment issues that pop up rather than the type threats or issues that other countries are.

I'm sorry.

Other places in the countries are facing.

That's a dozen working pretty So it's good.

Yes, I also think that it's up to Chicago.

Chicagoans turn out and vote their patient.

They're kind with each other.

And that's what we're seeing today.

And last question, Max, one word to describe a busy and that's what we like to see.

So compared to municipal the midterm elections last primary that only had a 25% citywide turnout.

We're looking good.

We're going to get over that 70%, especially when we have that to be counting period from those vote by mail.

Ballots are coming back today as well as over the next 2 weeks properly postmarked.

Well, thank you for joining us.

Thank you.

Let you get back to right now.

Want to give a quick shout out to all the poll workers back there.

Hi, ladies.

They have been working really hard and really lifting up the spirit we've already seen about like 8 first-time voters and they have been cheering them now, just a reminder, the polling places will close at 07:00PM.

But as long as you're here by 7, you'll be able to cast your ballot.

You can also drop off their completed mail-in ballot.

>> At any of your local polling places and if you're still unsure where to vote, you can head over to our website and we have all that information.

They're now reporting live from the loop.

I'm John Hernandez.

Send it back to Brandis.

Joanna, thank you.

And of course, our thanks to those hardworking poll workers.

We know it's gonna be a long night for them.

>> Up next, our spotlight politics team on what to keep an eye on as polls begin to close.

Stay with us.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part by the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The gym and K maybe family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donors.

>> The latest pre election polls still show a deadlocked race for president and in Chicago.

We've seen long lines as we just heard as voters look to weigh in, not just the presidential race, but significant race is closer to home.

Those include the first-ever Chicago school board election and in Illinois congressional race that could tip the balance of power in the U.S. house here with their insight ahead of the polls, closing our spotlight, politics team Amanda, Vicki Hatter, Sharon and Nick Blumberg taking this is what we train We made it what we train for.

Nick starting with As we've mentioned, we've seen some really long lines.

We saw that video from JoAnn is peace.

>> The sped-up version with a line pretty much wrapping around the corner down the block at early voting sites, though they were very long lines there as well.

>> One of the factors that might be contributing to this.

Yeah, I think that clip would still be running of our been up for us.

>> Well, I think, you know, even though Illinois isn't a factor in presidential elections, obviously enthusiasm around voting for president drives voter turnout.

We also have, as you mentioned, that first ever election for the Chicago school board.

But, yeah, I mean, we saw those 6, 7 hours.

I was talking to someone who is in line for 7 hours of the Humble Park Library yesterday.

People who weren't getting the cast a ballot until after midnight.

Now, some of that is due to, you know, resource issues.

Do they you know, a big enough sight for these early sites?

Do they have enough folks working there?

But clearly people are really turning out.

And, you know, was we heard about 60% turnout as of 5.30, years.

So so, you know, we're going to see a lot more added to that total and often you see election officials.

They wish that there is this is sort of energy when it was municipal election time or when wasn't a presidential race going on.

>> That's often when you do see the start of energy, I will add that I think early voting lines are part of your long because there's only 51 places in the entire city of Chicago.

You're not going to see necessarily as long of lines are people that had trouble over the weekend.

Miami saying is know why, but you have a lot more opportunities to cast a ballot on Election Day because then you have to vote your precinct.

Those are places where anybody can click cast a ballot.

So if you're, you going around the city and late from work and trying to make that 7 o'clock deadline, you can still go ahead and register there.

You can go to any one of those 51 sites.

But if you're near your home, might have a shorter line.

One of those locations.

And it's a very long ballot with a lot of judges.

We are retention.

This is why we have the W t Tw Voter Guide.

And you covered with which judges are recommended for retention by the various groups and bar associations.

That's part of this, too.

And I think that that's why we've seen a number of people keep voting by mail.

They enjoy it like me doing it from the comfort of their own home.

Scrolling through the voter guides and sort of doing that at their own pace rather than standing in line until after midnight.

And I salute those who did because let's be honest, I would we all know this about Heather.

Sharon Metro gets up early to.

She start of mayor.

of us.

It is.

It was take your kid vote day today because the kids out of school.

On Election Day, Amanda, what is that all about?

Hole is so it is not always an election day, but we have had in recent years the General Assembly passed sort of one-offs making.

>> The general election a state holiday, but sort of a caveat because it's not necessarily you can have state holidays where say all universities are closed.

That is not the case in 2024.

Necessarily.

But yes, public schools did have the day off.

And in part that is because schools often are used as precincts as polling places and especially more recent years that was seen as a sort of safety and security issue.

If you're going to have random folks coming in out of schools, they didn't want to have children in the classroom, although that, of course, can pose little bit of an issue for para.

you your own.

What's he just taken to the ballot box with me.

>> Heather, you you've been covering, as we've mentioned, this first election at the Chicago Board of Education.

And I understand the Governor Pritzker made a little bit of news about that today when he made the regular stop at Manny's Deli an election.

That's right.

It's not an election day in Chicago.

If you don't have a bunch of politicos gathering for lunch and Manny stale Delhi, they're always reporters there serve peppering them with questions.

Usually they don't make up a lot of news because it's election Day.

But Governor JB Pritzker did he said that the Chicago school board, which is right now made up of all appointed members appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson shouldn't make any major decisions until those newly elected members are seated in January.

>> And that would mean no decision on whether to fire CEO Pedro Martinez.

That would be no decision on whether to approve a new contract with the Chicago Teachers Union and the union that represents principals.

Those big questions looming at the And how are you going to pay for those contracts?

Minor details now that brought a strong reaction from CTU President Stacy Davis, Gates, who basically said this is a local issue.

Governor, why are you weighing in on this?

We're handling our business, which I think shows you know, just the tension that exists between these 2 allies, right?

Stacy Davis, Gates campaigned for JB Pritzker.

They're all sort of Democrats singing from the same hymnal.

It shows just how much is at stake in these races, which we will start to get results in in a matter of hours I can any more true that much it makes to tension.

That is yet to be coming in terms of demands made on the state budget.

Further, I meet with the governor's comments today.

Certainly newsworthy, but this is sort of in keeping with his stance that he has shared why he said he signed the law years ago creating the elected school board.

>> But it takes on an extra residents because of these great decisions.

And because of all of the changeover at the CPS board, this isn't the only issue they've been sort of at odds over either.

Write, you mentioned how we're going to pay for all these things.

The governor has not necessarily supported.

Mayor Brandon Johnson starts on taking on CPS, taking out a massive loan to cover its its budget gap as well as union contract.

But then for for Stacy Davis, Gates is part to say this is a local issue at the same time or not.

The mayor and CTU asking the state for millions more money for funding of education, which is partially the states which been not just millions of cool billion say that the state owes the city under the education funding formula that the state itself approved.

There's not an extra billion dollars sitting around in letters pertain any of works well, and this isn't the first time recently as well that we've heard, you know, Governor Pritzker weighing in on issues, as you mentioned around, you know, the school board.

And I think the governor likely has some political cover here by the way, a lot of the city council, a lot of Mayor Johnson's own allies are upset about the way things have been going.

>> And I think the fact that we saw the very quick resignation of one of his appointees after some of his past social media posts and comments came out new board president.

Exactly.

So I think it's not necessarily it's news or newsworthy, but not necessarily a shock to hear Pritzker weigh >> Okay.

So lots of open races on the ballot for voters.

In addition, of course, to the board of Education we've got here in Cook County, the open states attorney seat, of course, every state representative naturally and some senators as well as members of Congress, because that's going to happen and you're going to sell also.

And interestingly, other really significant races that are open for Cook County, Cook County Circuit clerk and Cook County clerks.

And you have 3,000 county wide races.

And in part, that's because we had an incumbent lose.

>> And incumbent pass away and incumbent decide not to run for reelection.

That case of the state's attorney.

really 3 significant races there, even if they're not getting a ton of attention, right?

Yeah, he's big races, right?

Like I think the state's attorney of important seat.

Obviously we all remember several years ago when Kim Foxx ran initially and and what was happening at the time when due to Alvarez lost that seat.

Nick, though, Illinois isn't a factor necessarily in the presidential race.

We pretty much know how that's going to swing.

But could this election could determine control the House?

It's not necessarily likely, but it is a race that folks are watching because, you know, the way Illinois congressional districts are drawn, it's pretty much a sure bet.

Either way.

We've basically 3 districts where there are Republican incumbents.

2 of them are even facing an opponent on the ballot.

>> The rest of the state with the exception of the 17th district are pretty safely Democratic.

Now, we should say, you know, most political analysts think this race leans Democratic, but in the 17th district, you have first term Congressman Eric Sorensen, a dam who is trying to hang on to his seat as we've talked about the common political wisdom is your sophomore run is when you're most vulnerable and the Republicans have a 7 seat majority in the House of Representatives that they are trying to hang on to maybe expand if they possibly can.

So we've seen a lot of attention on this race.

Retired Judge Joe McGraw who has is his Republican challenger saying I've got a long career in, you know, the judicial circles.

I can help clean up corruption in Washington.

We've seen some attention on this race from House Speaker Mike Johnson.

So it's not necessarily the highest profile races, but certainly here with in Illinois.

It's the one that folks are really watching to see where this Other congressional races in Illinois that we're going to be watching.

Well, do still think it's amazing that Lauren Underwood, after winning her seat by the skin of her teeth.

Several times is now considered so safe that I think this is the first time any of us have mentioned her name on a spot 6 panel.

And if you are an incumbent Congress person, that is a good place to be.

And I think that just tells you how the suburbs not just around Chicago, but nationwide have changed.

And I think that's one reason why.

>> If Kamala Harris wins the presidency, it will be on the strength of voters who are also voting for Congress.

People like Warren and what?

So Illinois GOP looking at the state a little bit more closely efforts to cut into the Illinois Democrat, super duper majority.

Some call a super super majority out.

Think that's right.

we the super duper majority and I'm sure that is what the Democrats and as well where to technical term of any indication, though, that the GOP might be able to make a little headway games?

I mean, of course, they're certainly trying.

They're doing what they can, particularly in the house, because as you noted, all the seats are up there in the Senate.

There's really only one race that is seen as particularly competitive.

But yes in the suburbs and we're not going to get into the details are because the polls are still open.

We don't want to influence any of that, would certainly Republicans have a tough order.

>> Mostly because they are being outspent.

I mean, if you turn on your TV right now, you are seeing a lot of ads on like neighboring Michigan, Wisconsin.

You're not seeing a whole lot of Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, but you are seeing.

>> Likely a lot of races for the Illinois House in on your TV on ads.

If you're not watching W T Tw, of And that is because Democrats have money to send a ton of mail lures.

They have the operations, but Republicans are trying and they say that they >> And you know what, let's say a handful of seats about 4.

So still Republican that would give Democrats.

They might not keep their super duper, but they would still be well within the majority able to do that and still maintaining a Democrat in the governor's in the presidential race.

Both campaigns, of course, they've been making their final pitches to voters last few days.

Here is a little bit of what both.

>> Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump had to say as they wrapped up their respective campaigns.

>> Has not been a fight against something.

It has been a fight for something.

>> For a future with freedom.

With the opportunity and with dignity for all Americans.

>> We shows have regrets.

I can't think of any to be honest to use her expression.

I can't think of any.

I look man, a great campaign thinkers, maybe the best of the 3.

We did great.

In the first one.

We did much better in the second one.

something happened.

this was the best I would say this is the best campaign.

>> Ok, kids, what it what do we make their final arguments?

Well, you know, it's interesting because, you know, everybody's been talking about the gender gap.

You know, we have not heard Vice President Harris really lean into sort of the fact that she could make history as the first woman to be elected president.

But we've also heard the former president make sort of a very sort of paint a very dark picture of the country that if he is not elected to a second term, which would be the first nonconsecutive term for president since the 1800's that the country is in peril.

And it's just too, is stark approaches us to stark sort of depictions of the country.

And, you know, it's not clear that we're going to know really tonight or really by the end of the week, just with the, you know, depending on how close it is.

And I really emphasize that that and it's not necessarily because anything nefarious is going on.

It is just because >> that is how votes are tabulated, particularly in some of these battleground states where they're not able to count early votes.

And you have had Trump despite today, once again sort of disparaging the notion of casting early ballots.

Nonetheless, Republicans encouraging their party loyalists to do so to cast those votes by mail.

And so that's we do know that turnout is up huge in the swing states, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

We have officials saying that is off the charts.

I believe the secretary of state's in Michigan set and the more ballots are cast, the longer it takes to count all of those ballots.

And I think that we all learned a very clear lesson in twenty-twenty that it takes what it takes and that our elections based on everything we've been able to report and seen are safe and secure.

>> And we'll be watching closely.

But back to your point as well about, you Vice President Harris not really running on, you know, the issue of gender.

I do think that is still something that's motivating a lot of voters.

I mean, we've seen in the battleground states.

>> In 10 to 12 point gender gaps in early voting results based on some of the reporting and analysis that's out there.

And I think you've seen a lot of her surrogates making, you know, making the case, as you know, is this being an issue of history as well as obviously as we've talked about many times, the Dobbs decision motivating some, you know, women voters out there not exclusively women voters, but I think it is a big issue for folks you've also seen on the flip side, you know, some of the language that's been used by Trump by his supporters denigrating Harris denigrating Nancy Pelosi and very gendered very offensive terms.

And you want Musk super PAC, you know, running adds referring to Harris cheekily as the C word and the c-word is communist.

So there's a really stark difference between the way that one campaign isn't necessarily talking about gender, but it's clearly on the minds of a lot of their supporters and the way the other campaign and some of its surrogates or at least outside supporters are tackling the issue in a pretty stark terms.

You've also got the Democrats telling women, you know what your your vote is.

Your is your secret.

go in there and vote for whoever you want to and you can come out.

You have to >> tell anybody which there and lots of thoughts about that.

But we don't have time for the end of this spotlight.

Thanks, everybody.

Happy election night.

Best of other Sharon and Nick Lambert.

Thank you.

>> Check out our Web site throughout the night for updates on local and national races will also have live election results as polls begin to close.

That is, of course.

>> At W T Tw Dot com slash news.

Coming up.

What exactly happens to your ballot after you vote demand is going explain next.

So you did your homework on the candidates.

You found your polling place where you may have waited in a long line.

But what happens to your ballot after you cast it as part of our Emmy award-winning series W T Tw News explains Amanda explores the journey of Chicago ballot.

>> You've done your research.

Major choices.

Cast your ballot.

Then you cast a couple more on behalf of your dead relatives.

the Chicago way.

>> Just kidding.

So you earned your I voted sticker.

What happens next?

In Chicago when you feed your ballot machine on Election Day, you're essentially putting it in a ballot box with 2 compartments ballots with write-in candidates.

Stay separate in one compartment, election judges will count these by hand.

At the end of the night, all other ballots are scanned and counted by machine from lucky for the judges of the place.

It would be a lot of counting.

>> Once the polls close machine spit out a tape of the totals like a receipt.

>> Election judges work in bipartisan teams at each precincts to keep an eye on everything they certify things went smoothly and that pellets were compromised when they signed the receipt and other legally binding documents, then they use cellular device to transmit the totals downtown to election central.

>> That's when we begin to see the results.

But it's not all The paper ballots that into the machine don't get tossed.

They go into a big hard shell suitcase on wheels packed up with a pretty bow or rather a security seal to ensure nobody messes with the precious cargo from then on anyone who touches the case has to sign a chain custody him like evidence.

And one of TV procedural dramas.

Thousands of suitcases from every Chicago precinct to go to a warehouse where they stay signed, sealed, delivered for at least 22 months.

Just in case some will be open and review as an extra check by law.

A state audit recounts votes from 5% of all precincts procedures differ slightly for voting by mail early voting and those who vote from overseas.

But not by much.

All legitimate ballots are counted, kept secure at every turn and end up in the same warehouse for safekeeping.

So where that sticker with pride and peace of mind, if you >> Happy voting.

Indeed.

You've got an hour left.

You can watch more of our Emmy award-winning series W T Tw News explains on our website.

And that is our show for this Tuesday night.

But you can stay right here for PBS NewsHour special election coverage which kicks off in just minutes.

And check out our website for LIVE Election night blog coverage for continuous updates on local state and national races as well as election results as polls begin to close again, that's at W T Tw dot com slash news now for all of us here Chicago Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

>> Closed caption made possible by Robert a and Clifford law offices, a Chicago personal injury and wrongful death that is proud to recognize 20th turns