Quiz perfect

Chicago Public Square returns in force Monday. Until then—as usual—check the Square account on Bluesky for continual updates on news and commentary relevant to Chicago. (No registration required.)

But now, here’s a fresh news quiz from The Conversation, concocted by past Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions winner Fritz Holznagel—this week with questions about elections, rules and laws.

■ Can you top your Square columnist’s perfect score this week?

■ How about that 9/10 showing on Justin Kaufmann’s Axios quiz about things invented in the Chicago area?

■ And if you’re ready to cast your ballot this weekend, the Square Voter Guide Guide is here to help.

The Chicago Public Square Voter Guide Guide, Fall 2026

Election Day’s Nov. 3. Don’t cast your ballot in ignorance. Square’s here to help—with a guide to voter guides.

Be ready.

■ You can register to vote on Election Day itself, but—this year especially—don’t wait.

■ Generate a customized ballot for suburban Cook County or Chicago.

■ Your ballot, explained: BallotReady and Ballotpedia.

■ Outside Cook County? Learn more at your county’s website: DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, McHenry, Kendall …
■ … or from the Illinois State Board of Elections.

■ Outside Illinois? Start here.

Get schooled.

■ Consult the League of Women Voters Education Fund’s Vote411 site to see what’s on your ballot, register to vote and check your registration.

■ Check voter guides from the Tribune (gift link), Axios, the Sun-Times and WBEZ …

■ … and Chalkbeat’s guide to the first election of the full Chicago School Board (link updated for 2026).

■ Meet board presidential candidates in a WTTW-TV town hall.

■ See answers candidates for Congress, the Illinois General Assembly and Cook County state’s attorney have given for the Sun-Times’ survey (link updated for 2026).

■ Review all those judicial candidates via the Alliance of Bar Associations ratings roundup and Injustice Watch.

■ Consider the Girl, I Guess Guide to the 2026 General Election in Cook County and Beyond.

■ Want to know which candidates are taking whose cash? Transparency USA, Illinois Sunshine and the Illinois Elections Board are tracking that.

■ Popular Information’s PaidForBy app lets you upload a snapshot of a political mailer to learn who really funded it.

■ See editorial endorsements from the co-owned Daily Herald and Tribune—although (go figure) many are behind a paywall and “a corporate edict … prevents us from making formal endorsements in the Illinois races for U.S. Senate and governor” …

■ … but the Trib’s “bedsheet ballot,” a names-only list of its picks, is printable free here.

Do it.

■ Arrange to vote by mail here for Chicagoans; and here for others in Illinois.

■ Find where to vote in Chicago and the Cook County suburbs …

■ … or, anywhere else: “Where’s My F**king Polling Place?”

■ Want to vote early, in person? Chicago voters can do that here; other Illinoisans, check here.

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

■ Election judges wanted.

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

■ The ACLU explains how to exercise your voting rights, resist voter intimidation efforts and access disability-related accommodations and language assistance …

■ … or 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.

■ Know someone else ready to vote? Share this guide with a friend.