Illinois’ hidden budgeting process let lawmakers hand out 2,815 grants, including $7 million to move the University of Illinois’ pigs.

Nine candidates are asking to be Chicago’s next mayor. The election is outside the normal election cycle, meaning voter turnout is low despite the mayor’s impact on crime, education, the economy and Chicagoans’ taxes. Here’s what to know about the nine candidates.

See who your representative backed in a historic fight for the Illinois House speakership.

Enough Illinois House Democrats already said they would vote to end Mike Madigan’s 35 years as speaker but losing a party leader will make it much more difficult for him to retain power.

Madigan already had lost enough support to end his 35-year run as House speaker, but the gap continued to widen as Illinois’ governor added his rebuke.

The indictments are the closest yet to Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s inner circle. Now enough Democrats are pledging they won’t support him to cost him the speaker’s gavel.