When it comes to who is winning the presidential race, it will likely be a tight race to the finish as votes are counted this Election Day.
Beyond the U.S. presidential race, local referendums, judicial races and local contests will also be closely watched as results pour in.
So who will be the next president? What about the next Cook County state's attorney?
Live election results
As votes are tallied, results will appear on NBC Chicago's live election results page on the website and the app. Polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday, and results will begin populating in the first half-hour and be updated live as counted votes roll in.
To track live Illinois election results Tuesday from around the state, bookmark this page on NBCChicago.com and the NBC Chicago app.
CLICK HERE FOR LIVE ELECTION RESULTS
Voters looking for real-time election updates can download the NBC Chicago app for push notifications on called races and big moments.
Live election coverage
NBC 5 will offer continuous special election coverage starting at 3 p.m. CT on Election Day.
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Tune in on television, the NBC Chicago News streaming channel or watch live in the video player on this page for live election coverage that will continue throughout the night and even into the overnight hours as we bring you the latest results, analysis and more.
When will election results be in?
Experts have warned that official calls may take time, however.
"This is going to be Election Week, not Election Day," said Democratic strategist Peter Giangreco.
That's because of laws in key swing states like Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, where clerks are unable to process mail-in ballots prior to Election Day. In 2020, those states were decided by approximately 20,000 and 80,000 votes, respectively.
“In other states, they can open them up, they can verify them. They can flatten them out, so all they have to do is run them through the scanners. In Pennsylvania, they can't even touch them," Giangreco said. "So, we're probably looking at Friday or Saturday before we know Pennsylvania.”
Delays aren't unheard of in a presidential race, however, according to Dr. Kevin Boyle, chair of the history department for Northwestern University.
“There are a lot of stories of presidential candidates just going to bed not knowing whether they had won the presidency or not," Boyle said.
In 2020, it took four days before President Joe Biden was officially called the winner. In 2000, results hinged on just 537 votes in Florida, with networks calling the state for Al Gore, then George Bush before ruling the race "too close to call."
There are many elections throughout the 19th and 20th centuries that weren't called on election night.
“Even as late as 1960, John Kennedy wasn't announced as the winner of the presidency until the next day," Boyle said. "Richard Nixon wasn't announced as the winner of the presidency in 1968 until the next day. And then what happened was kind of the explosion of exit polls, which made it easier to pick a winner faster, to name a winner faster. And a lot of elections weren't very close until 2000.”
Races to watch in Illinois
In addition to the presidential race, there are several other races that will be on the ballot that could have nationwide impacts on control of Congress.
As Democrats aim to potentially regain control of the House of Representatives, voters should keep an eye on the 17th Congressional district, which pits incumbent Rep. Eric Sorensen against Republican contender Joe McGraw.
That race is currently listed as "likely Democratic” by the Cook Political Report, with McGraw looking to try to flip the seat to Republican control.
Democrats are also allocating additional resources to Rep. Nikki Budzinski in the 13th District, taking on Republican Josh Loyd in that election.
Illinois Democrats will also try to maintain their control of the state’s House and Senate, with super-majorities in both chambers.
There are two State Supreme Court races on the ballot, but 1st District Justice Joy Virginia Cunningham and 4th District Justice Lisa Holder White are each running unopposed for full 10-year terms on the court.
Depending on their location, voters will also see a variety of appeals and circuit court judges on their ballots, as well as candidates in various county-level superintendent offices.
Voters can find a full list of candidates in their respective counties via the State Board of Elections’ website.
