Illinois election live updates: Here’s where things stand Wednesday morning with key Chicago-area results

As the country waited to hear who won the vote in the presidential election in key states, Illinois and Chicago-area voters had few surprises Tuesday night. But the day after Election Day, a few key races and ballot measures in Illinois were still undecided.

Chicago-area voters smashed records with the number of votes cast, with high early voting totals and turnout percentages. More vote totals aren’t expected until later Wednesday morning here, while it could take much longer to count all the ballots in undecided states including Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.

In Illinois, Joe Biden beat President Donald Trump across a broad sweep of age, race, ethnic and education groups, according to Associated Press exit polls.

As the road to a decision in the presidential contest could be a long one, in Illinois, there are a few contests that are still to be decided.

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Editor’s note: What to expect beyond Election Day

Here’s how the AP counts votes and calls races.

Here’s where key races in Illinois stand. Check back for the latest election updates from across the Chicago area and Illinois:

A measure that would change the state constitution to allow a graduated income tax wasn’t on a clear path to victory

The fate of a “yes or no” referendum on changing the state’s income tax might remain unknown for days or weeks as late-arriving mail-in votes continue to be counted. That’s because there are two ways the proposal can pass: It needs either 60% support among those voting directly on the question or more than 50% support of those voting in the election.

As for the first pathway, the amendment was falling far short of the 60% benchmark. The question had 45.9% support among those voting directly on the amendment. Another 54% voted against the question with nearly three-quarters of the state’s precincts reporting. All totals are unofficial.

Freshman U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood was in a tight race with Republican Jim Oberweis; Rep. Sean Casten holding onto lead over Jeanne Ives

The closely watched campaigns for a pair of suburban congressional districts were tightly contested Tuesday night, with one race a dead heat and another close, with many early votes and mail-in ballots still to be counted.

Voters are deciding representation in each of the state’s 18 congressional districts.

First-term Democrat Rep. Lauren Underwood, of Naperville, was in a virtual tie with Republican state Sen. Jim Oberweis, the dairy magnate from Sugar Grove, in the far northern, western and southwestern suburban 14th Congressional District. With many early and mail-in ballots not yet tallied, Oberweis had a slight edge in votes but each candidate each had about 50% of the vote.

In the west and northwestern suburban 6th District, Rep. Sean Casten, another freshman Democrat, was facing Republican Jeanne Ives of Wheaton, who nearly knocked off then-Gov. Bruce Rauner in the Illinois Republican primary two years ago. In early returns, Casten led Ives, with Libertarian Bill Redpath under 2% of the vote, according to unofficial results.

Speaker Madigan was dealt a blow as Democratic Illinois Supreme Court Justice conceded defeat in retention bid

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan was dealt a blow Tuesday as Democratic Illinois Supreme Court Justice Tom Kilbride conceded defeat following a record-smashing, big-dollar fight against a pair of billionaires who wanted to unseat him.

“Though votes continue to be counted, I am disappointed in the apparent outcome. I want to thank the voters of the Third Judicial District for twice placing their faith in me to uphold the sacred principles that guide our judicial system,” Kilbride said in a statement.

Kilbride, 67, of Rock Island, needed 60% of voters to approve his retention and give him a rare third, 10-year term. Justices running for retention do not face an opponent.

Cook County voters gave Kim Foxx a second term as state’s attorney

Democratic Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx beat Republican challenger Pat O’Brien on Tuesday night, winning four more years to continue enacting her criminal justice reform agenda.

Flanked by her family, Foxx took the stage at a small event at a downtown hotel about 10:45 p.m., after O’Brien conceded at the end of a race that focused on whether the incumbent had made needed changes to a broken system or fueled crime. She gave a brief, impassioned speech, vowing further efforts at change through her leadership of an office with “a marred history.” She also called for a unified effort against the violence that has plagued Chicago.

Judge Michael Toomin, who presided over high-profile cases from Jussie Smollett to Jeff Fort, was in a close fight for his seat

Early unofficial results indicate that Cook County Judge Michael Toomin is in a close fight to keep his spot on the bench, after a shunning from the county Democratic Party and a widespread campaign among juvenile-justice activists painting him as dangerously out of touch.

With 98% of precincts reporting Tuesday night, about 62% of voters opted to retain Toomin. Judges need 60% of the vote to win retention.

That means the longtime jurist, who has been presiding over the court’s juvenile division for a decade, could maintain a hold on his seat.

House Speaker Michael Madigan and federal corruption investigation loomed over state House, Senate races

Illinois Democrats were hoping President Donald Trump’s unpopularity with suburban voters would outweigh party leader Michael Madigan’s ties to a federal corruption investigation and propel the party to greater majorities in the Illinois House and Senate in Tuesday’s election, but early returns left Republicans feeling hopeful.

Facing an internal challenge to his leadership and a House committee investigation into his role in Commonwealth Edison’s scheme to bribe others to gain his favor, longtime House Speaker Madigan, who has not been charged with any wrongdoing, could still emerge as one of the biggest victors when all the ballots counted.

All 118 Illinois House seats and 22 of 59 state Senate seats were on the ballot this fall. But because 52 House and 11 Senate races were uncontested, a handful of competitive districts — largely in the suburbs — will determine whether Democrats lose or add to their veto-proof majorities in both chambers. Democrats hold supermajorities of 74-44 in the House and 40-19 in the Senate, meaning Republicans would need a historic number of victories to take control of the House and will remain the Senate’s minority party regardless of Tuesday’s outcomes.

Durbin won a 5th term in the U.S. Senate

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin won reelection to a fifth term Tuesday, continuing a pattern of Democratic dominance in the state, according to the Associated Press.

More than 3.5 million people cast their ballots ahead of Election Day.

Durbin is the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat. The candidates vying to replace him in Illinois' only statewide race were Republican former Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran; wealthy Chicago businessman Willie Wilson, running under his own party; Green Party candidate David Black; and Libertarian Danny Malouf.

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