It’s a week until Election Day. Here’s what you need to know. – Chicago Tribune newstrendslive

Hello, Chicago.

Covering City Hall for the Tribune means I get yelled at on a regular basis by politicians and their friends. Don’t feel too bad for me: I usually yell back.

I keep an email pinned to my Twitter account where Mayor Lightfoot basically told her staff not to talk to me because she was mad about our critical reporting. It’s a reminder to focus on the work, despite the obstacles.

That said, I try to think honestly about feedback, whether from a frustrated official or a dedicated reader like you. We want to be accurate, fair and reveal truths about how your tax dollars are spent and why.

Over the weekend, we wrote about the city’s racial politics and Lightfoot telling people who don’t support her not to vote. We scrutinized Brandon Johnson’s support from the teachers union and what it could mean for city schools. In recent weeks, we’ve reported on Paul Vallas’s record, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia’s ties to indicted former Illinois House speaker Michael Madigan and the ethical issues Willie Wilson’s cash giveaways pose. And we’ve taken deep dives into critical issues including finances, schools, transportation, crime and police reform.

Election Day is a week away. I don’t know who’s going to win. But I do know we’ll keep bringing you important stories that shed light on the candidates and their potential impact on the city we love, no matter who it angers. Keep reading.

— Gregory Pratt

Here’s what we’re watching and what you need to know. If you were forwarded this email, click here to get Daywatch and the Afternoon Briefing delivered to your inbox every weekday. Sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.

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Four aldermen running for first time find themselves walking the political tightrope of being undeniably tied to Lightfoot yet trying to explain their independence from her to voters.

Young made her choice for mayor public on the four-year anniversary of a wrongful police raid on her home that erupted into a scandal after Lightfoot officials attempted to keep disturbing video footage of the raid from the public.

Millions of dollars have been poured into Chicago’s mayoral race, and less than a month out from the Feb. 28 Election Day, contributions are still streaming in. See the latest campaign finances records for each candidate.

Early voting is underway. Here’s a look at the nine candidates, one of whom will be running Chicago come spring.

To inform voters and to help the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board make endorsements, the board posed a series of questions to the candidates running for aldermanic seats.