Chicago voters are electing a school board president for the first time

For the first time in Chicago's history, voters went to the polls to elect a president for the district's school board. The candidates on the ballot were Jessica Biggs, a former CPS principal and current school board member; Hilario Dominguez, a former CPS educator and teachers union organizer; and Victor Henderson, an attorney and charter school board member.

The president of the school board plays a crucial role in setting the board's agenda and direction, and will become a full voting member in January, having previously only been able to cast tie-breaking votes.

The race was highly competitive and drew significant attention. Millions of dollars in campaign funds were spent on the campaign, and the candidates faced a barrage of attack ads. A series of forums and debates allowed them to question each other's records and stances.

Jessica Biggs vowed to run a well-organized board focused on students and restore financial stability to the district, which has been experiencing financial difficulties. She received support from the SEIU Local 73, the union representing support workers in CPS, and the Common Ground Collective, a political action group funded by billionaire and Democratic philanthropist Michael Sacks.

Hilario Dominguez, a former CPS teacher on leave from the district, pledged to continue pushing for more state dollars and pursue new initiatives such as offering preschool to all city 3-year-olds. His campaign was almost exclusively funded by the CTU, which sought to maintain an 11-member majority on the board. Dominguez would have to resign from his position at CPS if elected, as state law prohibits school board members from working for the school district.

Victor Henderson, whose campaign was largely self-funded, advocated for more transparency within the district. He planned to conduct a forensic audit of CPS to uncover wasteful spending and bring in outside academic experts to assess the district's students' performance. Henderson faced allegations of inappropriate behavior towards a teen involved with a nonprofit he worked with and was accused of abusing his sons and wife during a divorce proceeding two decades ago.

He dismissed these allegations, stating there was insufficient evidence to support them, and insisting he disciplined his children appropriately.

All three candidates had to defend their backgrounds during the campaign. The three contenders presented their unique perspectives and policies, ultimately leading Chicagoans to vote for the school board president for the first time in the city's history.