Voting polls have opened for the Nov. 8 general election and Illinois residents can cast their in-person votes at locations statewide. What's at stake for Illinois? Bryce Hill explains what voters need to know about everything from Amendment 1 to the gubernatorial race to how many candidates are running for Statehouse office. 

With only a few days left until Election Day, Illinois' government unions continue to tout Amendment 1, a proposed constitutional amendment at the top of the Nov. 8 ballot. Amendment 1's chief sponsor admitted the amendment cannot protect all Illinois workers -- so why are proponents still saying it can? Mailee Smith, director of labor policy at Illinois Policy Institute, explains why Amendment 1 is a "legal trick" that would hurt more workers than it would help if it passes.

Many misleading narratives surround Amendment 1, the proposed constitutional amendment at the top of the Nov. 8 ballot that proponents disingenuously call a "Workers Rights Amendment." Mailee Smith, director of labor policy at Illinois Policy Institute, identifies the top Amendment 1 myths that have spread during election season in this week's episode of The Policy Shop.

Three years after the Chicago Teachers Union went on its last strike, the CTU maintains that its job is to represent teachers. But is that really what CTU does? Director of Labor Policy Mailee Smith reviews how CTU leadership's top priorities do not include representing its adult members nor serving the children in their care.

New research from the Illinois Policy Institute projects that commercial property taxes for Illinois businesses will grow to almost $2 billion by 2026. Amendment 1 on the Nov. 8 ballot would likely increase that amount even more. Illinois Policy Institute Vice President Austin Berg explains why Amendment 1 would make Illinois' notorious business climate even worse. 

Illinois gubernatorial candidates Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Darren Bailey will face off in their first debate on Thursday, Oct. 6. And the no. 1 issue voters care about right now? The economy. Illinois' economy isn't as rosy as Gov. Pritzker sells it to be. Bryce Hill explains how Illinois' economy is performing and what it means for voters. 

Illinoisans pay the second highest property taxes in the nation. If Amendment 1 passes, not only will that remain status quo, but it’s also expected for taxes to rise significantly. Find out how much your property taxes could go up if Amendment 1 passes at illin.is/taxcalc. Bryce Hill joins the Policy Shop with more. 

Nationwide, there is a broad, far-reaching narrative that there are not enough teachers and that the teacher shortage is a huge problem to be solved. What is the truth about Illinois? While some districts are struggling, the data from Illinois State Board of Elections show over the last decade, Illinois has 45,000 more teachers but 180,000 fewer students in public schools. Director of Labor Policy Mailee Smith joins the Policy Shop to break down what may be happening. 

Voters in both Tennessee and Illinois face an Amendment 1 on their respective Election Days. But they're very different amendments with very different outcomes that will drive the two states in very different directions. Mailee Smith tells the Policy Shop how Tennessee's amendment will help bolster its business environment while Illinois' amendment will have the opposite effect.

At the very top of the ballot Nov. 8 is a proposed amendment to be added to the Illinois Constitution. Touted by proponents as a way of helping workers, the truth is the amendment would hike taxes on all Illinoisans and cement Illinois' reputation as an un-friendly place to do business. Mailee Smith breaks down everything voters need to know on this episode of the Policy Shop.