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This is the very first episode of IlliNoise! Moving forward this show is going to be built entirely around your questions about our state government. But this week and this week only, I’m digging into a question of my own: What exactly does the Illinois Attorney General do?

I’ve been wondering about this because back in September our current attorney general Lisa Madigan announced that she wouldn’t be seeking reelection this year. Our state’s primaries are coming up in March. So that means Illinois voters need to decide who they want to be our next attorney general really soon. But I don’t think I can decide who is most qualified for the job until I know what the job is. So I asked Law360 reporter Hannah Meisel to help me out.

Do you have a question about how our state government works? Submit it here.

Today's Homework

Your homework for today is to prep for the March primaries in two ways:

1. Research the candidates for Attorney General

Head over to ballotready.org. They've got basic information about each of the 10 candidates including their professional experience, education, stances, and endorsements.

Once you've looked that over, pick one or two candidates that you're interested in and search their name in a local news outlet of your choosing. Ballot Ready is great but most of their information comes from the candidates' websites, which means it's only the information that the candidates want you to see. Digging further into a news article or two will help you get a fuller picture.

2. If you're planning to vote, make sure you're registered or know how to register

Did you know that you can register to vote at the polling place on election day???? It's true. Don't get stressed thinking that you've missed a deadline. When you go to your polling place just bring proof of residence and you'll be registered right on the spot.

To get more information about where to vote and how to register, go to: https://chicagoelections.com/en/register-to-vote-change-of-address.html

If you live in Chicago that website will also help you find your polling place!