The Latest Breaking News from Karen Yarbrough

Lawyer Michael Shakman filed suit 54 years ago to end the practice of political patronage in hiring by state, county and local governments throughout Illinois.

Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough’s office might emerge from under anti-patronage hiring monitoring, even though critics say the office does not meet good-government standards.

The next clerk will serve as the chief election authority for more than 125 municipalities in suburban Cook County, as well as administer all the county’s vital records. That might sound a tad dry, but the two rivals and their aides also exchange charges of political misconduct and shenanigans.

All early voting locations in Chicago will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. All locations in Chicago and the suburbs allow voters to drop off mail-in ballots, as well.

Pilot program brings in legal aid attorneys to help residents with tasks such as recording transfers and liens, preventing fraud.

Thousands of workers are needed to fill vacancies in the suburbs.

Today’s update is a 5-minute read that will brief you on the day’s biggest stories.

With seven weeks to go before Election Day, county officials have about 4,350 people lined up to work at suburban polling places, but they need at least 7,000 “to adequately cover” all of them.

The Cook County Clerk’s office purchased 4,500 new devices voters will use to check in at suburban polling locations. According to officials, the digital system will eliminate the need for bulky paper ledgers of voters.