Illinois holds most elections in the even years just like the rest of the country. Municipal -- and a few other -- elections are held in the spring of odd years. In Chicago, the elections are held in the year before presidential election, and the rest of the state holds municipal elections in the year after the presidential election.
(That explains why Robin Kelly didn't take the general election for granted. The largest bloc of eligible voters live in Chicago, but everybody else had other offices to vote for. Chicagoans didn't.)
NDFA went out to Downers Grove to campaign for Greg Hose' for one of the 3 seats on the Village Board. Downers Grove, while not large, is larger than the name and the title, "village," sound. It tied for second place in votes in the 6th CD race. It was actually incorporated before Chicago was.
The race was officially non-partisan, and the area is deep red. Greg, however, is a Democrat and endorsed by the township Democratic Party. Not only will he vote for continuing senior services which the Tea Party wing of the local Republicans want to cut, but he will build up our bench in Du Page County. The county is the center of Republicanism in Illinois, and the second largest county in the state. (That doesn't put it on par with Cook County, but it means that Republicans must carry Du Page heavily to have a hope statewide.)
On Tuesday, Hose' won the third seat on the board, making all of our efforts worthwhile.