Beyond the big political races, Illinois voters will weigh in on three ballot measures about property taxes, reproductive treatments and election interference this fall.

Why it matters: One-sentence ballot questions don't offer a ton of context, leaving some voters feeling underprepared to answer.

• So we're here to help.

Reality check: As "advisory" referenda, none of these measures carry official power.

• But they do gauge public opinion and could bolster future law-making efforts.
• A successful 2016 ballot question about boosting Illinois' minimum wage helped make it law by 2019.

State of play: As of Friday, 10,119 Chicagoans had cast early ballots in person, and 40,523 had returned vote-by-mail ballots, for a grand total of 50,642.

• Those numbers are expected to balloon this week, with 50 more sites opening today, one in each ward.

The property tax question, sponsored by former Gov. Pat Quinn, asks if the state should impose an additional 3% tax on income over $1 million to help lower property taxes.

Context: With protests over rising Cook County property taxes and more possible hikes on the horizon to plug a $1 billion 2025 city deficit, this could prove a popular suggestion.

Yes, but: It carries echoes of the state's failed 2020 graduated tax referendum and the city's recent unsuccessful "Bring Chicago Home" ballot question.

The in vitro fertilization question asks if health insurance plans that provide full coverage for pregnancy benefits should also cover IVF and other medically assisted reproductive treatments.

Context: IVF became a big campaign issue after challenges to the treatments in Alabama in the wake of the Dobbs decision.

More measures

A ballot measure in the 47th Ward will determine whether to overturn a nearly 120-year-old ban on alcohol.

Why it matters: Supporters of overturning the ban that prohibits selling alcohol in a designated three-block area say it will allow small businesses on those streets to compete with their neighbors and give residents more dining options.

Flashback: In 1907, a law was passed to prohibit alcohol sales in an area bordered by Sunnyside on the north, Lincoln on the west, Damen on the east and Montrose on the south.

• The original backers of the ban wanted to keep a beer garden and amusement park out of the neighborhood.

State of play: Restaurant owners and supporters of lifting the ban have been encouraging voters in the 9th precinct of the 47th Ward to vote "no" to the ballot question that asks if the alcohol prohibition should continue.

Between the lines: The current ban is just on the sale of alcohol — diners can bring their own, but restaurants can't make as much money off corkage fees as actual sales.

The intrigue: Popular Chicago burger chain Small Cheval is looking to open within the dry area of Lincoln Square, and it supports overturning the ban.

What's next: If a majority of voters choose "no" on the question, the ban will be lifted 30 days after Election Day.

Go deeper

The annual NOAA winter outlook calls for weak La Niña conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean to be a key factor in influencing the path that storms take.

Why it matters: It could be a wet winter in Chicago.

The big picture: We could be in for 30-45 inches of snow this year, according to AccuWeather.

• That is well within the normal range (we average 38 inches a year), but much higher than last year's paltry 22 inches.

Zoom in: The Great Lakes and the Pacific Northwest are expected to see above average precipitation during the December through February period.

Yes, but: The world's oceans are near record warm temperatures, which could damper some of the predicted weak La Niña's typical effects.

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⚖️ The jury has been selected for the corruption trail of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Opening statements are tentatively set for this afternoon. (Tribune)

🚗 Plans for a Raising Cane's restaurant on the North Side are being scrapped after residents rejected the drive-thru. (Block Club)

🏈 Fremd High School's girls flag football team became the first ever state champion after defeating Rockford Guilford 24-12 on Saturday. (Daily Herald)

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A new viral TikTok sensation has emerged and for Chicago purists, it's blasphemy.

At Portillo's, folks are ordering their Italian Beef topped with the cheese sauce usually reserved for fries.

• The actual order is a beef, dipped, with sweet and hot peppers with melted yellow cheese sauce.

Context: Cheese on an Italian Beef is not new. It's usually a white cheese like mozzarella or provolone. According to Al's Beef, it's a very popular order.

Yes, but: It's not the way the sandwich gods intended. The real Chicago beef omits the cheese.

• When I ordered the sandwich, it took me a second to collect myself and ask for the dairy accessory. Surprisingly, the drive-thru clerk already knew what I was ordering thanks to the viral social media craze.
• She noted that several people have been ordering it daily.

The verdict: It's so goooooood. The cheese is almost mixed in with the beef instead of just lying on top, giving it a much more cheesy, chewy, messy vibe.

Buyer beware: This sandwich is a gut buster.

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