One of the closely watched local races is the battle for Cook County State's Attorney.
The contenders are Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica, and career prosecutors, Anita Alvarez and Thomas O'Brien.
A closer look at the candidates and the issues, after the jump.
The Republican nominee for Cook County State's Attorney, Tony Peraica, and his Democratic rival, Anita Alvarez, are battling it out to replace Dick Devine. Devine is retiring after 12 years in office.
Alvarez is currently the third highest ranking prosecutor. She has worked in the department for 22 years, and calls herself a political outsider. She pulled a stunning upset in the Democratic primary, beating 5 opponents. If elected, Alvarez could become the first Hispanic woman to take over as top prosecutor.
Peraica is a Croatian immigrant who became an orphan as a teenager. He unsuccessfully ran for Cook County Treasurer in 1998, and led a legendary march to the Chicago Board of Elections after his failed 2006 bid for Cook County Board President. He has continued to campaign as a reformer who will cut wasteful spending in County government.
Peraica says his top priority is removing politics from the office. He also wants to cut the department's staff, and get non-violent drug offenders out of the court system and into treatment programs.
Alvarez says her main goal is fighting crime. She is promising to reopen community offices in high crime neighborhoods, and she wants to set up a special unit to handle mortgage fraud and identity theft.
One key issue in the race is fighting corruption. The office has been criticized for its handling of police corruption cases, including decades-old torture allegations involving former Commander Jon Burge.
Peraica says prosecutors have been too closely aligned with the police department. He says Alvarez has done little to shake the office up. But, Alvarez says her record speaks for itself, citing that she is the only candidate who has personally prosecuted corrupt cops.
Also on the ballot is longtime prosecutor Thomas O'Brien. O'Brien is the Green Party candidate.
