Candidates push to the finish line: Special election decides who will take open seat on City Council for 10 months.

Quoted in this one re local special elections. 

Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School who focuses on election law, said although she expects "dismal turnout" during the statewide primary, it could have been worse if it was a city-only special election.

"It's a very good idea to make sure a special election coincides with a statewide election. Even if we hit 18% or 20% turnout, that still is better than turnout would be for a special election just for a local issue," she said. "Those elections have really, really dismal turnout."