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- calendar_today November 6, 2026
District 3b Chicago School Board Race Remains Too Close to Call
The contest for the District 3b seat on the Chicago School Board between incumbent Carlos Rivas Jr. and challenger Jason Dónes remains unresolved, with all precincts reporting but the final result pending additional vote counts. Both candidates, who have deep roots in Humboldt Park and backgrounds in education, are vying for a position representing a Near Northwest Side district, which primarily serves Latino students.
Main Candidates: Backgrounds and Platforms
Carlos Rivas Jr., the sitting board member and former teacher, was narrowly trailing Dónes by 180 votes after the last precincts were counted, according to Chicago Board of Election data released Thursday evening. Dónes' lead grew by 53 votes after four remaining precincts were added to the tally. Both candidates attended selective-enrollment Chicago public high schools and began their teaching careers through Teach for America.
Jason Dónes, a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) parent, is seeking increased budget transparency and more creative solutions within the existing school budget framework. He received backing from the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and several Northwest Side elected officials, and notably declined contributions from corporations or large private donors.
Carlos Rivas Jr. took a more fiscally conservative stance. He received significant support from groups opposed to the CTU, including the Service Employees International Union, charter school advocates, and the Common Ground Collective—a political action committee funded by billionaire Michael Sacks and other sources. In 2024, Rivas Jr. won the district with 54% of the vote.
Key Issues in the District
District 3b faces challenges such as teacher and counselor shortages, elevated property taxes, and declining enrollment linked to gentrification. The district covers neighborhoods including Humboldt Park, Logan Square, Belmont Cragin, West Town, and Hermosa, encompassing 32 schools that mainly serve Latino students. About 60% of these schools achieved the state’s second highest rating in the previous year, though 6% received the lowest rating.
Both Rivas and Dónes aligned on certain priorities, such as defending immigrant students from federal immigration actions, supporting affordable housing initiatives, and securing more resources and partnerships for CPS families. Rivas also advocated for reduced mayoral intervention in the board’s decisions and cautioned against reliance on loans that could impact CPS’s financial stability.
Campaign Finance and Support
Rivas' campaign benefited from about $600,000 in outside support, with more than half coming from the Illinois Network of Charter Schools’ political arm and $123,000 from the Common Ground Collective. In contrast, Dónes received approximately $22,000, all from the CTU. The Service Employees International Union, which represents thousands of CPS support staff, supported Rivas and has recently split politically from the teachers union.
Recent Controversies
Shortly before the election, records emerged revealing a 2018 suspension for Rivas from a charter school job due to "unwanted touching" of a coworker after drinking at a work event. Rivas attributed the incident to personal difficulties at the time and stated he took responsibility, seeking employee assistance. He expressed support for growth, second chances, and accountability.
Awaiting Final Results
Though all precincts have reported, the outcome remains uncertain pending the counting of mail-in and provisional ballots, which is set to continue until November 17. Official results for the district are expected on November 24. With a razor-thin margin and both candidates highly invested in the district’s future, District 3b’s school board seat continues to hang in the balance.
Source: chicago.suntimes.com.
