Olivia Olander

Olivia Olander is the Chicago-based state government reporter at the Tribune, covering Gov. JB Pritzker, the Illinois General Assembly and state agencies. She previously covered labor and employment policy for POLITICO in Washington. Olivia is a graduate of Northwestern University and grew up in the suburbs of San Diego.

Aldo Cedillo processes a credit card on the point-of-sale system at Lalo’s restaurant on June 21, 2024, in Chicago. (Vincent D. Johnson/for the Chicago Tribune)

Feds move to block controversial Illinois credit card swipe fee ban, siding with banks in ongoing legal fight

April 15, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.

Passed in 2024 and set to take effect this July, the state law bans certain so-called swipe fees on the tax and tip portions of customers’ bills.

Developer Nick Serra steps April 7, 2026, onto the future balcony of a newly constructed third floor unit in a building he’s redeveloping to add rental apartments in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Gov. JB Pritzker’s ambitious housing plan for Illinois: More four-flats, looser rules

April 12, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

A cornerstone initiative from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker would loosen zoning restrictions for multiunit buildings, drawing excitement from housing advocates but concerns from local officials.

Illinois 9th Congressional District Democratic primary candidate Kat Abughazaleh addresses supporters on election night at Replay in the Andersonville neighborhood, March 17, 2026. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Kat Abughazaleh aims to extend organization after 9th District loss

April 2, 2026 at 6:08 p.m.

Progressive commentator and former 9th District candidate Kat Abughazaleh wants to bring her campaign playbook across the country while keeping her office in Rogers Park, she said in a video...

Dozens of rolls of “I voted” stickers on March 12, 2026, at the Cook County Clerk’s Election Operation Center in Cicero, where thousands of pieces of voting equipment are stored, tested and distributed. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

AIPAC funded secretive super PACs that hid contributors and spent big in Democratic primary, new records show

March 23, 2026 at 2:07 p.m.

Federal Election Commission filings released Friday night reveal that United Democracy Project, AIPAC’s affiliated super PAC, directed more than $5.3 million to bankroll the groups Elect Chicago Women and Affordable...

Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss speaks to supporters after celebrating the Democratic nomination in the 9th Congressional District race during an election night watch party at Double Clutch Brewing on March 17, 2026, in Evanston. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

More than $30M in outside spending shaped Illinois primaries, but wins were a split for big-monied interests

March 19, 2026 at 5:27 p.m.

Political action committees with unlimited raising and spending power poured nearly $33 million into a handful of closely watched Chicago-area races, but despite the scale of that spending, victories were...

Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss greets a passenger at the CTA Davis station in Evanston on March 18, 2026, following his primary election night win for the Democratic nomination in the 9th Congressional District of Illinois. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)

Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss looks ahead to general election after threading 9th District needle

March 18, 2026 at 5:56 p.m.

Following his win in the crowded Democratic primary to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss took victory laps around the big-money interests that sought to sink...

Daniel Biss wins race for Democratic nomination to succeed Jan Schakowsky in Illinois 9th District

March 18, 2026 at 10:59 a.m.

Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss won the Democratic nomination to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky in the 9th Congressional District, which stretches from the North Side to Wilmette to Crystal...

The House floor is prepared before Gov. JB Pritzker delivers his annual State of the State and budget address, Feb. 18, 2026, at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Illinois General Assembly races feature open seats, big bucks and a reelection bid after corruption mistrial

March 18, 2026 at 12:50 a.m.

All 118 state House seats are on the ballot, in addition to 39 of the 59 state Senate seats, and the fight to fill those seats has drawn an influx...

Election judge Beverly, right, helps voter Bobbie Townsend at Dr. Martin Luther King Community Service Center in the Grand Boulevard neighborhood of Chicago on March 2, 2026, during the early voting period. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)

Unprecedented $62 million shapes Chicago-area congressional primaries, some decry ‘highest bidder’ politics

March 13, 2026 at 6:01 p.m.

The four most competitive Democratic congressional primaries in Illinois has witnessed a massive influx of cash from direct campaign contributions and outside political action committee spending.

A person stands in front of a Meta sign outside of the company's headquarters in Menlo Park, California, on March 7, 2023. (Jeff Chiu/AP)

Meta set to spend $750K backing Illinois statehouse candidates as AI and social media legislation looms

March 5, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

A super PAC created by Meta has spent nearly $340,000 on on mailers and digital advertising to support four Chicago and Chicago-area Democratic state House primary candidates.

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