2019Chicago mayoral election

← 2015 February 26, 2019 (first round) April 2, 2019 (runoff) 2023 →
Turnout	35.20% 5.78pp[1][2] (first round) 32.89% 2.31pp[3][4] (second round)
Candidate Lori Lightfoot Toni Preckwinkle Bill Daley First round 97,667 17.54% 89,343 16.04% 82,294 14.78% Runoff 386,039 73.70% 137,765 26.30% Eliminated   Candidate Willie Wilson Susana Mendoza Amara Enyia First round 59,072 10.61% 50,373 9.05% 44,589 8.00% Runoff Eliminated Eliminated Eliminated   Candidate Jerry Joyce Gery Chico Paul Vallas First round 40,099 7.20% 34,521 6.20% 30,236 5.43% Runoff Eliminated Eliminated Eliminated
Runoff map by precinct Runoff map by ward Lightfoot:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90%     >90% Preckwinkle :     50–60%     60–70% Tie:     50%
Mayor before election Rahm Emanuel ElectedMayor Lori Lightfoot

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v t e

The2019 Chicago mayoral election was held on February 26, 2019, to determine the nextMayor of theCity of Chicago,Illinois. Since no candidate received a majority of votes, arunoff election was held on April 2, 2019, between the two candidates with the most votes,Lori Lightfoot andToni Preckwinkle.^[5] Lightfoot defeated Preckwinkle in the runoff election to become mayor,^[6] and was sworn in as mayor on May 20, 2019.^[7]

The election was officiallynon-partisan, with its winner being elected to a four-year term. The elections were part of the2019 Chicago elections, which included elections forCity Council, City Clerk, and City Treasurer.

Incumbent MayorRahm Emanuel initially announced he would run for a third term but withdrew in September 2018.^[8] Emanuel was first elected in2011 (winning in the first round with 55.19% of the vote) and re-elected in2015 (receiving 55.7% of the vote in therunoff election).

The runoff was historic, as it assured Chicago would elect its first African-American female mayor, its second elected African-American Mayor, afterHarold Washington, and its second female mayor, afterJane Byrne.^[9] Not only is Lightfoot the first African-American woman mayor in Chicago's history, but she is also the firstopenlyLGBT person to lead Chicago. Lightfoot's election made Chicago the largest city won by an African American woman, as well as the largest by an openly LGBT person, in United States history.^[10][11]

Incumbent mayorRahm Emanuel declared his intent to seek re-election on October 17, 2017.^[12] One month later,Troy LaRaviere became the first opponent to declare their intent to run against Emanuel.^[13]

Later, in 2018, more opponents would declare their intent to run against Emanuel, withGarry McCarthy andWillie Wilson doing so in March,^[14][15]Dorothy A. Brown Cook, Ja'Mal Green, and Neal Sáles-Griffin doing so in April,^[16][17]Lori Lightfoot, John Kozlar, andPaul Vallas doing so in May,^[18][19] Matthew Rooney doing so in June,^[20] andAmara Enyia and Jerry Joyce doing so in August.^[21][22] By the end of the Summer of 2018, a dozen individuals had declared their candidacies.^[23]

On September 4, 2018, Emanuel announced that he would no longer be seeking re-election.^[24] Emanuel's announcement shook up the race, with many new candidates declaring their candidacies for mayor in the weeks that followed.^[25]

In late November, much of the media coverage on the race showedToni Preckwinkle andSusana Mendoza (both of whom had entered the race after Emanuel bowed out) to be considered its two frontrunners.^[26][27][28]

The race for mayor was upended by AldermanEd Burke's corruption scandal. Mayoral candidates Toni Preckwinkle, Susana Mendoza,Gery Chico, andBill Daley all had connections to the disgraced alderman, and the scandal encouraged an anti-corruption and anti-machine politics sentiment among voters.^[29][30][31]

A number of issues were debated by the candidates throughout the campaign. One of the major issues was pensions, as the city's annual pensions contribution had been projected to double between 2018 and 2023.^[32] Another issue was education, where sub-issues included school closings that had taken place under the Emanuel administration and the possibility of reforming the school-board selection method.^[32] Another issue was crime.^[32] Particularly in light of cases such as themurder of Laquan McDonald, issues regarding practices by the city's law enforcement were also discussed by candidates.^[32] Another issue was the use oftax increment financing by the city.^[32]Affordable housing was another issue debated.^[32] Ethics reforms were also debated.^[32] Taxes were another issue debated, with some candidates advocating for acommuter tax and some candidates advocating for aproperty tax freeze.^[33]

After ballot challenges were settled, a total of fourteen candidates were included on the ballot for the first round of the election. This is the most candidates that have ever been on the ballot in the history of Chicago mayoral elections.^[34][35][36]

The first round of the election was considered highly competitive to the end, with a number of candidates shown by polls to be viable contenders to potentially advance to the runoff. For example, a poll conducted February 11–13 byMason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. for the media outletsTelemundo/NBC 5 Chicago illustrated what the outlets described as a tight five-way race between (in alphabetical order) Chico, Daley, Lightfoot, Mendoza, and Preckwinkle.^[37] On February 24,The Wall Street Journal described the race's polling as showing six candidates with the possibility of making the runoff, with the five strongest contenders being described as (in alphabetical order) Chico, Daley, Lightfoot, Mendoza, and Preckwinkle.^[38] Also on February 24,Chicago magazine wrote that it considered six individuals to have a chance of making the runoff, with those individuals being (in alphabetical order) Chico, Daley, Lightfoot, Mendoza, Preckwinkle, and Wilson.^[39]

In the first round, Lori Lightfoot placed first and Toni Preckwinkle placed second, securing them both a spot in the runoff election.

Lightfoot's first-place finish in the first round was regarded to be anupset.^[40][41][42] She was seen as a long-shot when she first entered the race.^[25] In late-January, Lightfoot's support in publicly released polls had only ranged between 2% and 5%.^{[43][44][45][46]} Despite her low poll numbers in January, Lightfoot had persisted in her campaign, performing well in debates and running some ads on television.^[40] She won the endorsement of theChicago Sun-Times.^[40] She also garnered new personal endorsements, including those of theScott Waguespack,David Orr, andRobin Kelly, of whom the Chicago Sun-Times' Mark Brown would later write in exploring the contributing factors to Lightfoot's first-round victory, "none of them heavyweights but influential enough to point the way for progressive voters looking for some sign, any sign, of how to pick their way through the thicket of candidates."^[40] While Lightfoot rose to the top of some polls near the end of the race, she had peaked in support so late in the race that none of the other candidates had been focused on running negative ads against her.^[40] Lightfoot also was seen as ultimately benefiting from the Burke corruption scandal, as she was running as a "political outsider" on an anti-corruption platform.^[25][47][48] Preckwinkle's allies had also, accidentally, provided Lightfoot with free media attention on two noteworthy occasions. The first incident occurred February 18, when one of Lightfoot's press conferences was crashed by Preckwinkle allyRobert Martwick, with whom Lightfoot got into a heated exchange.^[49] The second incident where Preckwinkle's camp generated free headlines for Lightfoot was when, days before the first round of the election, her campaign manager, Scott Cisek, published aFacebook post likening Lightfoot to aNazi, leading to his firing by the Preckwinkle campaign.^[50]

In Chicago, ethnic/racial coalitions had often played a key role in elections. As such, many of the candidates were seen as targeting different groups with their campaigns.^[48] Hispanic candidates Gery Chico and Susana Mendoza were seen as vying for the Hispanic vote.^[48] Toni Preckwinkle and Willie Wilson were seen as targeting the black vote.^[48][51] Bill Daley was seen as targeting the white vote.^[48] Lightfoot was seen as breaking the rules of traditional Chicago politics by not basing her candidacy on seeking the support of particular ethnic/racial groups.^[48]

Throughout the runoff, Lightfoot led Preckwinkle in polls.

For the runoff, Lightfoot received endorsements from seven of the twelve candidates that had been eliminated in the first round (Gery Chico, Jerry Joyce, John Kozlar, Susana Mendoza, Neal Sales-Griffin, Paul Vallas, and Willie Wilson). Preckwinkle, in contrast, received no endorsements from any candidates that had been eliminated in the first round.^[52]

In what was considered a "sweep" of the city's major publications,^[53] retaining her endorsement from the Chicago Sun-Times,^[54] for the runoff, Lightfoot also received the endorsements of theChicago Tribune^[55] andCrain's Chicago Business^[56] (both of which had endorsed Bill Daley in the first round).^[57][58]

Both Lightfoot and Preckwinkle positioned themselves as self-declared, "progressives".^[59] In a November 2019 retrospective, however, Edward McClelland ofChicago magazine wrote, "Lightfoot didn’t run as aprogressive. She ran as areformer, the political outsider who promised to quash the Chicago Way, as exemplified by Alderman Ed Burke and all the mayoral candidates who took his money. (Lightfoot's opponent, Toni Preckwinkle, ran as a progressive, but not a reformer.)"^[60]

In the runoff, Preckwinkle highlighted her depth of government experience and sought to emphasize a contrast with Lightfoot's lack of experience in elected office.^[61] Lightfoot criticized Preckwinkle's connections with controversial figures such as Ed Burke andJoseph Berrios.^[61]

The two candidates differed onrent control, with Preckwinkle seeking the repeal of a state law prohibiting local governments from imposing rent control, while Lightfoot did not advocate for rent control in Chicago.^[62] The candidates differed on prospectiveterm limits, with Preckwinkle opposing them, and Lightfoot advocating limiting both mayoral tenures and City Council committee chairmanships to two terms.^[62] Preckwinkle sought to create a ban on aldermen holding outside jobs, while Lightfoot differed, instead preferring to only ban them from holding outside jobs that poseconflicts of interest with official their duties.^[62] Preckwinkle wanted the power to draw ward maps to remain in the hands of the City Council, while Lightfoot wanted a non-partisan and independent process to be created forredistricting.^[62] Preckwinkle defended retaining the practice of "aldermanic prerogative", while Lightfoot sought to bring an end to the practice.^[62] The candidates also differed on whether they would retain incumbent Superintendent of theChicago Police DepartmentEddie T. Johnson, with Preckwinkle having stating that she planned to immediately dismiss Johnson of his post, while Lightfoot stated that she planned to retain him at least through the summer of 2019.^[61]

Lightfoot ultimately won a landslide victory in the runoff.

In order to be listed on the ballot, candidates were required to submit petitions between November 19 and 26.^[63][64]

Any certified candidate (those whose petitions had been certified by the Board of Elections) may have had their nomination papers challenged up until December 1.^[64] Those candidates with properly-filed challenges against their petitions would have their candidature subjected to hearings and procedures which would assess the validity of their petitions.^[64] If any candidate failed to file a statement of economic interests within five days of having their petition certified, then their certification would be revoked.^[64]

The deadline to file a notarized declaration of intent to be a write–in candidate was December 27, 2018.^[64][65] An exception to the December 27 deadline for write-in candidates to file their declaration of intent existed for circumstances in which a candidate lost their certificationafter the December 27 deadline due to the outcome of a challenge to their petitions (candidates in this circumstance were granted until February 19 to file a notarized declaration of intent to run as a write-in candidate).^[64]

Certified candidates (those whose petitions had been certified by the Board of Elections) were permitted to have their name removed from the ballot if theyofficially withdrew any time before December 20, 2018.^[64][65] Even if they informally withdrew by ceasing to campaign, all certified candidates that did not file to formally withdraw before the December 20 deadline would have their names listed on the ballot regardless of whether they were still active contenders.^[65] However, after December 20 candidates still may have filed to officially withdraw, an action which would have instructed the Board of Elections to deem all votes cast for the candidates as invalid when tallying votes.^[64]

Due to the time needed to complete process of reviewing nearly 200 challenges to candidate petitions in the mayoral race and other municipal elections, the start of the early voting period for the first round had been delayed to January 29 from its previously scheduled January 17 date.^[66][67][68]

The total of fourteen candidates on the February mayoral ballot is record-setting for Chicago mayoral elections.^[34][35][36]

Candidate	Experience	Announced	Ref
The following candidates advanced to the runoff election held on April 2			[69][70]
Lori Lightfoot	Former President of theChicago Police Board 2015–2018 Chair of theChicago Police Accountability Task Force	May 10, 2018 (WebsiteArchived January 17, 2019, at theWayback Machine)	[71][13][72][73][74]
Toni Preckwinkle	President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners since 2010 FormerAlderman from the4th ward 1991–2010	September 20, 2018 (WebsiteArchived January 17, 2019, at theWayback Machine)	[63][72][75][76]

Candidate	Experience	Announced	Ref
The following candidates were eliminated in the first round, and did not advance to the runoff election
Gery Chico	Chair of theIllinois State Board of Education 2011–2015 President of theChicago Park District Board of Commissioners 2007–2010 President of the Chicago Board of Education 1995–2001	September 17, 2018 (WebsiteArchived January 19, 2019, at theWayback Machine)	[69][77][78][79][80][81]
Bill Daley	White House Chief of Staff 2011–2012 United States Secretary of Commerce 1997–2000	September 14, 2018 (Website)	[69][82][83][84][85]
Amara Enyia	Director of theAustin Chamber of Commerce	August 28, 2018 (Website)	[71][72][86][21][87]
Bob Fioretti	FormerAlderman from the 2nd Ward 2007–2015	November 26, 2018 (WebsiteArchived January 19, 2019, at theWayback Machine)	[88][89][90][91][92]
La Shawn Ford	Member of theIllinois House of Representatives since 2007	November 12, 2018 (Website)	[93][94][95][96][97][98]
Jerry Joyce	Former Assistant State's Attorney	August 29, 2018 (WebsiteArchived January 17, 2019, at theWayback Machine)	[63][72][22]
John Kozlar	Candidate forAlderman from the 11th Ward in 2011 and2015	May 30, 2018 (WebsiteArchived August 12, 2020, at theWayback Machine)	[71][99]
Garry McCarthy	Former Superintendent of theChicago Police Department 2011–2015	March 21, 2018 (Website)	[69][77][100][101]
Susana Mendoza	Illinois Comptroller since 2016 City Clerk of Chicago 2011–2016 Member of theIllinois House of Representatives 2001–2011	November 14, 2018 (Website)	[71][72][102][103][104]
Neal Sáles-Griffin	CEO of CodeNow	March 11, 2018 (Website)	[71][17][105]
Paul Vallas	Former Chief Executive Officer ofChicago Public Schools 1995–2001	March 28, 2018 (Website)	[63][18][106]
Willie Wilson	Businessman Owner of Omar Medical Supplies	March 29, 2018 (WebsiteArchived January 17, 2019, at theWayback Machine)	[63][14]

A full list of eligible write-ins was made available to precincts on election day.^[107]

• Rebecca Ayers^[1]
• Catherine Brown D'Tycoon,^[1] activist^{[70][72][108]}
• Ja'Mal Green,^[1] executive director of the Majostee Allstars Community Center andBlack Lives Matter activist^{[71][72][109][110][111][112][113]}
• Daniel Fein^[1]
• Ryan Friedman^[1]
• Stephen Hodge^[1]
• John P. Loftus^[1]
• Richard Benedict Mayers,^[1] perennial candidate and allegedwhite supremacist,^{[114][115][116][117][118][119]} write-in candidate for Chicago City Clerk, Treasurer, and alderman in 2019;^[1] congressional candidate in 2000,^[118] 2002,^[118]2008,^[118]2016, and2018;^[120][121] 1998 State House candidate;^[118] 1993Berwyn city clerk and city treasurer candidate^[118]
• Tamara McCullough AKA Tamar Manasseh^[1]
• Robert A. Palmer^[1]
• Ziff A. Sistrunk^[1]
• Eric "Kubi" James Stewart^[1]
• Romaine Ware^[1]
• Roger L. Washington,^[1] police officer, educator atMalcolm X College, pastor, candidate for alderman in Chicago's 24th ward in2015^{[72][108][122][123][124]}
• Gregory Young^[1]

The following candidates had been denied inclusion on the ballot following successful challenges to their petitions:^{[69][70][125]}

• Conrien Hykes Clark,octogenarian elementary school volunteer^[125][126]
• Dorothy A. Brown Cook,Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County since 2000^{[69][16][127][128]}
• Catherine Brown D'Tycoon, activist^{[70][72][108][129]}subsequently ran as write-in^[1]
• Sandra L. Mallory,^[130] former local school council president,^[125] formerChicago Public Schools security officer,^[125] candidate for alderman in Chicago's 15th ward in 2003^[131] and2015^[125][132]
• Richard Mayers, perennial candidate and allegedwhite supremacist,^{[114][115][116][117][118][119]} congressional candidate in 2000,^[118] 2002,^[118]2008,^[118]2016, and2018;^{[120][125][121]} 1998 State House candidate;^[118] 1993Berwyn city clerk and city treasurer candidate^[118]subsequently ran as write-in^[1]
• Roger L. Washington, police officer, educator atMalcolm X College, pastor, candidate for alderman in Chicago's 24th ward in2015^{[72][108][133][122][123][124]}subsequently ran as write-in^[1]

The following individuals are previously declared candidates who had terminated their candidacies. Unless otherwise indicated, these individuals did not submit petitions:

• Rahm Emanuel, incumbent Mayor of Chicago^[24]
• Ja'Mal Green (had submitted petition), executive director of the Majostee Allstars Community Center andBlack Lives Matter activist^{[71][72][109][110][111][112][113]}subsequently ran as write-in^[1]
• William J. Kelly, radio host and perennial candidate,^{[89][134][135]} candidate for mayorin 2015, gubernatorial candidatein 2018,^[135] candidate for state comptrollerin 2010,^[135] congressional candidatein 1994^[135]
• Troy LaRaviere, president of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association^{[13][77][136][137]}
• Matthew Rooney^[20]
• William "Dock" Walls, perennial candidate, candidate for mayor in2007,2011,2015^{[89][138][139][140]}

The following were prospective and speculative candidates that declined to run:

• Chance the Rapper, rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer^[141][142]
• Richard Boykin, former member of theCook County Board of Commissioners^[77][143]
• Anthony Beale, Alderman from the 9th ward^[89]
• Walter Burnett Jr., Alderman from the 27th ward^[89]
• Tom Dart,Cook County Sheriff^[13][77]
• Arne Duncan, formerU.S. Secretary of Education and former CEO of Chicago Public Schools^[82][144]
• Bridget Gainer, member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners^[13][77]
• Chuy García, Congressman fromIllinois's 4th congressional district, former member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and candidate for mayorin 2015^{[13][77][145][146][147]}
• Luis Gutierrez, former Congressman fromIllinois's 4th congressional district^{[82][148][149]}
• Valerie Jarrett, former director of theWhite House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs^[77][150]
• Ra Joy, executive director of CHANGE Illinois and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2018^[151][152]
• Raymond Lopez, alderman of the 15th Ward^[89][153]
• Lisa Madigan, formerAttorney General of Illinois^[13][77]
• Proco Joe Moreno, member of theChicago City Council from the1st ward^{[82][154][155]}
• David Orr, former Cook County Clerk, formermayor of Chicago 1987–1987;^[156][157]
• Ricardo Muñoz, member of theChicago City Council from the 22nd ward^[82][148]
• Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer^{[158][159][160]}
• Ameya Pawar, member of theChicago City Council, and candidate for governor in 2018^{[77][78][161][162]}
• Mike Quigley, Congressman fromIllinois's 5th congressional district^[82][163]
• Pat Quinn, candidate forIllinois Attorney General in2018, formerGovernor of Illinois, formerLieutenant Governor of Illinois and formerTreasurer of Illinois^[164]
• Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, Alderman for the 35th Ward (running for re-election)^[165]
• Kwame Raoul,Attorney General of Illinois, former member of theIllinois Senate
• Larry Rogers Jr., commissioner of theCook County Board of Review^[158][166]
• Michael Sacks, chief executive officer ofGCM Grosvenor^[82][167]
• Roderick Sawyer, member of theChicago City Council and chair of the Chicago City Council Black Caucus^[78][82]
• Kurt Summers, City Treasurer of Chicago^{[77][168][169]}
• Pat Tomasulo, sportscaster, comedian^[170]
• Tom Tunney, member of theChicago City Council from the 44th ward^[82][171]
• Anna M. Valencia, Chicago City Clerk^[82][172]
• Scott Waguespack, member of theChicago City Council and chairman of the council's Progressive Reform Caucus^[173][174]
• Jesse White,Secretary of State of Illinois and former state representative^[89][175]

Note that following totals include the amount raised in both rounds of the election

Graph of select polls

Only showing polls by more-established polling sources: ALG Research, Change Research, David Binder Research, Global Strategy Group, Lake Research Partners, Mason Dixon, Ogden & Fry, RABA Research, Public Policy Polling, Tulchin Research, Victory Research, We Ask America This graph was using thelegacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to thenew Chart extension.

Graph of all polls
This graph was using thelegacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to thenew Chart extension.

This graph was using thelegacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to thenew Chart extension.

Ward poll(s)
The following are runoff polls limited to voters in a single ward:

Bill Daley vs. Toni Preckwinkle

This graph was using thelegacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to thenew Chart extension.

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bill Daley	Toni Preckwinkle	Undecided
Change Research[311]	February 22–23, 2019	706	±3.7%	39%	32%	–
Tulchin Research[317]	February 6–10, 2019	500 (LV)	±4.38	38%	50%	12%
We Ask America[344]	January 10–15, 2019	644	±4.0%	40.1%	38.2%	21.7%
Tulchin Research[323]	December 10–16, 2018	600	±4.0%	31%	49%	20%
ALG Research[324]	December 4–9, 2018	600	–	32%	51%
			–	34%	50%

Susana Mendoza vs. Toni Preckwinkle

This graph was using thelegacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to thenew Chart extension.

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Susana Mendoza	Toni Preckwinkle	Undecided
Tulchin Research[317]	February 6–10, 2019	500 (LV)	±4.38	39%	46%	18%
We Ask America[344]	January 10–15, 2019	644	±4.0%	43.5%	35.1%	21.4%
Global Strategy Group[320]	January 10–15, 2019	600	±4.0%	43%	30%
Tulchin Research[323]	December 10–16, 2018	600	±4.0%	39%	42%	19%
ALG Research[324][325][326]	December 4–9, 2018	600	–	45%	39%
				44%	44%	12%
Global Strategy Group[332]	November 8–11, 2018	600	±4.0%	47%	35%
				39%	34%

If Rahm Emanuel were running for re-election, would you vote for him?

Seven candidates each had pluralities in at least one of the city's fifty wards.^{[2][345][346][347][348]}

• Wilson had pluralities in thirteen wards (Wards 6, 7, 9, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 28, 29, 34, 37)^{[2][345][346][347][348]}
• Lightfoot had pluralities in eleven wards (Wards 1, 25, 32, 33, 35, 40, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49)^{[2][345][346][347][348]}
• Daley had pluralities in eight wards (Wards 2, 11, 38, 39, 42, 43, 45, 50)^{[2][345][346][347][348]}
• Mendoza had pluralities in seven wards (Wards 12, 14, 15, 22, 30, 31, 36)^{[2][345][346][347][348]}
• Preckwinkle had pluralities in six wards (Wards 3, 4, 5, 8, 26, 27)^{[2][345][346][347][348]}
• Joyce had pluralities in four wards (Wards 13, 19, 23, 41)^{[2][345][346][347][348]}
• Chico had a plurality in a single ward (Ward 10)^{[2][345][346][347][348]}

Of the city's eighteen wards that are predominantly black, Wilson carried a plurality of the vote in thirteen (Wards 6, 7, 9, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 28, 29, 34, and 37) with Preckwinkle carrying a plurality of the vote in the remaining five (Wards 3, 4, 5, 8, and 27).^[349] In the combined vote of the city's predominately black wards, Wilson placed first, Preckwinkle placed second, Lightfoot placed third, Daley placed fourth, and Enyia placed fifth.^[349]

  Chico  Daley  Joyce  Lightfoot  Mendoza  Preckwinkle  Wilson