Polls for Chicago's 2023 Municipal Election are officially open, but the race for the city's next mayor is still very much unpredictable.
With a crowded field of nine candidates, various conflicting polls and thousands more ballots expected to be cast on Election Day -- not to mention the thousands of outstanding mail-in ballots the Chicago Board of Elections expected to receive in the coming days -- experts are increasingly predicting a mayoral runoff.
“It might take some time after election night to call some of these races, even the mayor’s race,” Max Bever of the Chicago Board of Elections told NBC Chicago.
Election attorney Burt Odelson agrees.
“It’s very, very possible that we could have discovery recounts to see who comes in second, to see who is entitled to run on April 4,” he says.
Polls on Feb. 28 close at 7 p.m. If no candidate receives 50% of the vote in this first round, then the top-two candidates would advance to a run-off, scheduled for April 4.
Here's a breakdown of the candidates on the ballot, and what the latest polling shows.
Local
Chicago Mayoral Candidates
Note: rather than listing the candidates in alphabetical order, we have listed them in the order in which they would currently appear on the Feb. 28 ballot.
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Ja’Mal Green
A community activist, Green has gained public attention for his work supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, and he also has founded several community organizations, including the Small Business Repair Program and My turn to Own. He has also focused his efforts largely on addressing the problem of violence in the city.
You can learn more about Green on his Twitter account.
Ald. Sophia King
King has represented Chicago’s fourth ward since April 2016, having lived in the area for 30 years. Her campaign has had a heavy focus on transparency in government, on the city’s handling of violent crime, and on education, with tabs dedicated to those topics on her campaign website.
Notable endorsements: Ald. David Moore
State Rep. Kam Buckner
Buckner was raised in Roseland and Washington Heights, and his current house district represents parts of Bronzeville, Gold Coast, Hyde Park, River North, South Shore and Woodlawn, among others. His platform includes what he calls a “4-Star Plan,” focusing on safety and justice, education, economic opportunity, and stabilizing the city’s finances.
You can read more about his campaign on his website.
Notable endorsements: Commuters Take Action
Willie Wilson
Wilson, who has owned a series of McDonald’s franchises and various companies, has a long history of running for office in Chicago, with mayoral runs in 2015 and 2019 and a run for Senate in 2020. Wilson is running on a platform to “Recover, Restore and Rebuild” the city, and has pointed to his efforts to donate free fuel and masks to underserved communities as examples of how he’d begin to tackle issues in the city.
You can read more about Wilson on his campaign website.
Notable endorsements: Ald. Raymond Lopez, Polish-American Congress’ Illinois Division
Brandon Johnson
A Cook County commissioner, Johnson was launched into the race with some powerful endorsements from the Chicago Teachers Union and the American Federation of Teachers. Johnson lives in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, and previously worked as a teacher in the Chicago Public Schools system before being elected to the Cook County Board.
You can read more about Johnson on his Twitter account.
Notable endorsements: Ald. Pat Dowell, Ald. Daniel LaSpata, Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, Ald. Rossana Rodríguez-Sanchez, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, Ald. Jeanette Taylor, U.S. Reps. Jonathan Jackson and Delia Ramirez, State Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas, State Rep. Lakesia Collins, State Rep. Mary Flowers, State Rep. Will Guzzardi, Rep. Lilian Jimenez, Cook County Commissioners Stanley Moore and Josina Morita, American Federation of Teachers, Chicago Teachers Union, Illinois Federation of Teachers, SEIU Local 73, SEIU Healthcare, United Working Families
Paul Vallas
Vallas is the former CEO of Chicago Public Schools, and has also run in several statewide races, losing the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 2002 and losing the 2014 governor’s race as Pat Quinn’s running mate. Vallas has cited his experiences in running large school districts as he’s hit the campaign trail, and has pledged to make massive changes to the city’s finances, address issues of public safety and to integrate parents more effectively into the educational system.
You can read more about Vallas on his campaign website.
Notable endorsements: Ald. Brian Hopkins, Ald. Anthony Napolitano, Ald. Tom Tunney, Chicago Chapter FOP, International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 2, Chicago Tribune, Gazette Chicago
Mayor Lori Lightfoot
Lightfoot was elected mayor in 2019, winning a runoff against Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle to replace Rahm Emanuel in office. Before her tenure as mayor, she served in a variety of positions, including as president of the Chicago Police Board. She has promised to work toward expanding economic opportunity across the city and to continue her work in bolstering education, police reform and neighborhood development if elected to a second term.
You can visit the mayor’s campaign website here.
Notable endorsements: Ald. Walter Burnett Jr., Ald. James Cappleman, Ald. Jason Ervin, Ald. Michelle Harris, Ald. Roberto Maldonado, Ald. Emma Mitts, Ald. Chris Taliaferro, Ald. Scott Waguespack, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Reps. Danny Davis and Robin Kelly, State Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, State Reps. Kelly Cassidy and Camille Lilly, American Postal Workers Union Local 1, IATSE Local 762, LGBTQ Victory Fund, Local 11 Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers, Plumbers Local Union 130 UA, EMILY's List
Ald. Roderick Sawyer
Sawyer comes from a family of political leaders, with his father Eugene serving as Chicago’s mayor after the death of Harold Washington. He was elected to the City Council in 2011 and represents the 6th Ward on the city’s Far South Side. He currently serves as the chairman of the City Council’s Black Caucus, and serves on a variety of committees, including education and child development, as well as the rules and ethics committee.
You can read more about Sawyer on his aldermanic page.
Rep. Jesús ‘Chuy’ García
García lost a head-to-head runoff against Emanuel in the 2015 mayoral race, and was elected to Congress for the first time in 2019. He has also served in the Illinois Senate and on the Cook County Board of Commissioners, and gained local fame for supporting Bernie Sanders in the 2016 and 2020 elections.
Notable endorsements: Former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, U.S. Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Mike Quigley, Ald. Felix Cardona Jr., Ald. Michael Rodriguez, Ald. Susan Sadlowski-Garza, Ald. Andre Vasquez, Ald. Gilbert Villegas, State Sen. Ram Villivalam, Illinois House Democratic Leader Robyn Gabel, Gasworkers Local 18007, IUOE Local 150, Teamsters Local 727, United Farm Workers
Note: Frederick Collins and Johnny Logalbo fell short of the required number of valid voter signatures, and were removed from the ballot by the Chicago Board of Elections.
What the Latest Polls Show
A new poll, conducted just days before Tuesday’s election, shows former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas expanding his lead in the city’s mayoral race, with three candidates still battling it out to determine who could finish second and force an April runoff.
The poll, conducted by Victory Research, also showed Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson edging out ahead of incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who is still well within striking distance as she looks to earn a second term.
Here are the top-five candidates according to the new poll:
Paul Vallas – 26.8%
Brandon Johnson – 20.2%
Lori Lightfoot – 18.7%
Jesús “Chuy” García – 15.6%
Willie Wilson – 11.4%
The poll was conducted Feb. 24-26, and was made up of 806 likely Chicago voters. The margin of error was 3.45%, according to Victory research.
According to Victory Research, Vallas has expanded his lead, with his vote total increasing by nearly 5%. Johnson also saw his vote tally increase by 4.1%, pushing him past Lightfoot in the race.
Another recent poll conducted by 1983 Labs, shows former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas in the lead (24%), battling incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot (18%), Rep. Jesús ‘Chuy’ García (16%) and Cook County commissioner Brandon Johnson (15%) in a runoff.
