2019 General Municipal Election Recap

By Mary Kay Minaghan, MKM Services

The February 26 election may be over but ballot counting continues. Mail-in ballots postmarked by election day can be counted until March 12, one week before the Board of Elections must certify the election results.

While there were more than twice the number of mail ballots requested this year, turn out on election day was lack luster. The staggering number of candidates running for Mayor contributed to the low voter turnout. Not since 1901 had Chicago voters been presented with so many choices for Mayor — 14 in total.

The April 2 election will feature run-offs in the races for Mayor, Treasurer and eight, or possibly nine, Aldermen.

In the 6th Ward, incumbent Alderman Roderick Sawyer is hanging on by just four votes. Mail ballots are still being counted and may force Alderman Sawyer into a run-off yet.  Run-offs will also take place in four wards where the incumbent opted not to seek re-election.

Lori Lightfoot placed first in the February 26 Mayoral election with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle 8,280 votes behind her. William Daley, viewed by many to be the candidate of business, was 7,051 votes behind President Preckwinkle. Daley was the most well financed candidate, raising about $3 million more than President Preckwinkle did. The fourth place finisher, Willie Wilson, was the only other candidate to get into double digits with 10.61% of the vote.  In fact, he won more African American wards than President Preckwinkle did.

The top two candidates are already busy trying to secure Wilson’s support, who is expected to decide in a week or so. Whoever receives his endorsement will enjoy a big boost to their campaign. Suzanna Mendoza secured a significant majority of the Latino vote, despite the fact that another Hispanic, Gery Chico was in the race. On election night, President Preckwinkle’s speech signaled that this mayoral race will not be for the faint of heart. It is too early to predict who may win this contest, but one thing is for certain, on April 2 the first African American female will become Chicago’s next Mayor.

Less watched was the race for Treasurer.  This was an open seat due to the retirement of Kurt Summers.  Finishing in first place was State Representative Melissa Conyears-Ervin who received 44.3% of the vote. Alderman Ameya Pawar (47th Ward) retired from the City Council to run for this seat and placed second with 41.57%.

Representative Conyears-Ervin, with an MBA in Finance, is focused on protecting the City’s $7 billion in assets, as well as the four pension funds.  Alderman Pawar has advocated turning the City’s $7 billion in assets into a public bank of sorts to bank hard to bank commodities such as marijuana and to provide low interest loans for homes, cars and other items to low-income residents. Alderman Pawar’s plan takes the City in a very different and perhaps ill-advised direction considering the City’s current fiscal condition.