2023 Chicago elections explained

Election Name:2023 Chicago elections
Country:Chicago
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2019 Chicago elections
Previous Year:2019
Next Election:2027 Chicago elections
Next Year:2027
Election Date:February 28 and April 4, 2023

The 2023 Chicago elections took place in two rounds on February 28, 2023, and April 4, 2023. Elections were held for Mayor of Chicago, City Clerk of Chicago, City Treasurer of Chicago, all 50 members of the Chicago City Council, and 66 members of the newly created police District Councils.[1] [2] The elections were administered by the Chicago Board of Elections.

Mayor

See main article: 2023 Chicago mayoral election. Incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot ran for re-election, and faced eight challengers: Kam Buckner (member of Illinois House of Representatives),[3] Willie Wilson (businessman and perennial candidate),[4] [5] Roderick Sawyer (member of the Chicago City Council),[6] Sophia King (member of the Chicago City Council),[7] Ja'Mal Green (community activist),[8] Paul Vallas (former CEO of Chicago Public Schools),[9] Brandon Johnson (member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners),[10] and Jesus "Chuy" García (U.S. Representative from Illinois's 4th congressional district).[11]

Candidates who expressed interest but ultimately declined to run include Arne Duncan (former U.S. Secretary of Education),[12] [13] [14] Mike Quigley (U.S. Representative from Illinois's 5th congressional district),[15] and John Catanzara (president of Lodge 7 of the Fraternal Order of Police).[16] News reports suggested the following prospective candidates, who all eventually declined to run: La Shawn Ford (member of Illinois House of Representatives),[17] Stacy Davis Gates,[18] and Melissa Conyears-Ervin.[19]

In the first round, Vallas and Johnson won 32.9% and 21.6% of the vote respectively and advanced to the run-off election. In the run-off election on April 4, 2023, Johnson received 52.16% and Vallas received 47.84% of the vote.[20]

City Clerk

Election Name:Chicago City Clerk election, 2023
Country:Chicago
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2019 Chicago City Clerk election
Previous Year:2019
Next Election:2027 Chicago City Treasurer election
Next Year:2027
Election Date:February 28, 2023
1Blank:Vote
2Blank:Percentage
Candidate1:Anna M. Valencia
Colour1:c0c0c0
Clerk
Before Election:Anna M. Valencia
After Election:Anna M. Valencia
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:457,007
Percentage1:100%[21]

Incumbent City Clerk Anna Valencia ran uncontested for a second full term and a third overall term.[22] [23] She was first appointed to office in 2017, and elected outright in 2019.

Results

City Treasurer

Election Name:Chicago City Treasurer election, 2023
Country:Chicago
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2019 Chicago City Treasurer election
Previous Year:2019
Next Election:2027 Chicago City Treasurer election
Next Year:2027
Election Date:February 28, 2023
Candidate1:Melissa Conyears-Ervin
Colour1:c0c0c0
Treasurer
Before Election:Melissa Conyears-Ervin
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:442,553
Percentage1:100%

Incumbent City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin ran uncontested for a second full-term.[24] She was first elected in 2019.

City Council

See main article: 2023 Chicago aldermanic election. All 50 seats in the City Council were up for election. This was the first City Council election following redistricting based on the results of the 2020 United States census.[25]

Police District Councils

Elections were held for 22 newly created police district councils, one for each of the city's police districts.[26] The district councils were created by a police reform ordinance passed in July 2021.[27] The councils will have police oversight responsibilities within their district, and council members will nominate 14 candidates for the city-wide Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, from which seven will be selected and confirmed by the mayor and City Council.[28]

External links

Official campaign websites

Notes and References

  1. Web site: City of Chicago Board of Ethics. November 2021. A Guide for candidates to Elected Office of the City of Chicago for the 2023 Elections.
  2. Web site: Chicago Board of Elections . 2022-08-09 . 2023 Election Information: Pamphlet and Calendar . 2022-09-15 . ChicagoElections.gov.
  3. Web site: Evans . Maxwell . 2022-05-12 . Kam Buckner, A South Side State Rep, Is Running For Mayor . 2022-05-13 . Block Club Chicago . en.
  4. Web site: . 29 September 2020. Willie Wilson Party may be permanent fixture. live. 7 October 2020. Nadig Newspapers. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20201003035036/http://nadignewspapers.com/2020/09/29/willie-wilson-party-may-be-permanent-fixture/ . 2020-10-03 .
  5. Web site: Spielman . Fran . 2022-04-11 . Willie Wilson joins 2023 race for mayor . 2022-04-11 . Chicago Sun-Times . en.
  6. Web site: 2022-06-07. Ald. Roderick Sawyer: Chicago Needs a Mayor That Leads with Collaboration, Not Confrontation. live. 2022-11-15. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20221116004735/https://news.wttw.com/2022/06/07/ald-roderick-sawyer-chicago-needs-mayor-leads-collaboration-not-confrontation . 2022-11-16 .
  7. Web site: 2022-08-11. Ald. Sophia King Announces Run for Mayor, Promising 'Collaboration' Not 'Confrontation'. live. 2022-11-15. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20221116015202/https://news.wttw.com/2022/08/11/ald-sophia-king-announces-run-mayor-promising-collaboration-not-confrontation . 2022-11-16 .
  8. Web site: 2022-07-14. Ja'Mal Green Joins Race for Mayor, Becoming 2nd Progressive Challenger to Lightfoot. live. 2022-11-15. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20221116015554/https://news.wttw.com/2022/06/14/ja-mal-green-joins-race-mayor-becoming-2nd-progressive-challenger-lightfoot. 2022-11-16 .
  9. Web site: 2022-06-01 . Former schools chief Paul Vallas is running for Chicago mayor again. live. 2022-11-15. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20221116004835/https://www.wbez.org/stories/paul-vallas-is-running-for-chicago-mayor-again/3876bc83-22fb-4452-b196-1440cc0b2c50. 2022-11-16.
  10. Web site: 2022-10-27. Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson says he is running for Chicago mayor. live. 2022-11-15. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20221116020351/https://www.wbez.org/stories/brandon-johnson-will-run-for-chicago-mayor/9d9d4f16-9f74-4a45-b115-13c458a0b3fd. 2022-11-16.
  11. Web site: 2022-10-27. Congressman Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia announces run for mayor of Chicago. live. 2022-11-15. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20221116004351/https://abc7chicago.com/jesus-chuy-garcia-mayor-of-chicago-lori-lightfoot/12437335/. 2022-11-16.
  12. News: Spielman. Fran. 6 January 2022. Arne Duncan cracks the door open to 2023 race for mayor against Lightfoot. en. Chicago Sun-Times. 7 January 2022.
  13. News: 6 January 2022. Duncan signals new interest in race against Lightfoot. en. Crain's Chicago Business. 7 January 2022.
  14. Web site: Spielman . Fran . 2022-03-01 . Arne Duncan won't run for mayor . 2022-03-01 . Chicago Sun-Times . en.
  15. Web site: Pratt, Gregory . April 28, 2022 . U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley he won't run for Chicago mayor in 2023 . Chicago Tribune.
  16. Web site: 2022-08-08. Chicago FOP President John Catanzara says he won't challenge Lightfoot in 2023 mayoral election. live. 2022-11-15. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20221116014520/https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-mayor-election-police-fop-john-catanzara/12110844/ . 2022-11-16 .
  17. Web site: Flannery, Mike . January 24, 2022 . Chicago mayoral election: Lightfoot challengers could launch campaigns soon, sources say .
  18. Web site: Kapos. Shia. Hurst. Adrienne. 5 November 2019. Column: IIS CTU ALREADY EYEING 2023?. live. 20 April 2021. Politico. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20191105165530/https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2019/11/05/is-ctu-already-eyeing-2023-johnson-toying-with-retirement-dems-want-arroyo-burke-out-487596 . 2019-11-05 .
  19. Web site: Spielman. Fran. 30 June 2021. Lightfoot's troubles put her under harsh spotlight — as office she holds becomes shadow of what it was. live. Chicago Sun-Times. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20210630224624/https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2021/6/30/22556052/lightfoot-mayoral-power-chicago-public-schools-police-department-city-council-aldermen-re-election . 2021-06-30 .
  20. Web site: Election Results 2023 Municipal Runoffs - 4/4/23 . Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago . 24 May 2023.
  21. Web site: Chicago Board of Elections . Tabulated Statement of the Returns and Proclamation of the Results of the Canvass of the Election Returns for the February 28, 2023 Municipal General and Alderperson Elections Held in Each of the Precincts in All the Wards in the City of Chicago . March 15, 2023 . March 15, 2023.
  22. Web site: Spielman . Fran . 2022-09-15 . Clobbered in race for Illinois secretary of state, Valencia will seek reelection as city clerk . 2022-09-17 . Chicago Sun-Times . en.
  23. Web site: Rhodes . Dawn . 2023-02-07 . City Clerk Anna Valencia Assured 2nd Term After No Challengers Enter Race . 2023-02-07 . Block Club Chicago . en.
  24. Web site: Rhodes . Dawn . 2023-02-07 . City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin Is Unopposed For 2nd Term As City's Top Banker . 2023-02-07 . Block Club Chicago . en.
  25. Web site: Wall. Craig. 2021-11-23. Redrawing Chicago wards map sets off battle between Black, Latino caucuses. 2022-02-02. ABC7 Chicago. en.
  26. Web site: Interested in Serving on a District Council? . 2022-09-15 . www.chicago.gov . en.
  27. Web site: 2021-07-21 . City Council Approves Elected Board to Oversee Chicago Police with 36-13 Vote . 2022-09-15 . WTTW News . en.
  28. Web site: Hill . Tonia . 2022-09-06 . Chicago residents can run for a seat on the newly-created police District Councils • The TRiiBE . 2022-09-15 . The TRiiBE . en-US.