As many Wright students head to the polls to vote for Chicago’s mayor for the first time, they’re faced with one of the closest races in recent years with no candidates regularly polling above 30%.
Early voting has opened and polls close for the first round of voting on Feb. 28. With no candidate projected to reach 50% of the vote, Chicagoans will likely find out whose hands will be guiding the Second City for the next four years following a run-off election on April 4. What is really up for determination at the end of Feb. is which two candidates will be squaring up in the run-off.
If you are not registered to vote you can register in person before or on election day with two forms of ID, one of which needs an address, at your nearest Illinois Secretary of State’s Office, or online.
U.S. Representative Jesus “Chuy” Garcia led a WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times/Telemundo Chicago/NBC5 poll conducted during the first week of Feb. poll with 20% picking him. Chuy ran for mayor in 2015, where he made it to the runoff, but ultimately failed in his attempt to beat incumbent Rahm Emmanuel. He has consistently butted heads with Mayor Lori Lightfoot throughout her incumbency. Garcia has been involved in Chicago politics for quite some time, starting as an alderperson in 1986.
Ex-Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas is in second with 18% of those surveyed having him as their first choice. Vallas champions himself in prioritizing public safety, and plans to hire more police officers if elected. Vallas has been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police. Vallas believes that the fight to stop violent crimes starts in education, and is an advocate of implementing Social and Emotional Learning resources in schools for this reason.
Mayor Lightfoot received 17% in the poll. Arguably the biggest reason why there are so many candidates in this year's race is due to Mayor Lightfoot’s unpopularity, with 60% of respondents in WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times/Telemundo Chicago/NBC5 poll having an unfavorable view of the mayor. The mayor has fulfilled some campaign promises, including the establishment of the first independent civilian oversight board for the Chicago Police Department. Lightfoot also dealt with the Covid-19 Pandemic that started less than one year into her term.
Perennial candidate and businessman Willie Wilson came in with 12% of those polled having him as their first choice. Wilson is famous for efforts including his donation of 30 million masks to various groups across Illinois, bailing low level offenders out of jail, giving direct aid to at-risk homeless people, and giving away free gasoline at several Chicago gas stations.
Cook County Board of Commissioners member and ex-public school teacher Brandon Johnson received 11%. Johnson’s polling has seen a resurgence recently. He is a proponent of making CTA public transit free, implementing libraries in every public school, and tackling violence with a holistic approach. He has received endorsements from the Chicago Teachers Union and Cook County College Teachers Union.
Illinois House of Representatives member Kam Buckner received 2% in the poll. Buckner has a “four star” plan that focuses on safety, education, helping local businesses, and stabilizing the city’s finances. He also has made it a goal of his to get Chicago’s population to 3 million by 2030
Community activist Ja’Mal Green also polled at 2%. He wishes to create a public bank for the city and increase economic opportunities for Black and Brown residents. He also wants to have police pay for their own misconduct rather than taxpayers. Green has a history of activism, including demanding at a federal courthouse that charges be brought against Jason Van Dyke after he killed Laquan McDonald.
4th Ward alderperson Sophia King is the third candidate to poll at 2%. A core tenet of King’s campaign is more fully funding violence prevention programs. In addition to this, she believes in creating the “Silicon Valley of the Midwest” and wants to optimize the city’s use of opportunity zones to create more affordable housing.
11th Ward alderperson Rev. Roderick Sawyer received 0% in the poll. He joins several other candidates in supporting “treatment, not trauma.” Sawyer also believes in equitable funding for public schools, and criminal justice reform.
18% of poll respondents said they were undecided.
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