The 24th Ward alderwoman said being at this West Side restaurant is particularly meaningful to her because eight years ago we didnt have this.. So I think theyre seeing that reflected in him and really want to support that.. This feeling that we are celebrating, this feeling of unity and love, we deserve this. pic.twitter.com/BREII03HhP. Vincent Feldman, an 18-year-old senior at Notre Dame College Prep, voted for the first time in February and came out again for Tuesdays runoff. Its indescribable, he said. He took the podium at the Hyatt Regency Chicago at 9:45 to tell his cheering supporters that he had called Johnson to offer his support to the mayor-elect. Brandon Johnson hugs members of his family at his election night party at the Marriott Marquis Chicago after defeating Paul Vallas in the mayoral runoff election, Tuesday, April 4, 2023. Incumbent Lori Lightfoot, Jesus Garcia, and Brandon Johnson have received . His mom, Iris Laracuent, has been teaching him to be more locally engaged. That support in money and people allowed Johnson to rise above his greatest vulnerabilities: his past support for the concept of defunding the police; fears that his $800 million tax plan would be job killer that would drive businesses out of Chicago; and Vallas complaint that Johnson has never run anything bigger than a classroom. Ald. Nicole Lee. Our colleagues at WBEZ will also be providing live coverage of the election throughout the day, which you can stream live here or find on the radio at 91.5 FM. Joe Moore, Proco Joe Moreno, Ald. Ciaravino gives an emotional concession speech. Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times;Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun . Bottom row, from left: Activist Ja'Mal Green, Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, businessman Willie Wilson. Takeaways from Chicagos mayoral election: The runoff found Brandon Johnson galloping toward the center, moving away from his lefty tax-the-rich, defund-the-police pals who are alienating some liberal Democrats who dont agree with extremist politics. In some countries, people dont have the right to vote like we have.. Candidate Votes Percent Pct. John Moore took a wonderful photo of his first morels, then played coy on where. The contrast between the two runoff opponents could not have been more stark when it comes to the future of policing, public education and municipal finance. Monday broke a record for early voting in a single day with about 30,000 people voting, likely to avoid Tuesdays chance of storms. Todays update is about an eight-minute read that will brief you on the days biggest stories. The civil rights movement and the labor rights movement have finally collided. Mayor Lori Lightfoot sent a letter to Texas Gov. Brandon Johnson wins Chicago mayoral race, Long to-do list looms for new Mayor Johnson, What can we expect from Brandon Johnson Chicagos next mayor, Mayor-elect picks City Hall veteran as Chicagos chief operating officer, Three new libraries headed to the South and West sides, Mayor Lori Lightfoot urges Texas Gov. Cope said her biggest concern was how crime was affecting kids, including her son. 2023 Philadelphia mayoral election. I think the people who make corporate opinion, I think corporate money and I think the bureaucracyof the city is largely going to be against that program. Party primaries will be held on May 2. . She said he helped her fill out her ballot with things hed learned at school. Hearing from a source close to the Vallas campaign that he may concede tonight.Brandon Johnson plans to speak relatively soon as well, per @NaderDIssa. In his victory speech, Johnson noted his election comes on the anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Archie said her decision was made by candidates knocking on her door which she said Johnson and 6th Ward aldermanic candidate William Hall, who she voted for in February and Tuesday afternoon, did. Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, a paid organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union, will become Chicagos 57th mayor. Its a necessary part of our democracy.. Hall, pastor at St. James Community Church, greeted dozens of supporters at an election night party at the Thea Bowman Lyceum Center, 6550 S. Harvard Ave. Pastor William Hall, running for alderperson in the 6th Ward, returns to his campaign vehicle after voting Tuesday. For Thomas, the decision in the aldermanic runoff was easy: she said Gilbert Villegas, current 36th Ward alderperson, helped clean up her neighborhood and spoke to people whod been leaving trash in the area after her mom contacted his office. Early voting is underway. Her campaign has had a heavy focus on transparency in government, on the citys handling of violent crime, and on education, with tabs dedicated to those topics on her campaign website. Apr 05, 2023 at 9:45 pm. Incumbent Democratic mayor Jim Kenney is term limited and cannot seek reelection to a third term. Here's What We Know So Far. Clendennings grown children attended CPS and she still serves on the local school council of Kenwood Academy. Johnson supporters are feeling very optimistic pic.twitter.com/R62eN3JbRe, Supporters cheer as mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson takes the lead ahead of opponent Paul Vallas.https://t.co/LU21cztq3tLive Results: Chicago Runoff Elections 2023https://t.co/LU21cztq3t pic.twitter.com/yCKNCHx3dW. Chico led with 62% of the vote over Guajardo, with 88% of precincts reporting in the ward where Sadlowski Garza announced her retirement after two terms. The cornerstone of Johnsons anti-violence strategy is the $800 million in new or increased taxes he wants to impose to help bankroll $1 billion in new spending on public schools, public transportation, new housing, health care, mental health and job creation. Bidens pragmatic approach to politics and policies is validated just look at the pivots from the Vallas and Johnson campaigns. She, much like Simmons, said the biggest factor in her voting was looking for a change, though she declined to say who she thought would do that best. Roderick Sawyer. The civil rights movement and the labor rights movement have finally collided, Johnson said. She does election protection work with the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project, which trains people on election law and how to be an election judge and poll watcher. While Lee the City Councils first Asian American woman had been publicly backed by the Daley clan, including Thompsons uncle, Cook County Commissioner John Daley, Ciaravinos campaign donors included a number of businessmen with ties to the Daleys. NBC 5 political reporter Mary Ann Ahern reports. Three wards on the Far South Side will be sending new faces to the City Council. Buckner, chairman of the Black Caucus in the Illinois House of Representatives, said his campaign is focused on instilling trust in city government, improving Chicago Public Schools and reducing violent crime. After analyzing Johnsons mail-in ballot performance, Calabrese predicted that Johnson would win 70% of the votes by mail that are returned, but have not yet been counted. Sophia King, 4th (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune). James Gardiner in the 45th Ward on the Northwest Side; Ald. They were more than 500 votes apart, but with as many as 3,380 mail-in ballots still not counted. Michael Carrasquillo, a 21-year-old resident in the 30th Ward, hasnt always been interested in local politics. And when you look at the wards that are turning out, its Vallas best wards. With 95% of precincts reporting, Monique Scott secured nearly 67% of the vote compared to about 33% of the vote for her opponent, who ran unsuccessfully for the same seat in 2019. Spencer Ng, owner of Triple Crown Restaurant. ), but restricted until after 1 p.m. at sites with spring turkey hunting. Lora Chamberlain brought her beagle, Donna, with her to vote at Stephen Hayt Elementary School in the 48th Ward on Tuesday morning. Lynn Sweet has more takeaways in her full analysis. Willie Wilson, who owns a medical supply company, is known for his gas and food giveaways and for helping people pay their property taxes. After an exhausting, five-week battle for the heart and soul of Chicago, Johnson narrowly defeated former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, who led early, only to have Johnson overtake him and stay there. Her niece, Kendra Holyfield, agreed, saying Racine Avenue alone is a physical barrier to voting because people dont want to cross it. Will Burns. But he wants them to know they can speak their mind, and voting is a way to do that. The 65-year-old said whoever becomes the next mayor should take after former Mayor Jane Byrne in focusing on youth to stop crime. Lower turnout does mean that the Board of Elections will likely have the majority of precincts reporting results before 8 p.m. Tuesday evening. Monique Scott (24th) cruised into another term Tuesday night as Ald. Andres Cuadra, a Chicago police detective, stopped by Wildwood Elementary to vote Tuesday morning. Eleven candidates are running for mayor of Chicago, Illinois, in the February 28, 2023, general election. This is an important election. The 2023 United States elections are scheduled to be held, in large part, on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. No one can say this is nepotism, Monique Scott said to the crowd as she declared victory. David Brown. We worked our butts off. pic.twitter.com/eyCpkWKGmv, Addressing his supporters at the Stockyards Garage, Ciaravino said Its not easy, I wasnt prepared to make a concession speech tonight [but] we did some amazing things.. Before her tenure as mayor, she served in a variety of positions, including as president of the Chicago Police Board. Crime metastasizes, so you have shootings in communities like Lincoln Square that didnt have shootings and fatalities and murders and crime and now have it.. She also suggested more polling places be added to make it easier for voters to get where they need to be. King has represented Chicagos fourth ward since April 2016, having lived in the area for 30 years. He wants other young people to know they can speak their minds and voting is a way to do that. Brandon Johnson, a union organizer and former teacher, was elected Chicago mayor on Tuesday. She said she is optimistic that he will win and that the positive change will ripple out to the towns around Chicago. The profiles are part of ourelection hub, where youll also finda quizthatll pair you with the candidate who aligns with your values,a mock up of what your ballot will look like and much more. We dont have to choose between toughness and compassion. People are smiling. Despite an avalanche of business contributions that allowed him to outspend Johnson by 2-to-1, Vallas could not overcome his own statements on talk radio, Facebook and Twitter that left voters in this overwhelmingly Democratic city believing he is an anti-abortion, pro-voucher Republican. Joy Clendenning, a Chicago public schools mom and activist, said she is not surprised at the results so far, and said it makes sense to her that education is the starting point of what she sees as a movement. This campaign that I ran to bring this city together would not be a campaign that fulfilled my ambitions if this campaign is gonna divide us more. And the kids is the future.. Lee was appointed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot last year, but now she is poised to become its first elected Chinese American alderperson. 2023 Candidate Contributions Expenditures Cash on hand Shammas Malik: $49,728 $56,472 $156,512 Keith Mills: $100 $0 $15,000 Tara Mosley: $9,501 $3,773 $10,506 Of the top ten wards for turnout at mid-afternoon, six were Vallas strongholds: the 19th, 41st, 45th, 43rd, 44th and 2nd Wards. Mayoral Candidate Paul Vallas votes at Robert Healy Elementary School at 3010 S. Parnell Ave., Tuesday, April 4, 2023. Alfredo Alvarez, a 20-year Belmont Cragin resident, agreed, blaming a historical distrust in politicians for Chicagos past of low voter turnout. Fighting pollution is always a concern for this ward, with heavy industry at nearly every turn. That translated into more than 2,800 votes for Lee over Ciaravino, more than enough to cover the up to 1,234 mail-in votes that still havent been counted, records show. As soon as he hits that age mark, hell be voting too, Cope said. Guajuardo is an Army National Guard veteran and labor organizer. Despite her encouraging her son to vote, Cope said she was worried about the sincerity of politicians running for office in this cycle. There was no honeymoon period for me, Lightfoot said last year. Her campaign has had a heavy focus on transparency in government, on the citys handling of violent crime, and on education, with tabs dedicated to those topics on her campaign website. Crime is the most important issue facing Chicago, Cuadra said. She said safe recreational spaces for youth was the key. In the 21st Ward, community organizer Ronnie Mosley declared victory despite a narrow lead over retired firefighter Cornell Dantzler, who refused to concede in the runoff to replace outgoing Ald. Creative Scott, a small-business owner, received about 33% of the votes. Weve got a higher than expected youth vote. Just like last time, the Sun-Times and WBEZ will have journalists at polls and campaign parties throughout the city to provide you latest vital reporting on the election. Mayor Lightfoot, everyone thought she was gonna come in and do something, but she didnt.. Gilbert Gil Villegas (36th) and Ald. Its really too bad. As we enter the final weeks leading up to the Feb. 28 election, WBEZ and the Sun-Times have rolled out valuable tools to keep you informed as you prepare to make your voice heard. As soon as the EPA regulations are released, they will be open for public comment. Get everything you need before Election Day with our Voters Guide. Former Congressman Bobby Rush and former Illinois State Senate President Emil Jones put their names on the Vallas list. Sheri Dysoin, a lifelong Englewood resident, said people have become disillusioned by politics because of the citys history of disinvestment in neighborhoods like hers. And Ill be the mayor for you, too. Elections will be 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. COVID really put our kids back, Smith said. Brandon Johnson defeated Paul Vallas in the runoff election for mayor of Chicago, Illinois, on April 4, 2023. Ariel Reboyras retirement left the 30th Ward field wide open and Gardiners scandal-plagued first term hung over his re-election bid. The turnout that weve seen since 6 a.m. is closely matching what we just saw on Feb. 28 but it is improving as the hours go along, Bever said. Oh no!, Chicagoan Sandra Schneller, who lives in River North, exclaimed as numbers flashed across the screen. 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. I think people just gave up on politics because they figure theyre not gonna invest whatever money they ve got in this neighborhood. If no one gets more than 50% of the vote on Feb. 28, a runoff between the top two will take place April 4, with inauguration set for May. Read the full report from Fran Spielman, Tina Sfondeles and Nader Issa. Senator Dick Durbin in 2020. The Chicago tradition of a drunk election judge has not held true today, he said. Thats all baked into the models, Lee said. Sawyer, the son of Eugene Sawyer, Chicagos mayor from 1987-89, is giving up his 6th Ward City Council seat with the goal of turning Lori Lightfoot into a one-term mayor. Retired Secretary of State Jesse White quickly threw his support behind him once the runoff was determined. "We have demonstrated that we can change the world, Chicago." Nicole Lee held onto her 11th Ward seat Tuesday night as her opponent, Anthony Ciaravino conceded not long after the polls closed. Although his father, Eugene Sawyer, was appointed mayor, an alderman has never been elected to the citys top post. Former Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey, who has gone back to teaching 9th grade civics at South Shore high school, said its profoundly gratifying to see a CTU-backed candidate, Brandon Johnson, on the cusp of taking City Hall more than a decade after social justice-oriented leaders took over the union. The first round of the election is slated for Feb. 28. Its hard to know how much they actually sway voters, but they surely say a lot about the people standing beside a candidate. I thought it was gonna be yearsthe next generation, not my generation, said Ng, who is a second cousin of Lee. Jason Lee, a senior adviser to the Johnson campaign, stopped short of claiming victory, but was feeling good about Johnsons chances. In the other race, Ruth Cruz received over 51% of votes against Jessica Gutirrez, also with all precincts reporting. How Chicago voted for the mayoral runoff, ward by ward, Villegas, Monique Scott win ward races as Taliaferro struggles to hold onto 29th Ward seat, Pastor William Hall to replace Ald. A small but loud group of supporters are gathering at Thirty65 on the Southeast Side. In his victory speech, Johnson noted that his election came on the anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. With 91% of precincts reporting, Clay was carrying 55.3% of the vote compared to 44.7% for business executive Kim Walz, a former aide to U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley. Walter Burnett, 27th, and Brian Hopkins, 2nd slowly started to file in before the polls closed at 7 p.m. Vallas supporter Ivan Rittenberg arrived early donning two Vallas buttons one on his jacket and another on his flat cap. Read more here. Shes very thorough.. and extremely transparent about all the work she does, and thats the kind of partner I want to have at the city level because theres a big overlap in the constituents we serve.. Lee hangs onto 11th Ward seat, as challenger Ciaravino concedes. WATCH LIVE Chicago & Suburban Cook Co. North Suburbs West Suburbs South Suburbs NW . Other people in this race made me a better candidate, and I hope that Alderman Gardiner appreciates that thousands of people expressed a desire for transparency, integrity, and a voice. Although his father, Eugene Sawyer, was appointed mayor, an alderman has never been elected to the citys top post. Emil Jones, Ald. Complete ABC7 coverage of the 2023 Chicago mayoral election, city council elections and other municipal offices. He came out Tuesday to vote for the second time and volunteer for 45th Ward Ald. The list of contenders looking to unseat Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot continued to grow on Tuesday, as community activist JaMal Green entered the field. NBC 5 political reporter Mary Ann Ahern reports. Election 2023 The Ballot The Latest Chicago Needs More Shelters And Federal Money As Thousands Of Migrants Are Arriving, Mayor Says Some migrants have to wait days at police stations as officials look for shelter for them, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said. He calls for supporters to "take this bold, progressive movement around the United States of America. People feel that no matter what, their opinion is not gonna count cause they live in Englewood, Dysoin said. You can read more about Sawyer on his aldermanic page. He owes his meteoric rise to the millions in contributions and thousands of campaign foot soldiers provided by the CTU and its affiliates, SEIU Locals 1 and 73, SEIU Heathcare, AFSCME Council 31 and United Working Families. Martin Luther King Jr. Read the full report from Mitchell Armentrout and Kade Heather. If tonight is proof of anything, its that false choices dont serve Chicago any longer.. Dean Thompson, a former principal at Dunne STEM Academy, said he came out to vote because of his history with Vallas. With all precincts reporting, Villegas had about 58% of the vote compared to about 42% for Leonor Torres Whitt. Johnson and his opponent Paul Vallas had presented mayoral visions that couldnt differ more. His platform includes what he calls a 4-Star Plan, focusing on safety and justice, education, economic opportunity, and stabilizing the citys finances. Thompsons opposition to Vallas didnt directly translate to immediate support for Johnson, who he said could change his stance on policing. While the voters were slowly making their way to the ballot box at Welles Park, the handful of polling judges swapped tales of their history working the polls. He said he thinks the Chicago Teachers Union, which has gained more political power over the years, is problematic. Its not that Vallas could do much about it, McMillan said, but that Vallass opponent, CTU organizer and former public schools teacher Brandon Johnson, would help the union rather than try to stop its momentum. Sophia King, Ald. (Johnson) came to my building and I talked to him, so I voted for him, Archie said. The candidates were about 1,828 votes apart with all precincts reporting, though there were as many as 3,481 uncounted mail-in ballots. It was, as political strategist David Axelrod put it, the candidate of the Chicago Teachers Union vs. the Fraternal Order of Police, with Chicagos future political direction in the balance. Supporters of Ald. Highlighting the list. Regardless, he said voting was something hes always done, noting that the country is always just one election away from taking a sharp turn sideways. Monique Scott packed Soul to celebrate the candidates early lead. If Clays lead holds, the number of Black City Council members will remain the same as 2019 with 20 members. With the city heavily split during this election cycle, it came down to less than 20,000 votes between the two candidates as of Wednesday morning. Illinoi State Rep. Kam Buckner announced Thursday he plans to run for mayor of Chicago, throwing his hat into the ring amid a growing list of candidates. Early voting was strong over the past couple weeks. Progressive Brandon Johnson, a former teacher, defeated the well-financed, tough-on-crime moderate Paul Vallas, a former CEO of the . John Roberson had been a City Hall rising star until 2005. Dean and Renee Thompson voted at Morgan Park High School on Tuesday morning. On this very day 55 years ago, Dr. King stood on a balcony. This two-round election took place alongside other 2023 Chicago elections, including races for City Council, city clerk, city treasurer, and police district councils. chicago mayor election Chicago Mayoral Election: Latest poll shows Paul Vallas widening lead, no clear 2nd place candidate Voters may not know who else makes the runoff for days after. Ald. Crime and economic development emerged as key issues in both races on the Northwest Side, where Ald. Johnson lives in Chicagos Austin neighborhood, and previously worked as a teacher in the Chicago Public Schools system before being elected to the Cook County Board. So like housing and mental health and jobs and youth, its all what public schools are about, she said. 10th Ward aldermanic candidate Peter Chico votes at the Henry Clay School in Chicago Tuesday, 4-4-23. Eight City Council races featured all newcomers, including in the 30th Ward, where Jessica Gutirrez, the daughter of former U.S. Rep. Luis Gutirrez, was 260 votes shy of opponent Ruth Cruz with all precincts reporting but up to 1,584 mail-in ballots not counted. Sophia King hopes to defuse tension in city, JaMal Green says city needs a leader who can offer residents hope. I think its a clear choice between two different visions for Chicago, McMillan said. But the age factor was a key indicator that tilted toward Johnson, with young voters rallying to his cause. Im anxious, as anyone would be when its this close, said retiring Ald. I value you, and I want to hear from you. 4 takeaways from Chicagos mayoral election. Nerves are high among Vallas supporters huddled in front of a television screen projecting election results, as Brandon Johnson took his first lead of the night. A runoff election was scheduled for April 4, 2023. We need to figure out how to actually invest in those neighborhoods and pull people into the political process, Sharkey said. EXPLAINER: What Causes a Dust Storm And How Often Do They Occur? He moved from San Francisco about six months ago. Sophia King, Ald. None of that is surprising. In general, it's never . Highlighting the list is Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who will seek a second term in office. Heres a look at the nine candidates, one of whom will be running Chicago come spring. . Tanieka Smith, stopped to vote at Higgins on her way to work, donning her U.S. Victor Hilitski/Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times. Despite a stormy first term, the mayor has challenged the media to find another mayor who faced the unprecedented challenges that confronted her. Ayanna Thomas, a lifelong Belmont Cragin resident, didnt think she was going to make it to her polling place at Dr. Jorge Prieto Math and Science Academy in the 36th Ward after an hour-long commute from work. May 1, 2023, 11:55am PDT. The only question is, will it be enough for Vallas to declare victory and Johnson to concede., He added, Brandon Johnson was banking on this kind of rainbow coalition type of campaign with minority votes at a high level and it doesnt look like thats panning out. He has also focused his efforts largely on addressing the problem of violence in the city. Read more here. We have the better operation out today. The winner may not be known for days. You can read more about his campaign on his website. 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. Lora Chamberlain came out Tuesday morning with her beagle, Donna, to vote at Stephen Hayt Elementary School in the 48th Ward. When some of his supporters shouted, No, Vallas admonished them. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times Supporters cheer at mayoral candidate Brandon Johnsons election night party at the Marriott Marquis Chicago as Johnson takes the lead in the polls against opponent Paul Vallas, Tuesday, April 4, 2023. With 99.6% of precincts reporting, Johnson had 51.42% of the vote to 48.58% for Vallas a margin of 15,872 votes out of 557,422 cast. So, any small shift in turnout in your favor can impact the outcome, Lee said. Johnsons cousin, Yarkona Hall, at the candidates watch party. Nicole Lee declared victory over her opponent, Anthony Ciaravino, a Chicago police instructor. People are looking for something different. His platform includes what he calls a 4-Star Plan, focusing on safety and justice, education, economic opportunity, and stabilizing the citys finances. She said that was enough to win her and her family over, and that more politicians should try to work directly with constituents. Ward race results are pouring in for the 14 runoff races. Because this campaign has always been about building a better, stronger, safer Chicago for all the people of Chicago.. Nicole Lee gathered at her watch party at New Furama restaurant in Chicagos Chinatown neighborhood as polls closed throughout the ward and city. The runoff showed the more conservative Paul Vallas sprinting away from statements he made about abortion rights while distancing himself from the footsie he played with Republicans. All rights reserved, Aerosmith Announces 2023 Farwell Tour; Teases to Chicago Date at United Center, Registration For 2023 Chicago Park District Summer Camps Begins Monday. Its probably the long history of corruption in the city and the state, Alvarez said. King said she would Chicago Police Supt. Operations at polling places have been running smooth only 14 had a late start Tuesday morning and there havent been any major complaints so far, Bever said. To repopulate South and West Side communities, Green suggests the city issue $1 billion in annual revenue bonds to create up to 10,000 new homeowners through assistance with down payments and closing costs. Ciaravino was met by whoops, applause and a standing ovation when he entered the garage full of supporters. With all precincts reporting, Gardiner had more than 55% of the vote over opponent Megan Mathias, who was down more than 1,700 votes, though there are as many as 1,992 mail-in ballots still uncounted, records show. Its going to come down by vote-by-mail itll be razor thin.. He currently serves as the chairman of the City Councils Black Caucus, and serves on a variety of committees, including education and child development, as well as the rules and ethics committee. The two candidates also have very different visions for Chicago Public Schools. The huge banquet hall at Brandon Johnsons watch party at the Marriott Marquis near the citys convention center is slowly filling up. With a burst of good will generated by his $1.2 million gas giveaways, millionaire businessman Willie Wilson on Monday joined the race to send Mayor Lori Lightfoot into political retirement after a single term. We need a change, Smith said of both the mayoral and aldermanic offices. Were going to allow the absentee ballot count to move forward.. In the 11th Ward, covering the Daley familys longtime South Side enclave of Bridgeport, Ald. By 10:30 p.m., Creative Scotts campaign confirmed he conceded. My name is Brandon Johnson and I cant wait to be sworn in as the next mayor of the greatest city in the world, a euphoric Johnson, 47, told his cheering supporters at the Marriott Marquis Chicago, 2121 S. Prairie Ave. Brandon Johnson walks on stage with his family to speak at his election night party at the Marriott Marquis Chicago after defeating Paul Vallas in the mayoral runoff election, Tuesday, April 4, 2023. Polls citywide are open until 7 p.m. but Bever urged voting as soon as possible due to predicted stormy weather this afternoon. People are tired of the conflict and the bickering and the fighting that they think is representative of her style of government, Garcia said. Laura Cope brought her 14-year-old son Malik Gist with her to vote at Simeon Career Academy on Tuesday. Born in Durango, Mexico, Garca was a young proteg of Latino community activist Rudy Lozano, who was a budding political star before he was killed by a gang member.