Chicagoans proved their interest in the outcome of Tuesday's election with a high number of early voting ballots.
Nearly 90,000 ballots were cast by the end of the day Saturday, which is up about 23 percent from the early voting numbers for the 2011 election, according to James P. Allen, a spokesperson for the Chicago Board of Elections.
On Saturday alone, the final day of early votoing, 21,537 ballots were cast.
On the last day of early voting, the five mayoral candidates hit the campaign trail on the city's South and West Sides vying for the African-American vote that could be key in avoiding or prompting a runoff election.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel hopes to achieve at least 50 percent of the vote plus one to avoid an April runoff.
The election takes place Tuesday, Feb. 24. Find your polling place here.
