Of 1.4 million registered voters in Chicago, 41.7 percent cast ballots in Tuesday's election.
For what was billed as a historic election, officials expected that number to be higher. Tuesday was the first time in 64 years an incumbent was not running for mayor.
Based on strong early voting of more than 73,000 residents, including retiring Mayor Daley, officials predicted a turnout above 50 percent.
The figure translates to almost 587,000 votes. That's more than the number cast in the two previous elections, in 2003 and 2007, when turnout hovered around 30 percent.
City officials told the Chicago Sun-Times that voter fatigue might be to blame for the disappointing turnout.
