Chicago Mayoral Election 2023

2023 Chicago Election Day Live Updates: Mayor Lightfoot Concedes Election, Setting Stage for Johnson vs. Vallas Runoff

Chicago, welcome to Election Day. And according to experts, it's going to be a long one.

The race for Chicago mayor is crowded, with nine candidates on the ballot, various last-minute polls showing a different results and experts predicting a runoff. But that's not the only race Chicago voters will be weighing in on, on Feb. 28.

Voters will also be electing a New Chicago Police District Councils, voting on Aldermen and weighing in on referendum questions.

As Election Day across the city gets underway, we're keeping tabs on how it unfolds below

8:45 p.m. Lori Lightfoot Concedes Mayoral Election, Setting Stage for Runoff Election Between Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas

Incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot has conceded the mayoral election, telling reporters at her campaign headquarters that she had called former CPS CEO Paul Vallas and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson to congratulate them on advancing to a runoff election.

Earlier in the evening, the Associated Press reported that Paul Vallas had advanced to the April 4 runoff election, before later reporting that Johnson had also advanced to the runoff.

With just under 91 percent of precincts reported, Paul Vallas leads the field with 34.87 percent of the vote. Brandon Johnson, in second place, holds 20.21 percent of the vote.

Lightfoot currently holds 16.4 percent of the vote, and is in third place of the nine candidates in the race.

7:45 p.m. Paul Vallas Advances to Mayoral Runoff; Second Contender To Be Determined

With over 75 percent of precincts reporting, the Associated Press is reporting that former CPS CEO Paul Vallas will advance to the mayoral runoff on April 4.

The second contender is yet to be determined.

With current returns, Vallas holds approximately 36 percent of the vote, while Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson is currently in second place with just over 20 percent of the vote.

Incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot is in third with 15.71 percent of the vote, while Congressman Chuy Garcia is in fourth place with 14.03 percent of the vote.

7:25 p.m. Vallas Campaign Headquarters Begin to Fill Up as Results Begin to be Released

With results now becoming available, front-runner Paul Vallas' campaign headquarters are quickly filling up, with the former CPS CEO hoping to advance to the mayoral runoff.

7:20 p.m. Live Results Begin to Trickle In

Live returns from the 2023 Chicago municipal elections are beginning to flow in. Follow along with the latest results here.

7:10 p.m. Voter Turnout Just Over 32% As Polls Close

As polls have just closed throughout Chicago on Election Day, final turnout did not mirror the record-high turnout for early voting and mail-in voting seen in the weeks preceding the election.

While there are still approximately 99,000 mail-in ballots outstanding, a total of 507,852 ballots are confirmed to have been cast.

Election officials said that all mail-in ballots received on Tuesday will not be processed and counted until Wednesday. Any additional ballots received by officials after Wednesday will be processed and counted on a rolling basis.

Overall, voters ages 55-64 ended up representing the largest proportion of total voters, making up 19.38 percent of the electorate.

Voters ages 18-24 were the least-represented age group by a wide margin, making up just 3.14 percent of total ballots cast.

7 p.m. Polls Close in Chicago as Voters Await Results in Mayoral, Aldermanic Races

Polls have closed throughout the city as live results from early voting and mail-in returns are expected to be made available shortly.

Although polls close have closed at 7 p.m., any voter who is in line to vote by the time of poll closures will be allowed to vote.

Voters line up at the downtown "supersite" in the final minutes before polls closed.

City voters are anxiously awaiting results for Chicago's mayoral and aldermanic elections, in addition to the newly-created Police District Council elections.

6:40 p.m. Where and How to Track Aldermanic Race Results

With all 50 seats of City Council up for grabs alongside the Mayor's seat, residents in each of Chicago's wards will be able to follow along to see who their next alderperson will be.

As a dozen incumbents have opted not to run for re-election, the chamber could see significant change come springtime.

More on how to track the races can be found here.

6 p.m. What is a Runoff Election and What Does it Take to Force One?

With a crowded field of nine mayoral candidates, the race will likely head to a runoff election between the top two vote-getters.

A runoff election occurs when no candidate receives at least 50 percent of the vote in the first round.

More on what voters should know can be found here.

5:25 p.m. 'Sluggish' Election Day Turnout Surprises Local Officials

After a record-high early voting and mail-in voting turnout, local officials were noticeably surprised at the slower turnout for same-day voting in this year's municipal elections.

Data shows that average turnout has been highest among residents age 55 and older, with 238,978 ballots cast among that group, representing more than 53% of the total ballots cast so far.

More details on the city's Election Day turnout can be found here.

5:20 p.m. Keep Track of Live Results For Mayoral, City Council and Police District Council Races As They Come In

With polls set to close in Chicago Tuesday evening, vote totals are expected to begin rolling in, giving residents and the country the first look at what could be in store in a hotly contested race for mayor.

As the polls close at 7 p.m., NBC Chicago will begin reporting live vote totals from election officials.

5:15 p.m. Same-Day Turnout Picks Up in Final Hours of Voting

While same-day Election Day turnout has lagged noticeably behind that of previous years, it appears that Chicagoans getting off work are helping in providing a boost to turnout numbers with less than two hours left until polls close.

As of the 5 p.m. hour, a total of 444,731 ballots have been cast, representing 28.1 percent of Chicago's registered voters.

The 28,904 ballots cast in the 4 p.m. hour represented the busiest hour of the day for the polls by a considerable margin, with only the 3 p.m. hour also eclipsing 20,000 ballots cast.

While voters ages 65-74 have cast the most votes thus far, making up 19.95 percent of the current electorate, voters ages 55-64 have also hit the polls in significant numbers, with that age group making up 19.47 percent of total ballots cast.

Although polls will close at 7 p.m., any mail-in ballots returned on Tuesday will not be counted until after Election Day, which could impact what the results look like as early returns come in.

4:40 p.m. Several Candidates Visit Iconic Chicago Restaurant in Final Voter Outreach Efforts

As voters head to the polls for the first round of the 2023 Chicago municipal elections, several mayoral candidates thought there was no better place to get out the vote than iconic Chicago restaurant Manny's Deli.

6th Ward Ald. and mayoral candidate Roderick Sawyer greets Mayor Lori Lightfoot inside Manny's Deli

In addition to Sawyer and Lightfoot, Ald. Sophia King, State Rep. Kam Buckner, Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas made an appearance at Manny's in the late morning and early afternoon hours, making their final pitches to voters ahead of polls closing Tuesday evening.

3:30 p.m. Total Turnout at 24.7% as Election Day Turnout Remains Slow

While nearly a quarter-million ballots were cast before polls opened this morning, Election Day turnout has remained slower than normal.

Overall turnout remains under 25 percent as of a 3 p.m. update from the Chicago Board of Elections, with a total of 390,455 ballots cast thus far.

In 2019, the final citywide turnout for the first round of the municipal elections was 35.45 percent, with a total of 560,701 ballots cast.

Chicagoans ages 65-74 represent the highest proportion of overall votes cast thus far, making up 20.79 percent of the votes cast through midday Tuesday.

Voters ages 18-24 make up the smallest proportion of overall votes cast by a wide margin, with just 2.47 percent of overall votes being cast by the youngest group of voters.

So far on Election Day, the 11 a.m. hour has seen the highest overall turnout, with 18,091 ballots cast.

Over 17,000 ballots were cast in each of the three hours following the current daily high at 11 a.m.

Polls will remain open until 7 p.m.

1 p.m. "All things are prepared for a citywide runoff," Chicago Board of Elections Says

The Chicago mayoral election could be one of the most tightly-contested races in recent memory, and officials say that it may take longer than Tuesday night to determine the top-two finishers in the race.

According to the Chicago Board of Elections, more than 200,000 mail-in ballot applications have been received so far during the election season, but more than 100,000 mail-in ballots are currently outstanding.

As long as ballots are postmarked by Feb. 28, and as long as they are received by the CBOE by March 14, the CBOE says. However, the CBOE has until March 21 to certify the results.

"We are going to try to get that proclamation done on the 15th or the 16th," the Chicago Board of Election's Director of Public Information Max Bever said Tuesday, "so that we can declare those races done, and we can get those ballots printed...and out, and available, for the April 4th runoff. Because again, at this point, all things are prepared for a city wide runoff on April 4. I think that that's what is top of mind for me right now.

A new poll, conducted just days before Tuesday’s election, showed former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas expanding his lead in the city’s mayoral race, with three candidates still battling it out to determine who could finish second and force an April runoff.

Here's more on that.

12 p.m. Election Day Voter Turnout is "A Little Sluggish"

Despite the 'highest' number of Pre-Election voting for any municipal election in the city, the Chicago Board of Elections during a 12 p.m. update said that Election Day turnout has been "a little sluggish."

"So we are lower turnout on election day than we have seen in previous municipal elections, at least so far," CBOE's Director of Public Information Max Bever said.

"There's still plenty of time left in the day," Bever added. "The sunshine is out now. But I will say, we're as hopeful as we were feeling at the Chicago Board of Elections that our turnout was going to look the same as it was in 2022, where about 25% of voters voted by mail. 25% of voters early voted, and 50% of voters still waited for Election Day."

"Given the numbers we're looking at right now," Bever continued, it's starting to paint a picture where it looks like more voters may have made up their mind earlier and may have chosen early voting, but especially vote by mail to make their choice."

Polls remain open until 7 p.m.

11 a.m. Yes, You Can Register to Vote on Election Day

Illinois offers same-day voter registration, but those voters will be required to provide identification to register and to cast a ballot.  

According to the SBE, valid forms of identification include a driver’s license or state ID, a utility bill, a government check, a paycheck, a lease or contract for residence, a bank statement, or any other form of government document that includes the voter’s name and address.

A student ID is also accepted, but must be accompanied by a piece of mail addressed to the residence at which the voter is seeking to register.

10 a.m. What to Know About the New Chicago Police District Councils

Many residents may have been surprised to find a new voting section on their ballots this Election Day: the Chicago Police District Council.

District councils will be elected in each of Chicago’s 22 police districts.

The district councils are part of an ordinance approved by Chicago City Council back in July of 2021 to create a new model for police oversight, accountability and public safety. Of the 22 police districts in the city, each district council would be made up of three people elected in regular municipal elections every four years.

They will be elected every four years, on the same schedule as the mayoral and City Council races.

Here's a full breakdown of how the councils are meant to work, what they will do and more.

9:30 a.m. Who's Driving Voter Turnout?

It's looking like older voters are driving up vote totals in Chicago. According to the Chicago Board of Elections, the majority of early, vote-by-mail and Election Day voting has come from voters between the ages of 55 and 74.

9 a.m. Updated Vote Totals Are In

According to the Chicago Board of Elections, 280,822 ballots have been cast so far.

8:30 a.m. How to Find Out What Ward You're In

While most of the attention on Election Day in Chicago has been focused on the nine Chicago Mayoral Candidates, Chicago voters will also be casting ballots for Aldermen in all 50 wards.

In all, 12 members of the City Council will not be seeking reelection, with several more defending seats that they’ve only recently been appointed to.

Just like in the mayoral election, if no candidate receives a majority of the votes in the Feb. 28 election, meaning 50% plus one additional vote, then the top two vote-getters would advance to a runoff, which will be held on April 4.

Not sure which ward you live in? You can use the city's "Ward Finder" tool here.

And, here's the full list of aldermen running for election in Chicago.

8 a.m. -- Is Election Day a Holiday?

No, it's not.

But -- if you're a student, there's some good news.

House Bill 5488, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2023, states that any public middle or high school student will be permitted at least one "day-long excused absence from school to engage in a civic event."

According to the bill's text, a "civic event" is defined by an "event sponsored by a non-profit organization or government entity that is open to the public," and can include "an artistic or cultural performance or educational gathering that supports the mission of the sponsoring non-profit organization."

That means, you may be able to get an excused absence to participate in your civic duty to vote.

Here's the full text of the bill.

7:30 a.m. -- Chicago Board of Elections says early voter turnout is strong

According to the CBOE, the word "strong" might be a bit of an understatement.

"We have received the highest amount of Pre-Election voting we have ever seen for a Municipal Election" Marisel Hernandez, chairwoman of the CBOE said during a 6 a.m. press conference Tuesday.

Here's a breakdown of where voter turnout currently stands as of Monday evening, and how it compares to previous years.

For reference, there are 1,581,564 registered voters in Chicago.

2023:

  • Total ballots received so far: 244,580
  • Total in-person early vote ballots: 131,806
  • Total vote-by-mail ballots received: 112,774
  • Outstanding mail-in ballots yet to arrive: 100,843 (vote-by-mail application number currently stands at 213,617
  • Total citywide turnout so far: 13.3%

2019 Municipal Election:

  • 130,928 early votes cast
  • 49,652 vote-by-mail ballots returned (vote-by-mail applications stood at 62,600)
  • Total votes cast, including Election Day: 560,701
  • Total citywide turnout: 35.45%

2015 Municipal Election

  • 95,937 early votes cast
  • 22,788 vote-by-mail ballots returned (vote-by-mail applications stood at 29,599)
  • Total votes cast, including Election Day: 483,700
  • Total citywide turnout: 34.03%

7:00 a.m. -- What else is on your ballot?

While much has been reported about the race for mayor in Chicago, voters will also notice a number of other items on their ballots this Election Day:

6:45 a.m. -- Latest poll shows Vallas in lead, Johnson gaining an edge in tight race for second

A new poll, conducted just days before Tuesday’s election, shows former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas expanding his lead in the city’s mayoral race, with three candidates still battling it out to determine who could finish second and force an April runoff.

The poll, conducted by Victory Research, also showed Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson edging out ahead of incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who is still well within striking distance as she looks to earn a second term.

Here are the top-five candidates according to the new poll:

Paul Vallas – 26.8%

Brandon Johnson – 20.2%

Lori Lightfoot – 18.7%

Jesús “Chuy” García – 15.6%

Willie Wilson – 11.4%

Note that these results are different from another recent poll, released over the weekend. Here's more on that.

6:30 a.m. -- Your last-minute guide to Chicago's 9 mayoral candidates

With a crowded field of nine candidates, various conflicting polls and thousands more ballots expected to be cast on Election Day -- not to mention the thousands of outstanding mail-in ballots the Chicago Board of Elections expected to receive in the coming days -- experts are increasingly predicting a mayoral runoff.

“It might take some time after election night to call some of these races, even the mayor’s race,” Max Bever of the Chicago Board of Elections told NBC Chicago.

Election attorney Burt Odelson agrees.

“It’s very, very possible that we could have discovery recounts to see who comes in second, to see who is entitled to run on April 4,” he says.

The nine candidates running for Chicago mayor are: Ja’Mal Green, Ald. Sophia King, State Rep. Kam Buckner, Willie Wilson, Brandon Johnson, Paul Vallas, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Ald. Roderick Sawyer and Rep. Jesús ‘Chuy’ García.

Details on each candidate can be found here.

6 a.m.-- Polls are open

According to the Chicago Board of Elections, all polling places open at 6 a.m. Feb. 28. Polls will close at 7 p.m.

Note: If you're in line before 7 p.m., you'll still be able to vote.

Here's a full list of polling places by ward and precinct, as well as each location's accessibility tiers.

If you aren't sure which precinct or ward live in, you find out here. You can also vote at the Loop Voting Supersite, located at 191 N. Clark St.

However, the Chicago Board of Elections says, this year, "voters can choose whatever voting site is most convenient for them, including on Election Day."

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