It was Election Day! Again in the Chicago area Tuesday, and we're learning more about the new generation of leadership in the city and elsewhere.
Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson declared victory in the city's mayoral race over former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas.
Meanwhile, most of the City Council's incumbents facing runoffs Tuesday emerged victorious, but 29th ward Ald. Chris Taliaferro is still facing a tough challenge.
But Chicago isn't the only area around here that had an Election Day on Tuesday.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
Dozens of suburbs and communities near Chicago are holding consolidated elections on April 4.
It's a lot to keep track of, and here's how it unfolded.
10:43 p.m.: Group of Chicago City Council Races Too Close to Call as Most Incumbents Hang On
Local
With 14 Chicago City Council races up for grabs for the runoff election, it appears that most of the incumbents who were facing reelection battles will hang on, with one possible exception.
According to the latest numbers from the Chicago Board of Elections, 29th ward Ald. Chris Taliaferro has opened up a slim lead of 186 votes over his challenger CB Johnson in the race, with 23-of-24 precincts reporting as of 10 p.m.
Several other races remained tight, with candidates eeking out narrow leads, including Desmon Yancy, who leads Tina Hone by just under 400 votes with 100% of precincts reporting in the fifth ward.
Ruth Cruz leads Jessica Gutierrez by 260 votes in the 30th ward, with more than 10,000 ballots cast in that race.
43rd ward Ald. Timmy Knudsen leads Brian Comer by just over 500 votes in their race, and has declared victory in the campaign.
You can get a full rundown on the Board of Elections' website.
10:20 p.m.: Lightfoot, Emanuel Congratulate Brandon Johnson After Projected Victory in Chicago Mayoral Race
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and former Mayor Rahm Emanuel have both offered their congratulations to Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, who has been projected as the winner of the city's mayoral runoff election.
Johnson will apparently become the city's 57th mayor next month, and Lightfoot issued a statement congratulating him on his victory.
"I congratulate Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson on his hard-fought runoff victory this evening," she said. "It is time for all of us as Chicagoans, regardless of our ZIP code or neighborhood, our race or ethnicity, the creator we worship, or who we love, to come together and recommit ourselves to uniting around our shared present and future. My entire team and I stand ready to collaborate throughout the transition period.
"As always, I will continue to root for the city I call home, and to work toward more equity and fairness in every neighborhood. I am hopeful and optimistic that the incoming administration will carry forth our work to that end," she added.
Lightfoot finished third in the Feb. 28 general election, paving the way for a runoff between Johnson and former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas.
Emanuel, currently the U.S. ambassador to Japan, tweeted his congratulations to Johnson.
"Congratulations to Brandon Johnson on being elected the 57th mayor of Chicago," he said. "It's a job of a lifetime, Brandon. Your success is the Second City's success -- and I'm rooting for your success."
9:55 p.m.: Vallas Says He 'Expects' Johnson to Win Mayoral Race as AP, NBC News Project Johnson Victory
Chicago mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson has triumphed over former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas in the city's runoff election, the Associated Press is projecting.
Johnson, who finished second behind Vallas in the Feb. 28 general election, has built that lead with nearly 99% of precincts reporting.
Johnson has racked up 284,108 votes as of 9:28 p.m., with Vallas at 268,115 votes.
"I ran for mayor to bring this city together, and it's clear from this result tonight that this city is deeply divided," Vallas said. "It's critically important that we use this opportunity to come together. I've offered him my full support in this transition. I look forward to working with him and providing him with the support he needs to be successful."
Vallas thanked supporters for their work for his campaign, saying that he called Johnson and told him that he "fully expects" him to be the next mayor of the city.
9:19 p.m.: Vallas to Speak to Supporters as Deficit Grows
With nearly 97% of precincts reporting, Brandon Johnson has built a lead of nearly 13,000 votes over Paul Vallas.
Vallas will address supporters in minutes.
8:40 p.m.: City Council Race Tracker
Most of the incumbents who faced runoff elections for the Chicago City Council appear to be headed toward victory in their races, but Ald. Chris Taliaferro is trailing by just over 100 votes in the 29th ward.
You can find more information here.
8:20 p.m.: Johnson Extends Lead Over Vallas
With just over 90% of precincts in, Johnson has taken a lead of more than 3,700 votes over Vallas, with more than 250,000 votes now in his column.
Johnson currently has 50.38% of the vote, with Vallas now trailing for the first time this evening.
7:48 p.m.: Vallas' Lead Over Johnson Narrows to Less Than 400 Votes
With 87.14% of precincts reporting, Vallas' lead over Johnson has narrowed to just 370 votes, according to the Board of Elections.
7:37 p.m.: Chicago City Council Races Feature Razor-Thin Margins
Chicago has 14 City Council runoff races, and some razor-thin margins are already being reported across the area.
In the 5th ward, Desmon Yancy has a lead of just 130 votes with 76% of precincts reporting as of 7:40 p.m.
In the 21st ward, Cornell Dantzler is leading by just 55 votes over Ronnie Mosley, with 79% of precincts reporting.
Ald. Chris Taliaferro is in a slugfest with CB Johnson in the 29th ward, up by just one vote with 66.67% of precincts reporting.
Ruth Cruz is leading Jessica Gutierrez by a narrow margin in the 30th ward with 100% of precincts reporting, leading by just 295 votes.
Ald. Timmy Knudsen is leading Brian Comer by a little over 400 votes in the 43rd ward, with 91.3% of precincts reporting.
Finally, Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth is up by just 260 votes over Joe Dunne in the 48th ward, with 85.71% of precincts reporting.
7:36 p.m. Vallas-Johnson Results Tighten
According to the latest round of numbers and with 81% of precincts reporting, 2,441 votes separate Johnson and Vallas:
Johnson: 220,025 - 49.72%
Vallas: 222,466 - 50.28%
7:23 p.m. Vallas Leads Johnson With 55.77% of Precincts Reporting
With 720 of 1,291 precincts reported, Vallas leads Johnson, 155,501 votes to 143,542, according to the Chicago Board of Elections.
7:16 p.m. Chicago Voter Turnout Numbers
Here are the latest voter turnout numbers from the Chicago Board of Elections:
- 530,382 total ballots cast
- 1,597,910 Registered Voters in Chicago
- 33.2% total citywide turnout so far
Ballots Cast By Age Group:
18 -24: 20,989 ballots cast – 3.96%
25-34: 87,506 ballots cast – 16.50%
35-44: 88,936 ballots cast – 16.77%
45-54: 84,796 ballots cast – 15.99%
55-64: 97,708 ballots cast – 18.42%
65-74: 89,845 ballots cast – 16.94%
75+: 60,689 ballots cast – 11.44%
7 p.m. Polls Close Across the Chicago Area
Polls have closed, with few exceptions, across the Chicago area. Keep tabs on live election results and live election coverage all evening long.
5:20 p.m. Live Election Coverage Tonight
To keep you posted throughout the night, NBC Chicago will offer special live election coverage beginning at 7 p.m. on our 24/7 streaming channel and NBCChicago.com. Here's how to watch live.
5:14 p.m. Latest Chicago Voter Turnout
Here are the latest voter turnout numbers from the Chicago Board of Elections:
- 476,358 total ballots cast
- 1,596,151 Registered Voters in Chicago
- 29.8% total citywide turnout so far
Ballots Cast By Age Group:
18 -24: 17,039 ballots cast – 3.58%
25-34: 73,177 ballots cast – 15.36%
35-44: 77,665 ballots cast – 16.30%
45-54: 74,721 ballots cast – 15.69%
55-64: 88,313 ballots cast – 18.54%
65-74: 85,242 ballots cast – 17.89%
75+: 58,890 ballots cast – 12.36%
Voter Turnout Per Hour:
6 a.m.: 7,236 ballots cast
7 a.m.: 12,822 ballots cast
8 a.m.: 16,902 ballots cast
9 a.m.: 17,554 ballots cast
10 a.m.: 18,898 ballots cast
11 a.m.: 21,027 ballots cast
Noon: 20,947 ballots cast
1 p.m.: 17,607 ballots cast
2 p.m.: 15,548 ballots cast
3 p.m.: 19,676 ballots cast
4 p.m.: 24,315 ballots cast
5 p.m. Why We Might Not Know the Winner of the Chicago Mayoral Runoff Election Tonight
While the results of the mayoral election's first round were determined hours after the polls closing, Tuesday's election is shaping up to be a very close two-way race that could be swayed by mail-in ballots that are counted after Election Day. Read more here.
4:30 p.m. How to Get Live Election Results Tonight
Once polls 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.
Here's how to get live Chicago election results.
Here's where to keep track of the mayoral races in Elgin and Naperville.
4:20 p.m. Fourth Lake County Polling Location to Get Extended Hours
A fourth polling location in Lake County will get extended hours, the county clerk said. JIC Community Development Center, located at 202 S Genesee St. in Waukegan, "will also receive extended hours and now close at 7:40 p.m. due to a brief delay in opening," the clerk said.
4:13 p.m. Voting Hours Extended at 3 Highland Park Polling Places
The Lake County Clerk successfully petitioned to extend voting hours at three polling places in Highland Park following the lockdown earlier Tuesday at Highland Park High School and surrounding schools.
The Lake County Clerk announced polls will remain open until 8:35 p.m. at the below Highland Park locations. All other polling locations in Highland Park will close as scheduled at 7 p.m.
- Braeside Elementary School
- Red Oak Elementary School
- Highland Park Public Library
"I am immensely thankful for the quick action of our local law enforcement, the City of Highland Park, Township High School District 113 and North Shore School District 112 regarding today's incident at Highland Park High School that put three of our polling sites on lockdown," said Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega in a statement. "Our polling sites at Braeside, Red Oak and Highland Park Library were all put on lockdown for approximately 90 minutes suspending voting at these three locations. The quick actions of our local law enforcement enabled the lockdown to be lifted and voting resumed at these locations."
"Election results will not begin to publicly upload until after 8:35 p.m. when ALL polling sites are closed," Vega said.
Highland Park residents can find their polling place at LakeVoterPower.info.
4:01 p.m. Few Issues in Chicago Due to Severe Weather
When asked about any major polling issues reported in Chicago since noon, the city's board of elections said that "the early part of the storm caused a few very temporary blackouts at the below locations – but all Election Equipment is run off of battery, so once the lights came back on, it seems everything was fine!"
8 Precinct / 37th Ward reported at 2:11 p.m.
2 Precinct / 35th Ward reported at 2:34 p.m.
4 Precinct / 31st Ward reported at 2:12 p.m.
8 Precinct / 29th Ward reported at 2:30 p.m.
2:30 p.m. Hail Pummels Suburbs on Election Day
Here's hoping you voted early -- or, at least, weren't on your way to vote when the large hail pummeled several parts of the city and suburbs.
The National Weather Service warned of "destructive" baseball-sized hail being reported in several parts of the Chicago area Tuesday as the first of multiple waves of storms moved its way through.
More severe conditions are possible heading into the afternoon and evening hours and again Wednesday morning. If you're heading out to vote, check our live weather blog for updates.
2:07 p.m. These Are the Chicago Wards With the Most Votes So Far
These Chicago wards have the most ballots cast as of 1 p.m. including all early votes, vote-by-mail votes and Election Day votes recorded so far in the Chicago Board of Elections' e-pollbook, according to Max Bever, director of public information for the Chicago Board of Elections.
For reference, here's a map of wards and their Chicago neighborhoods.
1: 19th Ward
2: 47th Ward
3: 41st Ward
4: 45th Ward
5: 43rd Ward
6: 48th Ward
7: 32nd Ward
8: 44th Ward
9: 46th Ward
10: 2nd Ward
1:53 p.m. Mayor Lightfoot's Office Issues Statement, Will Support Transition to New Leadership
Mayor Lori Lightfoot's office sent the following statement: "We have communicated to both teams that we stand ready to support the transition, including a meeting between the Mayor and the Mayor-elect at a mutually agreed upon time."
12 p.m. Mid-Day Voter Turnout Sits at 22.9%
The Chicago Board of Elections released Election Day turnout for the city as of midday.
11:30 a.m. Some Voters in Chicago Report Difficulties Voting in Schools Due to Security
Some Chicago voters reported on social media that doors to some schools, which serve as voting centers, were locked.
According to the Chicago Board of Elections, school staff and security on site work with election judges to "create the best path for voters, but schools have much stricter security requirements than they used to."
10:55 a.m. Voting Halted in Some Suburbs Due to Schools on Lockdown
Voting has been halted at some school and community voting sites in Lake County after Highland Park schools went into lockdown measures following a report of a student "potentially in possession of a gun" on campus. According to officials, the lockdown was lifted just after 12:45 p.m.
Here's the statement from Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega:
"Two North Shore District 112 schools, Braeside Elementary School of 150 Pierce Rd, Highland Park, IL 60035 serving Precincts Moraine 222, 228, 229, 230, 231, and 232 and Red Oak Elementary School of 530 Red Oak Ln, Highland Park, IL 60035 serving Precincts Moraine 220, 221, 224, 225, 226, and 227 went into a lockdown status due to heavy police presence at Highland Park High School," Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega said in a statement. "The Highland Park Public Library at 494 Laurel Ln., Highland Park, IL, 60035 serving Precincts Moraine 217, 218, 219, and 223 has also gone into lockdown status"
"This lockdown has subsequently halted all voter services at these locations at this time," Vega said.
Vega added that once lockdown is lifted, the office will "petition the court to extend voting for the same length of time as the lockdown."
As we learn more, we'll provide an update here.
10:30 a.m. -- Election Day Forecast Includes Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Much of the Chicago area is under a severe thunderstorm watch Tuesday as the first of multiple waves of storms could soon move in.
The watch, which is in effect until 3 p.m., includes Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, LaSalle and Will counties in Illinois as well as Lake County in Indiana.
If you're planning to go out and vote today, here's the latest forecast.
10 a.m.: -- Seen on Election Day: Mayoral Candidate Paul Vallas Votes
Not long after Chicago mayoral runoff candidate Brandon Johnson cast his ballot on Election Day, Paul Vallas did the same, NBC 5 Kye Martin reports.
Vallas, a resident of the 11th ward voted at Healy Elementary in Bridgeport.
"We're done," Vallas said. "It's been a great campaign. I'm confident we will have success, and hopefully we will know sooner rather than later."
9:30 a.m.: Where Voter Turnout Stands
Where's where voter turnout currently stands, according to an update from the Chicago Board of Elections:
304,090 total ballots cast
1,592,894 Registered Voters in Chicago
19.1% total citywide turnout so far
Ballots Cast By Age Group:
18 -24: 8,963 ballots cast – 2.95%
25-34: 43,052 ballots cast – 14.16%
35-44: 49,504 ballots cast – 16.28%
45-54: 48,044 ballots cast – 15.80%
55-64: 56,962 ballots cast – 18.73%
65-74: 56,936 ballots cast – 18.72%
75+: 40,641 ballots cast – 13.36%
9: a.m. -- Where Chicago Mayoral Endorsements Stand
To start the runoff campaign, Vallas received endorsements from former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White and former mayoral candidate and 6th Ward Ald. Roderick Sawyer, the former of whom backed Lightfoot in the first round.
In the weeks since, Vallas has received the support of several more City Council members, former mayoral challenger Ja'Mal Green and former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
As for Johnson, endorsements from the Chicago Teachers Union, United Working Families and several progressive City Council members helped propel his campaign to prominence and eventually a second-place finish in the first round of the mayoral election.
In the time since, Johnson has continued to consolidate support from much of the city's left-of-center political brass, receiving endorsements from Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Congressman Danny Davis.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has also endorsed Johnson, as has the Sen. Bernie Sanders-backed group Our Revolution.
You can find our updated endorsement guide here.
8:30 a.m. -- Find Your Illinois Polling Place
The Board of Elections provides a tool to help voters find their polling place. Voters will be asked to fill out their address and provide their last name.
For those outside of Chicago, click here.
8 a.m. -- Chicago Board of Elections early voting Monday broke a record
The city of Chicago set a new record for early ballots cast in a single day Monday, the Chicago Board of Elections said in an update.
According to officials with the CBOE, more than 30,000 ballots were cast at early-voting sites on Monday. Over the weekend, officials urged voters to head to the polls before Election Day, in an effort to get ahead of potentially severe weather that's to come in the afternoon.
7:30 a.m. -- Seen on Election Day: Mayoral Candidate Brandon Johnson Votes
Brandon Johnson, a Cook County Commissioner and a former Chicago Public Schools teacher who has earned the endorsement of the Chicago Teachers Union, officially cast his vote Tuesday.
Johnson voted at his local polling place in the 29th ward, his campaign says.
"We are uniting this city," Johnson told members of the media after casting his vote. "Our promises get to be as large as this city... voting for fully funded neighborhood schools. Voting for mental health services, Voting for affordability. We are voting for a better stronger safer Chicago.”
Johnson finished second in the Feb. 28 election, behind Vallas and easing ahead of incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the final weeks of the campaign.
MORE: This Map Shows Exactly How the City of Chicago Voted for Mayor in the 2023 Election
7 a.m. -- Suburbs to Vote on Mayor, Trustees, School Boards and More
Dozens of suburbs and communities near Chicago are holding consolidated elections on April 4.
A handful of cities including Prospect Heights, Naperville, Highland Park, and Wheaton. Communities will also be voting on village trustees, school board members and more.
Some referendums will also be on the ballot, with questions about mental health facility funding, increased funding for fire departments and more being presented to voters in the off-year voting.
Find out what's on the ballot where you live right here.
6:30 a.m. -- What the Latest Polling for Vallas, Johnson Shows
One day before Election Day for the Chicago Municipal Runoff Election, an independent poll of more than 900 likely Chicago voters showed former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas with a slight edge over Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson.
The poll, conducted by Victory Research, showed Vallas with 49.6% of the potential vote and Johnson with 45.4%. Vallas' lead more than doubled from two points to 4.2 points, when compared to the previous poll, which was conducted in late March.
The poll also revealed that fewer voters may no longer remain undecided, with 5% now in that category, compared to a previous poll reporting undecideds at 9.6%.
The most recent poll included responses from more than 900 likely voters in the runoff election, and it has a margin of error of 3.27%.
6 a.m. -- Polls Are Open
Polls in Chicago and in the suburbs opened bright at early at 6a.m. Tuesday.
In addition to the Chicago mayoral runoff, Dozens of suburbs and communities near Chicago are holding consolidated elections on April 4, with more than 40 communities voting on mayor, village trustees, school board candidates, referendums and more.
And no matter where in the state you live or what's on your ballot, Illinois polling hours are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
