Chicago on Tuesday elected its newest mayor, but when will the transition officially take place?
Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson narrowly won the vote to become the city's 57th mayor, edging out former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas.
Current Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot congratulated Johnson on his victory, vowing to aid him in the transition process.
When Will Johnson Be Sworn In?
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The mayoral inauguration is set for Monday, May 15, which will mark the official transition from Lightfoot's administration to Johnson's administration.
“I congratulate Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson on his hard-fought runoff victory this evening. 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," Lightfoot said.
Former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel also offered his congratulations to Johnson shortly after the Associated Press projected the Cook County Commissioner as the winner.
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What's Next
So what happens in between that time?
In the days and weeks ahead, Johnson will likely look to assemble a transition team.
While Johnson assembled a broad coalition that has led him to the mayor's seat, he faces significant challenges in appealing to a large swath of Chicago voters who did not vote for him, in addition to 22 incumbent City Council members who endorsed Vallas.
In remarks on Tuesday night that stopped just short of a concession, Vallas said that he had called Johnson and iterated that he fully expects him to be the next mayor of Chicago, while calling for unity among his supporters.
Johnson started his victory speech Tuesday evening with a message to those who didn't vote for him.
"Here's what I want you to know: that I care about you, I value you, and I want to hear from you," he said. "I want to work with you and I'll be the mayor for you too. Because this campaign has always been about building a better, stronger, safer Chicago for all the people of Chicago."
