EMBED >More News Videos The polls are open for Chicago's mayoral election Tuesday, but turnout so far has been low. CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago mayoral election saw low turnout - though not quite a record - as some voters chose to skip casting their ballot in Tuesday's races.Nonetheless the two top candidates, Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle , managed to get out their supporters.The ABC7 I-Team zeroed in on two North Side wards - the 47th and 48th - which were carried by Rahm Emanuel in 2015. On Tuesday, these high and above-average voter turnout wards were won decisively by Lori Lightfoot.In the 47th Ward, the latest numbers had Lightfoot with around 4,700 votes, Preckwinkle saw around half that and Daley trailed them both. Daley did even worse in the 48th Ward, where Lightfoot and Preckwinkle held steady.Chicago election officials said voters aged 55 to 64 are the largest group of voters. But voters ages 25 to 44, like 29-year-old Chris Fernandez, happen to be the largest voting block, and numbers showed they did not turn out well. "I came out because my roommate reminded me: it's privilege to vote," Fernandez said. "It makes me sad because I really do believe voting is a privilege, but I think there's just too many people in the field, too much confusion," said voter Gayle Novak.Jim Allen, spokesman for the Chicago Board of Election, said that by late afternoon turnout was around 27 percent of registered voters.The current record low for a municipal election was set back in 2007, when only 33 percent of the voters showed up. "We have 14 candidates, it's hard to make up one's mind. I understand totally. We want to have clear winners. We don't want to have razor thin margins," said Chicago Board of Elections Chair Marisel Hernandez.ABC 7 Eyewitness News Political Analyst Laura Washington said that despite the largest field of mayoral candidates, the city's history has seen there are still those disengaged or undecided voters not willing to make a decision until a runoff.<doc-sep>EMBED >More News Videos Here's a closer look at Chicago mayoral candidate former Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Lightfoot's campaign promises. EMBED >More News Videos Here's a closer look at Chicago mayoral candidate Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's campaign promises. EMBED >More News Videos Chicago voters have shown they are ready for change at City Hall. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Five weeks from now, history will be made in Chicago and the city will have its first African-American female mayor.Political outsider Lori Lightfoot and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle were the top two vote-getters among 14 candidates running for mayor in Tuesday's election. Neither received more than the 50 percent, so there will be a runoff on April 2.Lightfoot captured more than 90,000 votes and Preckwinkle received more than 83,000. Bill Daley came in third.The two women who are now in the runoff to replace Rahm Emanuel as mayor wasted no time hitting the campaign trail this morning in what is shaping up to be a race that will offer voters some sharp contrasts.Lori Lightfoot was out thanking voters at the L-stop in the Thompson Center. She was the top vote-getter in the mayor's race last night, but welcomes the underdog role she will likely take into the runoff.She believes she will offer voters a real choice, an opportunity to in her words wipe the slate clean. The former federal prosecutor and president of the Chicago Police Board rode the support of the North Side Lakefront Liberals to victory and relishes being an outsider. "I am an independent reform candidate," Lightfoot said. "I do not represent the past. I am not tied to the broken political machine. I didn't aspire to climb the ranks of the Cook County Democratic Party to be the party boss. I am not affiliated with Ed Burke, or Joe Berrios or anyone else who really represents the old corrupt Chicago way. "Toni Preckwinkle was out Wednesday morning as well, thanking supporters at the 95th Street Red Line Stop. It's clear that she will be touting her experience that began as an alderman and trying to paint Lightfoot as not ready for the job.Preckwinkle also brings with her a huge amount of union support, but also a lot of baggage with her ties to Alderman Ed Burke and several scandals with staffers. She said she was the original progressive with the track record to prove it. "As executive of the county, I have managed the second-largest county in the second-largest county in the country for the last eight years and we've done that reducing expenses by $850 million, reducing our workforce and our indebtedness," Preckwinkle said. "I have both local government experience and management experience in a large unit of government and I think that those are things that will appeal to the voters. "Both candidates said they will be reaching out to their former rivals to try and line up support before the runoff. They also must figure out how to court the business community. The runoff is April 2. "There are a lot of free agent voters out there. Both candidates have a lot of work to do to try and organize and rally those voters," said David Axelrod, director of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics.Wednesday morning, Willie Wilson conceded the election, saying, "After a full year of visiting our 77 communities and talking with the citizens of Chicago, the voters have spoken. "I congratulate and wish the best of blessings on the citizens of our great City and both Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle in the upcoming run-off election. "Lori Lightfoot grew up in Ohio. She went to the University of Michigan and received a full scholarship to study law at the University of Chicago.She faces off against Toni Preckwinckle, a five-term alderman who has served as Cook County Board president for the past nine years.The underdog versus the party boss and now voters will have a little over four weeks to decide.Chicago voters have narrowed the race for mayor down to two choices. Kimberly Kelly cast her ballot for Lori Lightfoot. "I really thought it was gonna be Preckwinkle and Daley going head to head, so it was a pleasant surprise when I woke up this morning," she said.Lightfoot who is openly gay, is best known for her work as a federal prosecutor, as the chair of the Police Accountability Task Force and the president of the Chicago Police Board.The 56-year-old says she is ready for the run-off fight against opponent and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle who also has support. "She did a lot for Chicago," said voter Stephen Williams. "I think so she has I think a good spirit which has a lot to do with leading people. "Despite who wins the race, Chicago will have an African-American woman serving as mayor. A historic moment in the city's history. "It would be prideful to me, obviously being an African-American, so I'm gonna be happy with the results of who wins, but obviously I'm gonna vote for the candidate that aligns most with my views," said voter Corey Taliaferro. "They just seemed like the ones that would naturally rise to the top," said voter Gloria Lasley. "I know there was a lot of speculation behind Daley but I think we're all a little tire of having the same families representing. "Wednesday morning, some voters said they have homework on the candidates to do, but certain qualities must become clear. "A commitment to solving the crime issue, a commitment to our children moving forward and a commitment to rooting out corruption," said voter Sean KellyABC7 Political Analyst Laura Washington says it's apparent that voters wanted change. "I think it says a lot about where we are in this country in terms of women's dominance, women getting engaged in politics, women being taken seriously as candidates," Washington said.Lori Lightfoot and her spouse live on the Near Northwest Side with their 10-year old daughter. Toni Preckwinkle has two children with her ex-husband.<doc-sep>CHICAGO – Voters head to the polls Tuesday to pick a new mayor to take on the challenges weighing down the nation’s third-largest city: Billions of dollars in unmet pension obligations, endemic corruption and persistent gun violence. A record 14 candidates are on the ballot. Most of the candidates announced they were running after two-term Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced in September that he wouldn’t seek a third term. The field includes eight people of color and ten who have never held elected office. Here’s what you need to know about Tuesday’s race: 1) Tuesday’s vote is likely just the beginning. Under Chicago’s election rules, if no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in an April 2 runoff. No candidate is polling at more than 14 percent, according to a survey published Sunday by 270 Strategies. Six candidates were within the poll’s margin of error of 3.7 percent of finishing in the top two. If the race is as close as polling suggests, it could take the Chicago Board of Election some time to sort out winners and losers. 2) At least six candidates appear to have a legitimate shot. The top three candidates – former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot, former U.S. Commerce Secretary Bill Daley and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle – finished within less than half a percentage point in the 270 Strategies Poll. Lightfoot, who served as president of the Chicago Police Board and the city’s Police Accountability Task Force, has cast herself as a reformer and independent who will take on a culture of corruption in city hall. Daley, who was commerce secretary under President Bill Clinton, chief of staff under President Barack Obama and a top executive at JP Morgan, says his high-level experience in government and business makes him the ideal candidate to confront the city’s financial problems. Chicago has $28 billion in unmet pension obligations. Daley is the son of the late Mayor Richard J. Daley and brother of former Mayor Richard M. Daley. Preckwinkle has the backing of the powerful Chicago Teachers Union. She’s also the president of the county’s Democratic party, giving her a strong base of support. Three other candidates – Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, former Chicago school board president Gery Chico, and businessman Willie Wilson – are within striking distance of the frontrunners, according to the 270 Strategies poll. Chicago corruption:In corruption-plagued Chicago, high-level shakedown charges loom over mayoral race, candidates Another Daley:Will Chicago elect a third Mayor Daley? It's starting to look like a distinct possibility Rahm's out:Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's bombshell news leaves city at crossroad Mendoza, who the poll shows at 10 percent, has focused largely on reducing violent crime, checking property taxes and improving schools. Gery Chico, at 9 percent, has served in a variety of high-level city positions and ran a lucrative law practice that has represented clients doing business with Chicago. He was chief of staff to former Mayor Richard M. Daley, head of the city’s school board and president of Chicago’s park district. Willie Wilson, the son of a Louisiana sharecropper, grew up in poverty and had only a seventh-grade education, but went on to own several McDonald’s franchises and found a medical supplies company. Wilson, at 9 percent, has cast himself as a pro-business candidate who would work reduce taxes for city residents and corporations. 3) Corruption is casting a shadow over race. Chicago is no stranger to corruption. More than 30 city aldermen have been convicted of political corruption since 1973. But the political scandal unveiled by federal prosecutors in January has cast a shadow over Tuesday’s mayoral election. Authorities say Democratic Alderman Ed Burke, a 50-year veteran of the City Council and chairman of its powerful finance committee, tried to shake down officials of a company that operates dozens of Burger King franchises in Illinois. Four of the most competitive candidates in the race – Preckwinkle, Mendoza, Chico and Daley – have all drawn scrutiny for longstanding ties to Burke. They've all sought to distance themselves from the longtime power broker. Preckwinkle received more than $100,000 from a Burke-sponsored fundraiser last year. Mendoza was married at Burke’s home. Burke endorsed Chico, who worked as an aide to the alderman 30 years ago. Daley's family has received about $30,000 in political donations from Burke over decades. 4) Rahm opts not to try for third term. Emanuel amassed more than $10 million campaign contributions for this election, but would have faced a difficult campaign had he decided to seek a third term. Emanuel entered office in 2011 with one of the most impressive political resumes of any big-city mayor: He was a top adviser to President Bill Clinton, served three terms in Congress, chaired the House Democratic Caucus and became President Barack Obama’s first White House chief of staff. As mayor, he boasted of record high school graduation rates in the city last year, significant investment in the Chicago Transit Authority, and success recruiting several large corporations to relocate to the city. But he saw his standing in the city’s sizable African-American community sink following the court-ordered release of chilling police video that showed a white officer, Jason Van Dyke, firing 16 shots at a black teen, Laquan McDonald, on a city street. Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery. He was sentenced last month to 81 months in prison. 5) The winner could make history. Lightfoot, Preckwinkle or Amara Enyia would be Chicago’s first black female mayor. Lightfoot would be the city's first openly gay mayor. Mendoza or Chico would be the city's first Latino mayor. A win by Daley would continue the dynasty of one of the nation's most powerful political families. Bill Daley’s father, Richard J. Daley, was mayor of Chicago for 21 years, and his older brother, Richard M. Daley, spent 22 years as mayor.<doc-sep>Two African-American women clinched the top two spots in Chicago’s mayoral election Tuesday, meaning they will face each other in a runoff to become the Windy City’s first black female mayor. Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle beat 12 other candidates -- including William Daley, son of former Mayor Richard Daley -- but neither grabbed more than 50 percent of the vote, meaning there will be a runoff in April to succeed outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel. RAHM EMANUEL WARNS DEMS NOT TO 'MIMIC' TRUMP'S POLITICS According to The Chicago Tribune, unofficial results showed Lightfoot with 17.5 percent, Preckwinkle with 16 percent and Daley with 14.7 percent. Chicago has had a female mayor before, and an African-American mayor, but never an African-American woman as a mayor. "What do you think of us now?" Lightfoot told supporters Tuesday night. "This is what change looks like." She later congratulated Preckwinkle for reaching the runoff: "No matter which one of us wins, Chicago will make history on April 2nd by electing the first Black woman mayor. It's long overdue," she tweeted. Lightfoot, a political outsider and the first openly gay woman to run for Chicago mayor, was the subject of an early apparent shot from Preckwinkle, a former City Council member and public school teacher, over her lack of political experience. "It's not enough to stand at a podium and talk about what you want to see happen," Preckwinkle said. "You have to come to this job with the capacity and the capability to make your vision a reality." According to the Tribune, Lightfoot had positioned herself as the progressive voice against an entrenched Chicago political machine, while Preckwinkle pitched herself as someone with a track record of taking on powerful interests. “We may not yet be at the finish line, but we should acknowledge that history is being made,” Preckwinkle said in Hyde Part, according to the Tribune. “It’s clear we’re at a defining moment in our city’s history, but the challenges that our city faces are not simply ideological. It’s not enough to say Chicago stands at a crossroads. We need to fight to change its course.” Turnout was low, with The Associated Press reporting that by late afternoon turnout was around 27 percent of registered voters. The prior low was 33.8 percent in 2007. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Lightfoot and Preckwinkle had both been critical of the city’s response to the 2014 police shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald. Emanuel’s popularity dropped after the release of video of McDonald’s shooting, and he eventually decided not to seek re-election. The runoff will take place on April 2. The Associated Press contributed to this report.<doc-sep>
Two African-American women, one, a former federal prosecutor, and the other, the Cook County board president and former teacher, are headed for a runoff election to become Chicago’s next mayor, after the candidate in third place conceded Tuesday night. Fourteen candidates were on the ballot, the highest number running for mayor in the city’s history, according to NBC Chicago. With so many candidates, it had been expected to end in a runoff. Lori Lightfoot, a former assistant U.S. attorney, and Toni Preckwinkle, the county board president who used to be an alderman, had the lead for the top two spots on election night, according to unofficial results posted online by the Chicago Board of Elections with 92.61 percent of precincts reporting. Either would be the city's first black woman mayor. Lightfoot would also be the city's first openly gay mayor. In third place was William "Bill" Daley of the famous political family, whose father and brother served as mayor for a total of more than 40 years. Lightfoot had 17.5 percent of the vote, Preckwinkle 16 percent, and Daley 14.7 percent, according to unofficial results at that time. Daley conceded Tuesday night and congratulated Lightfoot and Preckwinkle. "One of them will have the honor of being the next mayor of Chicago," Daley said. Chicago mayoral candidate Toni Preckwinkle greets voters at 95th Red Line Station in Chicago on Election Day, on Feb. 26, 2019. Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune/TNS via Getty Images Lightfoot thanked her supporters, saying, "This campaign was powered by you." She said that she and her campaign have been saying "this is going to be a race that comes down to the inches" and thanked supporters for what she said was the courage "to stand with our campaign against the machine." "It's time to bring it home," Lightfoot said. Preckwinkle told supporters Tuesday night that "our fight is far from over, and there's a lot more work to do." "We may not yet be at the finish line, but we should acknowledge that history is being made," she said. "It's clear we’re at a defining moment in our city’s history. But the challenges that our city faces are not simply ideological." Under Chicago's rules, to avoid a runoff a candidate would need to get more than 50 percent of the votes. If no candidate reaches that threshold, the top two candidates will compete against each other in an April 2 runoff, according to the city's Board of Elections. Incumbent Mayor Rahm Emanuel was not running. He has served as mayor since 2011 and in September announced he would not seek a third term. Although a nonpartisan election, the candidates are all attached in varying degrees to the Democratic Party. The Republican Party has virtually disappeared from the city. A voter checks in with a poll worker to vote in Chicagos citywide election to choose the next mayor for Americas third largest city, on Feb. 26, 2019. Nova Safo / AFP - Getty Images The 14 candidates included Daley, an attorney and former U.S. Commerce secretary in the Clinton administration and Obama's White House chief of staff. He is the son of former Mayor Richard J. Daley and the brother of former Mayor Richard M. Daley. Richard J. and Richard M. Daley were mayor for a combined nearly 43 years out of a 55-year span before Emanuel took the oath in 2011, according to the AP. Besides Lightfoot, Preckwinkle and Daley, the other candidates included Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza, who was elected in 2016, and Gery Chico, an attorney who was former Mayor Richard M. Daley's chief of staff, and who ran for the office in 2011 but came in second of six candidates behind Emanuel, according to NBC Chicago. Among the other hopefuls were Jerry Joyce, a small business owner and attorney; Paul Vallas, a former CEO of Chicago Public Schools; Willie Wilson, who ran for mayor in 2015; former Chicago police superintendent Garry McCarthy, who was fired by Emanuel in 2015 following the police shooting of Laquan McDonald; and Amara Enyia, an attorney, community activist and former journalist. Also running were La Shawn K. Ford, a Democratic Illinois state representative; startup founder Neal Sáles-Griffin; Robert "Bob" Fioretti, a former alderman who also announced he was running for mayor in 2015 but who dropped out and endorsed Emanuel's re-election bid; and John Kenneth Kozlar, who twice ran for alderman and who in 2015 forced a run-off with Patrick Daley Thompson, who won.