Chicago Voters Deny Incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot a Second Term, Setting the Stage for April 4 Runoff Election

On Tuesday, Chicago voters denied incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot a second term, setting the stage for a runoff election between Paul Vallas, a long-time public schools chief, and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson.

Lightfoot, the first Black woman and first openly gay person to lead the city, was unable to secure a second term after facing criticism over a spike in crime that began during the COVID-19 pandemic and a leadership style that some found to be overly combative.

With no candidate on course to top 50% in Tuesday’s election, the top two of the nine candidates on the ballot will move on to the April 4 runoff.

Voters expressed concerns about the city’s slow recovery from the pandemic and the need for improved public safety. Vallas, who cast his vote on Tuesday, said that “there’s no more important issue than public safety.”

Lightfoot’s tenure as mayor of the nation’s third-largest city marks the first time in 40 years that Chicago is set to ditch its mayor. The April 4 runoff election will decide who will take the helm of the city for the next four years.