By: Ashmar Mandou

In a little over a month, history will be made in Chicago as the City will elect its first African-American female mayor. Self-proclaimed “independent candidate” Lori Lightfoot and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle reigned over Tuesday’s tight election results beating out 12 other candidates running for mayor.

Lightfoot won 17.48 percent of the vote and Preckwinkle had 15.96 percent with 95 percent of precincts reporting, according to the Board of Election Commissioners for Chicago. With neither receiving more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff will occur on April 2nd. On Wednesday morning Lightfoot was out thanking voters at the L-Stop in the Thompson Center. She was the top vote getter in the mayor’s race Tuesday night. “I am an independent reform candidate,” Lightfoot said during her election rally Tuesday night. “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.” Lightfoot served as chair of the police accountability task force, established by Emanuel to address charges of police racism. She has also been president of the Chicago Police Board, an independent civilian body that decides police disciplinary cases.

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. “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.” Preckwinkle, a former history teacher who has spent decades in Chicago politics, has also focused on the importance of offering a strong public school education. Endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union, Preckwinkle backs a moratorium on school closings and charter school expansions.

The winner will become the second woman and the second African American elected Chicago’s mayor, according to the Chicago Public Library. Eugene Sawyer, a black man, also served as acting mayor of the city for two years. The Board of Election Commissioners reported a turnout of 32.84 percent with 95 percent of precincts reporting. According to WBBM, the previous record for worst municipal election turnout in Chicago was in 2007 with 33 percent.

Photo Credit: Tony Diaz