Chicago City Council Runoff Results Set to Determine Balance of …

A student at the University of Illinois-Chicago casts their ballot for the April 4 Chicago runoff election at the UIC Student Center polling location. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) With a younger, more progressive Chicago City Council already set to take over City Hall in May, the outcome of 14 runoffs across the city will determine the balance of power.

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Nearly a quarter of the city will get new political leadership in 2023, a result of an unprecedented exodus of veteran alderpeople that will herald -- along with the election of a new mayor -- the start of a new era at City Hall. More Election Coverage:

The highest profile race on Tuesday pits housing organizer Angela Clay against Kim Walz, who works in government relations for Walgreens, in the contest to represent the 46th Ward, which includes Uptown. The winner will replace retiring Ald. James Cappleman.

While Clay was backed by the Chicago chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and United Working Families, a progressive political organization tied to the Chicago Teachers Union, Walz had the backing of heavyweights in the Democratic Party, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker and her former boss, U.S.

Rep. Mike Quigley. As of 7:55 p.m., Clay held 55% of the votes while Walz had 45%, with 91% of precincts reporting, according to unofficial results.

Kim Walz, left, and Angela Clay are running in the 46th Ward to replace Ald.

James Cappleman. (Campaign photos) The neighboring 48th Ward is also set for new leadership. The contest to replace retiring Ald.

Harry Osterman pits small business owner Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth against affordable housing developer Joe Dunne. Manaa-Hoppenworth and Dunne each hold approximately 50% of votes with 94% of precincts reporting, according to unofficial results. If elected, Clay would be the seventh self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist on the City Council, expanding the group's clout at City Hall, while Manaa-Hoppenworth would join the three other progressive politicians who will replace moderate and male veterans on the City Council: Ald.-elect Julia Ramirez (12th Ward); Ald.-elect Jelyu Gutierrez (14th Ward) and Ald.-elect Jessie Fuentes (26th Ward).

The two other City Council members elected in February are Ald.-elect Bennett Lawson (44th Ward) and Ald.-elect Bill Conway (34th Ward), who are likely to be part of a block of moderate alderpeople representing areas around downtown and the West Loop. Lightfoot's Appointees Face Tests Ald.

Timmy Knudsen is hoping to join Lawson, Conway and the other moderates on the City Council by winning a full term representing the 43rd Ward, which includes Lincoln Park and Old Town. He faces Brian Comer, the head of the Sheffield Neighborhood Association. Knudsen is one of three people appointed to the City Council by ousted Mayor Lori Lightfoot running for full terms.

Knudsen holds a slim lead with 52% of votes, while Comer is at 48%, with 100% of precincts reporting, according to unofficial results. In the 24th Ward on the West Side, Ald. Monique Scott is hoping to permanently replace her brother, former Ald.

Michael Scott, who resigned in June and was appointed by Lightfoot to the Chicago Board of Education. Monique Scott faces Creative Scott, a businessman who is not related to her family. Ald.

Scott is leading with 68% of votes, compared to 32% for Creative Scott, with 50% of precincts reporting, according to unofficial results. The other City Council runoff on the city's West Side pits Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th Ward) against challenger CB Johnson, a community activist.

Johnson holds a very narrow lead with 51% of votes over Taliaferro's 49%, with 75% of precincts reporting, according to unofficial results. Neither Johnson nor Creative Scott has raised a significant amount of money for their campaigns against Monique Scott and Taliaferro, both of whom fell just short of winning the contests during the first round of voting. Incumbents appointed by Mayor Lightfoot face runoff challenges, from left, Ald.

Nicole Lee (11th Ward), Ald. Timmy Knudsen (43rd Ward) and Ald. Monique Scott (24th Ward).

In the 11th Ward, Ald. Nicole Lee hopes to defeat Anthony Ciaravino, a police officer, in the first Chicago ward to have a majority of Asian American voters. Lightfoot appointed Lee to replace the convicted Ald.

Patrick Daley Thompson in the redrawn ward, which unites all of Chinatown. Ciaravino is one of two remaining City Council challengers endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 7. Lee declared victory Tuesday evening with 62% of the votes, while Ciaravino held 38%, according to unofficial totals, with 100% of precincts reporting.

"When I look around this room, I'm clearly not alone," Lee said. "I haven't been alone in this journey this entire time." On the city's Southeast Side, two candidates are running to replace retiring 10th Ward Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza.

Ana Guajardo, an immigrants' rights organizer, faces Chicago police Officer Peter Chico, who leads with 63% of votes, with 72% of precincts reporting. Progressive Push Expands Citywide Three races to replace veteran alderpeople on the South Side could also expand the City Council's Progressive Caucus.

In the 4th Ward, state Rep. Lamont Robinson is vying to replace Ald. Sophia King, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor.

Robinson, who is backed by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, faces Prentice Butler, who served as King's chief of staff and has her endorsement. Robinson has 67% of votes, while Butler is at 33%, with 79% of precincts reporting, according to unofficial results. In the 5th Ward, Desmond Yancy, who helped craft the new Chicago Police oversight board, faces Tina Hone, who worked for Lightfoot in the mayor's office, in the race to replace retiring Ald.

Leslie Hairston. Yancy narrowly leads with 51% of votes, compared to 49% for Hone, according to unofficial results. In the 6th Ward, pastors William Hall and Richard Wooten are running to replace Ald.

Roderick Sawyer, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor. Hall holds 60% of votes, while Wooten is at 40% with 70% of precints reporting. United Working Families has endorsed Yancy in the 5th Ward contest and Hall in the 6th Ward race.

In the 21st Ward, Ronnie Mosley, who owns a consulting firm, faces Cornell Dantzler, a retired Chicago firefighter in the contest to replace retiring Ald. Howard Brookins. Brookins has endorsed Mosley.

Mosley holds a slim lead with 51% of votes, while Dantzler is at 49%, with 86% of precincts reporting. The size of the City Council's Progressive Caucus will also depend on the outcome of three City Council runoffs on the Northwest Side. In the 36th Ward, teacher Lori Torres-Whitt is running to unseat Ald.

Gilbert Villegas, who lost a bid for Congress in 2022. Torres-Whitt is backed by the Chicago Teachers Union and United Working Families. Villegas holds a 58-42 percentage advantage over Torres-Whitt with 81% of precincts reporting.

In the 30th Ward, Ruth Cruz and Jessica Gutierrez are running to replace Ald. Ariel Reboyras. While Cruz is backed by Reboyras, Jessica Gutierrez is the daughter of former U.S.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez. With 100% of precincts reporting, Cruz holds 52% of the votes, while Gutierrez is at 48%, according to unofficial results.

In the 45th Ward, Ald. Jim Gardiner, who is the subject of multiple probes by the city's inspector general, faces lawyer Megan Mathias. Gardiner holds 55% of votes, while Mathias is at 45% with 100% of precincts reporting, according to unofficial results.

Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected][1][2]

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References

^ @HeatherCherone (twitter.com)
^ [email protected] (news.wttw.com)