February election will be quiet in suburban Cook County

Chicago voters will have plenty of chances for political debate in the run-up to the Feb 24 municipal election. The number of candidates won’t be known until the deadline for filing arrives on Nov. 24 — and any subsequent objections are settled — but city voters could easily have to choose among a healthy assortment of mayoral candidates and more than 200 people running for alderman. By the close of filing four years ago, there were 20 candidates for mayor and 351 for City Council.

In suburban Cook County? Not so much.

No one will know if suburban primary contests are shaping up until the Nov. 24 filing deadline. But four years ago, only Dolton and Cicero had February elections – a total of 48 precincts. Four years before that, it was just Elgin, Forest Park, Hoffman Estates, Cicero and a school district referendum. Theoretically, there could be no races at all in suburban Cook, although historically there always have been a few.

Suburban Cook voters get a chance to go to the polls in February only if there is a primary contest. Otherwise, everyone runs for election in April.

In the city, everything will be settled in February except in races where there is a run-off, which also will take place in April.