The window to get on the 2019 ballot for Chicago mayor has closed — with no shortage of candidates.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s exit in September opened the field to more mayoral hopefuls, and Monday’s deadline to submit petitions left Chicago with 18 candidates to choose from.
Some have been tracked on this list for weeks, others were unexpected. Conrien Hykes Clark and activist Catherine Brown D’Tycoon are two new names added to the list.
The ‘games begin’ and the first move could be narrowing down the list. Here’s a mayoral campaigning 101 explainer — or why most of these names may never appear on the ballot.
The first to enter the race is also one of the first to exit — Troy LaRaviere, president of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association, said he’s dropping out because he was unable to gather enough signatures. Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza made her announcement official after weeks of speculation while she was on the midterm ballot.
After considering a bid, Rep. Mike Quigley D-Ill., on Sunday said he would not run, saying it was more important for him to serve, in this Trump era, on the Appropriations and Select Intelligence committees. After some suspicion that Chance the Rapper would announce his candidacy, he instead threw his support for Amara Enyia — and Kanye West followed his lead.
Three major figures also jumped into the race: Bill Daley, the brother and son of Chicago mayors and a former Commerce Secretary; Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle; and Gery Chico, a former Chicago Public School Board president and former chair of the City Colleges Board of Trustees.
If Rahm Emanuel hadn’t pulled out of the race for mayor, the guilty verdict against Officer Jason Van Dyke might have had a huge impact on his re-election. Sun-Times City Hall Reporter Fran Spielman gives her analysis on how the verdict could affect races for mayor and aldermen.
Seven candidates discussed their plans to address the city’s violence and policing problems, education and how to stem the exodus of black people from the city during the first debate since the midterm election.
Keep track of the money in mayoral campaigns as we update our tracker. So far, the entire crowd can’t match the level of funds Rahm Emanuel would have brought into the race.
The Sun-Times is tracking declared and prospective mayoral candidates. This list will be updated in the coming days and weeks. Please keep checking.
