By Staff
@redlineproject
While Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson square off in the Chicago mayoral runoff election, several aldermanic races will also be decided during Tuesday’s election. Here are highlights from social media coverage from Red Line Project reporters, other media outlets, the Chicago Board of Elections and the campaigns.
Slideshow: Highlights from the runoff events
Previous coverage: Feb. 28 general elections and runoff preview stories
Mayor’s Race
After trailing early, Brandon Johnson has overtaken Paul Vallas in the race for Chicago mayor. Vallas had a 13 percentage point lead in the Feb. 28 municipal election.
The AP has called the #chimayor23 race for Brandon Johnson, who holds a lead of nearly 16,000 votes over Paul Vallas. There are still at least 45,000 mail-in ballots to be counted in the next several days
Vallas had a 13 percentage point lead over Johnson in the Feb. 28 election
— The Red Line Project (@redlineproject) April 5, 2023
Brandon Johnson comes on stage with his family to address his supporters. He has been elected mayor of Chicago, winning against @PaulVallas.@Brandon4Chicago to the Chicagoans that didn't vote for him: "I'll be the mayor for you too."#uicdigital #ChiMayor23 pic.twitter.com/4AxjHBkC1e
— Laaiba (@LaaibaMahmood) April 5, 2023
Paul Vallas concedes #chimayor23 race, saying he called Brandon Johnson to tell him he "fully expects" him to be mayor. He left a little wiggle room with the mail-in ballots. #uicdigital
— The Red Line Project (@redlineproject) April 5, 2023
Paul Vallas kisses his wife after conceding the 2023 Chicago Mayoral Election in one of the closest battles we’ve seen in recent ages in Chicago. #ChiMayor23 #Uicdigital pic.twitter.com/DKjdFtTRe1
— Manny Meraz (@mannyfromwicker) April 5, 2023
Brandon Johnson will be the next mayor of the City of Chicago. This is a great victory for ALL the people of our great city. I know many voted against @Brandon4Chicago based upon the far-right opposition's misinformation and fear campaign, but I am confident… (1/2) https://t.co/8TvuUkFBsq
— Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (@CDRosa) April 5, 2023
Congratulations to Brandon Johnson on being elected the 57th mayor of Chicago. It's a job of a lifetime, Brandon. Your success is the Second City’s success—and I am rooting for your success.
— Rahm Emanuel (@RahmEmanuel) April 5, 2023
.@ClayFor46 ‘s Watch Party: Brandon Johnson takes the lead in the mayoral race #uicdigital #ChiMayor23 pic.twitter.com/AnpusSvZgz
— Ricardo Brum (@rabrum2) April 5, 2023
@Brandon4Chicago supporters cheer while gathering around the TV to watch vote counts be updated. #uicdigital #ChiMayor23 pic.twitter.com/TTsbqxaZt8
— Laaiba (@LaaibaMahmood) April 5, 2023
Johnson supporters dancing to “ Before I Let Go” by Beyoncé. The energy here is great, and everyone is enjoying the music. #chimayor23 #uicdigital pic.twitter.com/esYGZE4Y3P
— Karlie Sanchez (@sanchez_karlie) April 5, 2023
Guests are mingling at @Brandon4Chicago’s election night event. @PaulVallas has a 2.5 point lead with 66% of precincts reporting. #uicdigital #chimayor23 pic.twitter.com/8yUGmedAhR
— Laaiba (@LaaibaMahmood) April 5, 2023
From earlier: Paul Vallas casting his vote at Healy School in Bridgeport. Photo by John R. Boehm // Crain's Chicago pic.twitter.com/J4bPVlNcbI
— Marcus Gilmer (@marcusgilmer) April 4, 2023
Ships passing: Chicago mayoral candidates Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson make their lunchtime stops at @mannysdeli 30 min apart pic.twitter.com/7Y3ygv5ev5
— Kim Bellware (@bellwak) April 4, 2023
The Chicago mayor’s race would come down to a coin flip if Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas tie.https://t.co/xiOOrJ1pqT
— Block Club Chicago (@BlockClubCHI) April 5, 2023
Bagpipe performance has been cancelled. I was told by one of the musicians that the election is to close to go through with it. The crowd wouldn’t be receptive. One of them leaving here pic.twitter.com/Hy5qIjCPPe
— Brandon Dupré (@brandon_dupre_) April 5, 2023
Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks: pic.twitter.com/h9aGlswJlO
— Alice Yin (@byaliceyin) April 5, 2023
Lori Lightfoot on Jan. 21, as reported by @daveweigel:
"Brandon Johnson isn’t going to be the mayor of this city."
— Heather Cherone (@HeatherCherone) April 5, 2023
Aldermanic Races: 46th and 11th Wards
Nicole Lee claims victory in the 11th Ward, Chicago’s first Asian American ward. Angela Clay claims victory in the 46th Ward over Kim Walz.
Angela Clay starts victory speech by thanking supporters, “We did it” #uicdigital #ChiMayor23 pic.twitter.com/jStoZrRrO9
— Ricardo Brum (@rabrum2) April 5, 2023
“We are going to city council,” @ClayFor46 says as she continues to thank supporters and their work throughout the campaign trail #uicdigital pic.twitter.com/3cOAio26Gi
— Ricardo Brum (@rabrum2) April 5, 2023
A few more highlights from tonight in the 46th ward race #uicdigital #CHIMayor #chimayor23 pic.twitter.com/CTBbxEHa7r
— Ricardo Brum (@rabrum2) April 5, 2023
Nicole Lee thanks supporters as she claims victory for Chicago’s 11th ward runoff election. Lee will serve as the 11th Ward’s first female alderman, as well as Chicago’s first Chinese-American council person. Lee won with 61.8% of votes. #uicdigital pic.twitter.com/BGQMpRdXK4
— Brielle Conwell (@BrielleCon) April 5, 2023
With over 80% of precincts reporting, Angela Clay has a 10-percentage point lead over Kim Walz. Guests at Clay’s election night party watch the mayoral race closely, celebrating the shortening of Paul Vallas’ lead. @ClayFor46 #uicdigital pic.twitter.com/Iwo41jEWtM
— Ricardo Brum (@rabrum2) April 5, 2023
If this margin holds, Clay would be the seventh member of the @ChicagoDSA to join the City Council. https://t.co/7sGwH8gFkB
— Heather Cherone (@HeatherCherone) April 5, 2023
The crowd is thick and full of excitement as Nicole Lee holds a 25% lead in votes in 11th ward runoff election. #Chicagoelection #uicdigital pic.twitter.com/4FZ80EAVkv
— Brielle Conwell (@BrielleCon) April 5, 2023
Supporters of Ald. Nicole Lee start to gather as voting closes for Chicago’s 11th Ward runoff election. #ChicagoElection #uicdigital pic.twitter.com/N1vdtzGFUX
— Brielle Conwell (@BrielleCon) April 5, 2023
Stage is set at Carol’s Pub for Angela Clay @ClayFor46 as the runoff for the 46th ward aldermanic race ends. Polls closing in a few minutes. #uicdigital pic.twitter.com/SYWPOhK8Qc
— Ricardo Brum (@rabrum2) April 5, 2023
Election Day Notes and Voter Turnout
The severe thunderstorms that swept through Chicago early in the afternoon caused a slight dip in voter turnout. Numbers through late afternoon show turnout on par with Feb. 28 elections. Stay tuned …
Stay classy @Brandon4Chicago 🙄
🗳️#VoteVallas pic.twitter.com/PisTKrKcFi
— Ald. Raymond Lopez (@RLopez15thWard) April 4, 2023
For some reason @ChiPubSchools wants to be difficult and require the bell to be rung in order to vote. My team created this sign since clearly they are working to impede the voters. https://t.co/Fj99pjFv2p pic.twitter.com/6hEV1oCuZM
— Ald. Raymond Lopez (@RLopez15thWard) April 4, 2023
The storms, as promised, arrive https://t.co/LdcvWIH0CX
— Heather Cherone (@HeatherCherone) April 4, 2023
Chicago Voter Turnout as of 7:00pm on Election Day, 4/4/23 (POLLS CLOSED):
530,382 total ballots cast
1,597,910 Registered Voters in Chicago
33.2% total citywide turnout so far
🗳️🧵— Chicago Board of Elections (@ChicagoElection) April 5, 2023
Line down the block to vote at The Loop supersite. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/hdDOuiAzVm
— Elyssa Kaufman (@ElyssaKaufman) April 4, 2023
Poll workers in the 46th Ward precinct 8 said voter turnout there is up 30 percent from the Feb. 28 election. Polls open to 7 p.m. stay in line at 7 and you can still vote. #uicdigital pic.twitter.com/AQxEifdu1m
— The Red Line Project (@redlineproject) April 4, 2023
“I’m in that 18 to 24 age group that doesn’t vote enough. Young people are quick to complain on social media, but then they don’t vote." Michael Carrasquillo, a 21-year-old Chicagoan wants his peers to know they can speak their minds by voting.
Read: https://t.co/gMUpcXtiVV pic.twitter.com/JNPVm291Fa— WBEZ (@WBEZ) April 4, 2023
The divide between Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson — both Democrats facing off in an April 4 runoff — embodies the party’s swings and tensions on school choice and other education policies. https://t.co/Vikm3Htvnz
— Chalkbeat Chicago (@chalkbeatCHI) April 4, 2023
Mayor Lightfoot texts with Paul Vallas from election night, when she was trying to concede, and when he reached out in March. “Topic?” pic.twitter.com/Kv1en6Df62
— Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) April 3, 2023
For Fun
Five Thirty Eight decided to parachute into Chicago with a look at voting by neighborhoods as part of an election preview package. Chicagoans and the media didn’t react well. And when it comes to mayors, one voter thinks size matters …
uhhhh i have never once thought of any neighborhood in Chicago as "boho chic" omg https://t.co/BiWz0QsnON
— Marcus Gilmer (@marcusgilmer) April 4, 2023
Hey @FiveThirtyEight — Don't put ketchup on our election
Signed, Chicago.
*-Also: We don't eat deep-dish pizza here.https://t.co/Xt9hMr7Jdu
— The Red Line Project (@redlineproject) April 4, 2023
The 4 political neighborhoods of Chicago pic.twitter.com/SIcdtVAy6g
— Beverly #Vote4BrandonJohnson Tweetmaker (@BvrlyTweetmaker) April 4, 2023
Today's the day. Whether Chicago votes for @PaulVallas or @Brandon4Chicago, one thing is for sure.
For the first time in almost 35 years, after Daley's 5'6", Rahm's 5'7", and Lightfoot's 5'1", Chicago will have a tall mayor. #ChiMayor pic.twitter.com/TTDfuQKJ1Z
— Ashvin Lad (@ashvinlad) April 4, 2023
— Max Bever (@maxrbever) April 4, 2023