More than 18,000 voters in the 29th and 37th wards cast their ballots in last week’s mayoral race, according to unofficial returns that have been released by the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.
Since both mail-in and provisional ballots are still being processed, these numbers could change. But for now, the top-vote getter in the 29th Ward appears to be businessman Willie Wilson, with about 24 percent of the vote (2,544 votes) – but he came in 4th citywide out of 14 candidates, not enough to make it to next month’s runoff.
Wilson also came out on top among 37th Ward voters, garnering nearly 33 percent of the vote (or 2,521 votes).
WBEZ/Chicago Public Radio produced maps showing how the mayoral candidates fared in each precinct on the West Side as well as throughout the city.
Coming in second in the 29th Ward was Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, with nearly 18 percent of the vote (or 1,902 votes.) In the 37th Ward, Preckwinkle also received about 18 percent of the vote (or 1,410 votes).
Citywide, Preckwinkle came in 2nd, so she’ll face former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot in the April 2nd runoff.
Lightfoot, who came in 1st last week out of the record number of mayoral candidates, received about 13 percent of the vote in the 29th Ward (or 1,441 votes). She received about 11 percent of the vote in the 37th Ward (or 839 votes).
One of the two mayoral candidates with the strongest ties to the West Side – Amara Enyia, who leads the Austin Chamber of Commerce – received about 7 percent of the vote in both the 29th Ward (or 780 votes) and 37th Ward (or 575 votes). Citywide, she came in 6th.
State Rep. La Shawn Ford, who represents Austin in the Illinois House, received just about 5 percent of the 29th Ward’s vote (or 585 votes). In the 37th Ward, he received about 8 percent of the vote (or 610 votes). Citywide, Ford came in 11th.
Early voting for the runoff will begin at the Loop Super Site, 175 W. Washington, on Friday, March 15. Three days later – starting on Monday, March 18 – Chicagoans can cast their ballots at one of 50 ward sites across the city. And on April 2, polls will be open in dozens of locations in each of the city’s 50 wards from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.