Photo caption: l to r: Ald. Monique Scott, Ald.-elect Lamont Robinson, and Ald.-elect William Hall
Three aldermanic runoff races in predominately Black wards were decided in Tuesday’s Chicago elections, as Black voters went to the polls in higher numbers than in the Primary election in February. But as of Crusader press time on Wednesday, April 5, three aldermanic races remain too close to call as the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners continues to count mail-in ballots.
In the 4th Ward, State Representative Lamont Robinson took 66.52 percent of the vote. His opponent, Prentice Butler, who is chief of staff to outgoing Alderman Sophia King, took 33.48 percent of the vote.
In the 6th Ward, Pastor William Hall, of St. James Community Church, took nearly 58 percent of the vote to Pastor Richard Wooten’s 42 percent.
In the 24th Ward, Monique Scott, who was appointed by Mayor Lightfoot after her brother Michael Scott resigned to take a job with Cinespace Studios, was re-elected after taking nearly 67 percent of the vote compared to Creative Scott’s 33 percent.
With mail-in ballots still being counted, three aldermanic races in predominately Black wards remain too close to call.
In the 5th Ward, community organizer Desmon Yancy leads with 51.79 percent of the vote, compared to former Chicago Chief Engagement Officer Martina Hone’s 48.21 percent. Both candidates seek to replace veteran alderman Leslie Hairston.
In the 21st Ward, community organizer Ronnie Mosley leads retired Firefighter Cornell Dantzler with 52.12 percent of the vote to Dantzler’s 47.88 percent.
In the 29th Ward, Alderman Chris Taliaferro leads CB Johnson with 51.41 percent to Johnson’s 48.59 percent. Taliaferro and Johnson changed leads in the 29th Ward election on Tuesday night.
Overall voter turnout in Chicago was 35.19 percent, which is slightly lower than the Primary election where the turnout was 35.85 percent. But the turnout statistics in the runoff election may grow higher after election officials count the mail-in ballots.
In Chicago’s 17 Black wards, the turnout was 29.9 percent, compared to 27.63 percent in the Primary election. Though the turnout was higher in the runoff election, predominately Black wards still had the lowest percentage of voters to the polls on Election Night.
Among the Black wards, the 5th Ward had the highest percentage of voters at the polls, with data showing about 40.09 percent of 28,322 registered voters casting ballots.
The 4th Ward had the second highest turnout with 39.65 percent of the ward’s 31,909 voters going to the polls. The 3rd Ward had the third highest turnout percentage at 34.44 percent, followed by the 18th Ward (33.16 percent), the 6th Ward (30.84 percent), the 21st Ward (30.76 percent) and the 29th Ward (30.11 percent).
The 21st Ward had the highest number of voters who went to the polls. There were 13,213 voters who cast their ballots Tuesday night.
That’s a 30.76 percent turnout in the 21st Ward.
