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Chicago Will Elect Its 1st Black Woman Mayor as Race Heads to Runoff

HeadlineFeb 27, 2019

Chicago residents voted for their new mayor Tuesday, where a record 14 candidates were listed on the ballot. No single candidate received enough votes to win outright, which means federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will head to a runoff in April. It also means Chicago is guaranteed to have its first black woman mayor. If Lightfoot wins, she will also become the city’s first openly gay mayor. The new mayor will succeed Rahm Emanuel, who announced last year he would not seek a third term. Emanuel came under intense fire for, among other things, his handling of the police killing of African-American teenager Laquan McDonald. Both candidates have vowed to reform Chicago’s criminal justice system.

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