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Daily Brew: February 27, 2019

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February 27, 2019

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Today's Brew highlights yesterday’s election results in Chicago and New York City + a summary of how states can recall elected officials  
The Daily Brew

Welcome to the Wednesday, February 27 Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:

  1. Lightfoot, Preckwinkle advance to runoff in Chicago mayoral race
  2. Brooklyn Councilman Williams wins NYC public advocate election
  3. How recalls work in each state

Dave (in New Jersey) and I (in Maryland) eagerly watched for the results of Chicago’s and New York City’s elections last night. Enjoy the reports below. Dave will be delivering the Brew beginning Friday as I move to a different role at Ballotpedia. Thanks for all of your notes! I’ll still be around if you ever want to connect!

-Sarah

Lightfoot, Preckwinkle advance to runoff in Chicago mayoral race

Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle were the top two vote-getters among 14 candidates in Chicago's mayoral election yesterday. Since neither candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, they will advance to a runoff on April 2.

With 96 percent of precincts reporting, Lightfoot received 17.5 percent of the vote to Preckwinkle's 16 percent. Bill Daley was third with 14.8 percent; he conceded the race around 9:40pm CT. Willie Wilson was fourth with 10.5 percent.

As of Monday, 31,000 mail-in ballots requested by voters had not yet been returned. The elections board will continue to count mail-in ballots received through March 12, so long as they were mailed by election day. Around 6,000 votes separated Daley and Preckwinkle.

The 2019 mayoral election is Chicago's fourth open-seat mayoral race in 100 years after incumbent Rahm Emanuel announced that he would not seek re-election in September 2018. The 14-candidate field was the largest in the city's history.

Lightfoot was appointed president of the Chicago Police Board by Emanuel, a position she held from 2015 to 2018. She has also worked as an assistant U.S. attorney. Preckwinkle was an alderman and is currently president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. She is also chair of the Cook County Democratic Party.

Whether Lightfoot or Preckwinkle wins on April 2, Chicago will elect its first black female mayor and its second black mayor in history. Chicago's first black mayor, Harold Washington, was elected in 1983.

Chicago is the third-largest city in the U.S. by population, with 2.7 million residents.

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Brooklyn Councilman Williams wins NYC public advocate election

Jumaane Williams, a New York City councilman representing parts of Brooklyn, won the New York City public advocate special election Tuesday night. He defeated 16 other candidates in the nonpartisan election, receiving about 33 percent of the vote, according to unofficial returns.

He will be the city’s fifth elected public advocate. The previous public advocate, Letitia James, was elected attorney general of New York in November 2018. Corey Johnson, who did not run in yesterday’s special election, has served as the acting public advocate since January 1, 2019.

The public advocate is first in the mayoral line of succession and acts as a watchdog and ombudsman for the public. He or she may sit in on meetings of the City Council and introduce legislation but may not vote on any measures. Although the position has little direct power, it is seen as a launching pad for higher office.

Of the four previously elected public advocates, two have advanced to higher office following their tenure: James and Bill de Blasio, who became mayor of New York City in 2014.

Yesterday’s election means that Williams will serve in the office until December 31, 2019. A second election will be held later this year for the remainder of James’ four-year term which ends in 2021.

How recalls work in each state

In some states, citizens can use the recall process to remove elected officials from office before their term is completed. This process typically involves the circulation of petitions by recall organizers, the evaluation of the validity of those signatures by election officials, and a recall election if the petitions are deemed to have sufficient valid signatures.

Thirty-nine states allow citizens to recall local elected officials, and 19 states permit the recall of state officials. Of those 19 states, citizens in 10 of them can recall any state-level elected official. Seven states allow residents to recall executive officers and legislators, but not appellate judges. Rhode Island only permits the recall of state executives, and Illinois only permits the recall of the governor.

In Virginia, recalls result not in an election but in a recall trial before a state circuit court and, if appealed, to the Virginia Supreme Court. It is the only state not to use elections for their recall process. Virginia laws allow local officials to be recalled, but there is no precedent for a state legislator or governor in Virginia to face a recall.

Eleven states do not permit the recall of elected officials: Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, and Vermont.


See also

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