2015 Chicago mayoral election facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Chicago mayoral election, 2015

← 2011 February 24 and April 7, 2015 2019 →
Turnout	34.03% 8.27 pp (first round) 41.10% 7.07 pp (second round)
Nominee Rahm Emanuel Jesús "Chuy" García Willie Wilson First round vote 218,217 160,414 50,960 First round percentage 45.63% 33.55% 10.66% Runoff vote 319,543 253,981 Runoff percentage 55.7% 44.3%   Nominee Robert Fioretti First round vote 35,363 First round percentage 7.39%
Second round results by ward: Emanuel:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% García:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Mayor before election Rahm Emanuel Elected Mayor Rahm Emanuel

In 2015, the city of Chicago held an important election to choose its mayor. This election happened in two parts. The first vote was on February 24, 2015. Because no candidate won more than half of the votes, a second vote, called a runoff election, was held on April 7, 2015.

The runoff election was between the two candidates who got the most votes in the first round: Rahm Emanuel and Chuy García. Rahm Emanuel won the runoff and continued to be the mayor of Chicago.

The 2015 Chicago Mayoral Election

What is a Mayoral Election?

A mayoral election is when people in a city vote to choose their mayor. The mayor is the leader of the city government. They help make decisions about schools, safety, transportation, and other important things that affect everyone living in the city.

How the Election Worked

The 2015 Chicago mayoral election was a bit special because it had two rounds.

• First Round: On February 24, 2015, many candidates ran for mayor. In this type of election, candidates don't officially represent a political party. Rahm Emanuel, who was already the mayor, received about 46% of the votes. Cook County Commissioner Chuy García got about 34% of the votes.
• Second Round (Runoff): Since no one got more than 50% of the votes in the first round, the top two candidates, Rahm Emanuel and Chuy García, went to a second vote. This is called a runoff election. It happened on April 7, 2015. In this final vote, Rahm Emanuel won with 55.7% of the votes, and Chuy García received 44.3%.

Who Were the Main Candidates?

Several people ran for mayor in 2015. Here are the main candidates:

• Rahm Emanuel: He was the mayor of Chicago before this election and wanted to win a second term.
• Robert Fioretti: He was a Chicago City Alderman, which is like a city council member.
• Jesús "Chuy" García: He was a Cook County Commissioner and had also been a State Senator.
• Willie Wilson: He was a business executive who ran a medical supply company.

Why Was This Election Special?

Having a runoff election for mayor was very rare in Chicago's history. Usually, a candidate wins with a majority in the first round. The 2015 election was the first time in many years that Chicago needed a second vote to decide who would be mayor.