1987 Chicago mayoral election

none January 2025 September 2023 1987 Chicago mayoral election Chicago presidential no 1983 Chicago mayoral election 1983 1989 Chicago mayoral special election 1989 (special) April 7, 1987 74.08%Election Live Blog: Low voter turnout continues into evening https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/election-day-live-blog-runoff-chicago-mayor-alderman-ward-treasurer-race/ Chicago Sun-Times 3 April 2019 3 April 2019 7.99 pp File:Washington h (1).jpg Harold Washington Democratic Party (United States) 600,290 53.78% File:Alderman Edward Vrdolyak (1).jpg Ed Vrdolyak Solidarity Party (Illinois) 008000 468,493 41.96% Donald Haider 3x4.svg Republican Party (United States) 47,652 4.26% 1987 Chicago mayoral election by ward.svg Ward results Mayor Harold Washington Democratic Party (United States) Harold Washington Democratic Party (United States) The Chicago mayoral election of 1987 saw the re-election of incumbent Democrat Harold Washington. Partisan primaries were held on February 24, followed by the general election on April 7, 1987. Washington defeated Ed Vrdolyak, the leader of the Vrdolyak 29, who ran on the Illinois Solidarity Party ticket. Former mayor Jane Byrne (who had held office from 1979 until 1983) had unsuccessfully challenged Washington in the Democratic primary. Additionally, Cook County Assessor Thomas Hynes had run under the "Chicago First" ticket, framing himself as a centrist alternative to both Washington and Vrdolyak. However, he dropped out shortly before Election Day. Democratic primary Candidates Ran Harold Washington, incumbent mayor Jane Byrne, former mayor (1979–1983) Sheila A. Jones Withdrew Thomas Hynes, Cook County assessor (withdrew and ran as "Chicago First" nominee instead Campaigning During incumbent Democratic Party mayor Harold Washington's first term, Ed Vrdolyak (the chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party and an alderman on the Chicago City Council) and many other city Democrats had opposed his efforts as mayor, thus creating the so-called "Council Wars". At one point, Washington considered running for reelection as an independent (thus forgoing a primary).Chicago's Mayor May Run On An Independent Ticket Ocala Star-Banner - Feb 18, 1985 He had at one point been widely expected to follow-through on these plans.Green Larry Scandal Has Mayor of Chicago Fighting for His Political Life https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-03-02-mn-1403-story.html Los Angeles Times 2 March 1986 25 March 2019 However, Washington ultimately ran for re-nomination, formally announcing his candidacy on November 30, 1986. Former mayor Jane Byrne (who Washington had unseated in 1983 primary) had already declared her own candidacy by this time. Four years earlier Washington had won nomination against divided opposition, and in 1987 faced a more united bloc of opponents. Nevertheless, Washington won the Democratic primary. Former mayor Jane Byrne challenged Washington in the Democratic primary for mayor. Washington had unseated her in the previous Democratic primary. Richard M. Daley, who (along with Byrne) had been one of Washington's chief opponents in the 1983 primary threw his support behind Washington. Washington did not attend any debates.https://www.lib.niu.edu/1991/ii910617.html Chicago's 1991 mayoral elections: Richard M. Daley wins second term December 20, 2018 November 25, 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20221125042735/https://www.lib.niu.edu/1991/ii910617.html dead Byrne's campaign ads argued that under Washington's tenure racial tensions in Chicago had increased. Byrne's strategy aimed to limit Washington's share of the white vote to a maximum of 10%, while managing to capture 10% of the black vote for herself. Post-election polling indicated that Washington received 96% of the black vote (a greater share than he had received four years earlier). Polling also indicated that he received 21% of the white vote (more than twice what he had received four years earlier). Surveys also indicated that turnout in heavily black precincts had increased since the last election, whilst turnout in heavily white precincts had experienced a small decline. Washington's victory made 1987 the first Chicago mayoral race since the 1975 Chicago mayoral election in which the incumbent mayor won the primary.Malcolm Andrew H. Washington Is Victor in Chicago Mayoral Primary https://www.nytimes.com/1987/02/25/us/washington-is-victor-in-chicago-mayoral-primary.html New York Times 15 December 2018 February 25, 1987 Also running was Sheila A. Jones,State of Illinois, County of Cook, Case No. 87-EB-175 https://app.chicagoelections.com/documents/Electoral-Board/document_1222.PDF Chicago Board of Election Commissioners 12 January 1987 a LaRouche movement devotee. Cook County assessor Thomas Hynes had originally been running for the Democratic nomination. However, on January 7 he dropped out of the primary.State of Illinois, County of Cook, Case No. 87-EB-ALD-176 https://app.chicagoelections.com/documents/Electoral-Board/document_1222.PDF Chicago Board of Election Commissioners 7 January 1987 On January 13 he declared that he intended to instead run as the nominee of the "Chicago First" party, a party which he himself had just founded. [Chicago mayoral primary 1987] https://mediaburn.org/video/chicago-mayoral-primary-1987/ WLS-TV 15 December 2018 January 13, 1987The Washington Post He and Edward Vrdolyak opted to prepare for possible third-party runs (with Vrdolyak seeking the Illinois Solidarity Party nomination) rather than risk Washington benefiting from a three-way split in the primary election similar to the one in the 1983 primary. Hynes (a career-long Democrat) opted to make a third party run after leading Republican operatives persuaded him to do so.Washington Beats Byrne in Primary https://www.newspapers.com/image/538594294 Newspapers.com The Daily Sentinel subscription 28 November 2024 en February 25, 1987 Polls Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror JaneByrne HaroldWashington Undecided WBBM-TVEpton Bows Out Of Chicago Mayoral Race https://apnews.com/article/94e94802c6e3576021cfcf0d239559ae AP NEWS Associated Press 25 November 2020 14 January 1987 January 1987 39% 46% 15% Results thumb|Results map by ward Turnout was 75.68%. Washington received 96% of the African-American vote, surpassing the 80% in the 1983 election.New York Times - WASHINGTON IS VICTOR IN CHICAGO MAYORAL PRIMARY - Feb. 25, 1987 Washington received 25% of the white vote, rising from 17% he received in 1983.Chicago Reader - Can Washington’s victory point the way forward for the next Chicago mayor? - By Ben Joravsky and Tom Brune | March 10, 2015 |- ! colspan="5" rowspan="1" align="center" |Chicago Democratic Party Mayoral Primary, 1987Election Results for 1987 Primary Election, Mayor, Chicago, IL http://chicagodemocracy.org/ElectionResults.jsp?election=crdd_primary%2Ccrdd_1987_primary_election%2Cil_chi_mayor Chicago Democracy Project https://web.archive.org/web/20181130155054/http://chicagodemocracy.org/ElectionResults.jsp?election=crdd_primary%2Ccrdd_1987_primary_election%2Cil_chi_mayor November 30, 2018 dead |- ! colspan="2" rowspan="1" align="left" | Candidate ! width="75" | Votes ! width="30" | % ! width="45" | +/- |- | style="color:inherit;background:#3333FF" | | align="left" | Harold Washington (incumbent) | | % | +17.22% |- | style="color:inherit;background:#3333FF" | | align="left" | Jane Byrne | | % | +12.63% |- | style="color:inherit;background:#3333FF" | | align="left" | Sheila Jones | | % | +0.12% |- | colspan="2" align="left" | Majority | | % | +2.64% |- | colspan="2" align="left" | Total | || % | N/A |- |} Two reviews conducted by the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners and an election watchdog group headed by former U.S. Attorney Dan K. Webb found that tens of thousands of ballots were fraudulently cast by ineligible voters.2 Reviews Bare Up to 100,000 Irregularities Chicago Tribune 1987-03-08 https://www.chicagotribune.com/1987/03/08/2-reviews-bare-up-to-100000-irregularities/ 2024-04-22'Massive' Fraud Reported During Chicago Primary Washington Post 1987-03-09 https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1987/03/09/massive-fraud-reported-during-chicago-primary/c5fa8a2b-6431-4ae1-9593-35e07e0a95f8/ 2024-04-22Webb Asks Primary Vote Fraud Probe Chicago Tribune 1987-03-11 https://www.chicagotribune.com/1987/03/11/webb-asks-primary-vote-fraud-probe/ https://web.archive.org/web/20240828155102/https://www.chicagotribune.com/1987/03/11/webb-asks-primary-vote-fraud-probe/ 2024-08-28 live 2024-08-28 Republican primary Candidates Ran Donald Haider, business professor and former city budget director Chester Hornowski, 35th Ward Republican committeeman and police officer Kenneth Hurst, 39th Ward Republican (simultaneously running a campaign for alderman) Ray Wardingley, professional clown Disqualified from ballot Bernard Epton, 1983 Republican mayoral nomineeHearing Officer: Bounce Epton From Primary https://apnews.com/article/0ce7dce6b7cdfcebc8a4b09f7dcdff20 The Associated Press Associated Press 25 November 2020 13 January 1987Epton Bows Out Of Chicago Mayoral Race https://apnews.com/article/94e94802c6e3576021cfcf0d239559ae The Associated Press Associated Press 25 November 2020 14 January 1987 Withdrew Jeremiah E. Joyce, state senator (Democrat) Declined to run The following individuals received speculation as prospective candidates, but did not run: Gary Fencik, Chicago Bears playerGOP Leaders Want Fencik for Mayor https://www.newspapers.com/image/306056640 Newspapers.com subscription Quad-City Times Associated Press 25 November 2024 en September 17, 1986 Louis Masotti, urbanist and professorMayor To Stress Fairness Policies https://www.newspapers.com/image/92506241 Newspapers.com Herald and Review (Decatur, Illinois) The Associated Press subscription 28 November 2024 en December 1, 1986GOP Panel Narrows Mayoral List to Haider https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/12/01/gop-panel-narrows-mayoral-list-to-haider Chicago Tribune 28 November 2024 1 December 1986 Richard B. Ogilvie, former governor of Illinois Dan K. Webb, former United States attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Campaigning At one point it was believed that, if a federal bribery investigation against members of City Hall (including some in Washington's administration) had proved damaging enough to Washington, he might face a particularly notable Republican opponent such as former governor Richard B. Ogilvie or former U.S. attorney Dan K. Webb (the latter of whom had been involved in launching the aforementioned bribery probe). This did not come into fruition. However, what did come to fruition was simultaneous speculation that Democrats may bolt from their party and challenge Washington as a Republican. Before the election, Donald L. Totten (the chairman of the Cook County Republican Party) had unsuccessfully attempted to persuade a number of notable figures (including Ogilvie, Webb, and football star Gary Fencik) to run for mayor as a Republican.Political Office Probably Too Small for Fencik https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/09/21/political-office-probably-too-small-for-fencik Chicago Tribune 22 November 2024 21 September 1986John Lattner, A Promising Political Rookie https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/10/19/john-lattner-a-promising-political-rookie Chicago Tribune 22 November 2024 19 October 1986 Webb did, however, agree to lead a county party search committee to help find a willing candidate. The Chicago Tribune reported that many leading Chicago Republicans were disinterested in running because Illinois' Republican governor (James R. Thompson) was unconcerned with the prospects of a Washington re-election, believing that it would result in a continuation of the chaotic Council Wars. Thompson saw his own position of influence in Illinois politics and enhanced by a discordant local government in Chicago. Thompson publicly denied wanting any implication of him desiring a Washington re-election, however. 1983 Republican nominee Bernard Epton announced his candidacy in 1986, but his run was not greeted with any excitement from figures in the county party. The Republican Party nominated Donald Haider, a business professor and former city budget director.Camper John Devall Cheryl February 23, 1987 4 Republicans Try to Make a Dent in Mayoral Race http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-02-23-8701150433-story.html Chicago Tribune January 22, 2019 Haider was formerly a Democrat.Neal Steve Houston Jack Haider gets GOP nod for Mayor https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-12-04-8603310769-story.html Chicago Tribune December 4, 1986 Totten had recruited him to run. Haider was the only of Totten's recruits to agree to seek the Republican nomination. Haider was the fifth overall Chicago mayoral candidate to be a resident of Edgewater, and would have been the third mayor from Edgewater if he were elected (and the first since Martin H. Kennelly).Edgewater Teasers Vol. XVI No. 3 - FALL 2005 http://www.edgewaterhistory.org/ehs/articles/v16-3-5 Edgewater History 13 February 2019 Haider was endorsed by the city's Republican Party organization on December 4, 1986. Haider narrowly defeated 1983 nominee Bernard Epton for the Cook County Republican Party's endorsement. Despite the county party endorsing Haider, Epton and Democratic state senator Jeremiah E. Joyce indicated their continued intentions to challenge Haider in the party's primary. Neither of them ultimately were on the primary ballot, however. Epton was disqualified from the ballot and Joyce withdrew. Instead, Haider was challenged by Kenneth Hurst, Chester Hornowski, and Ray Wardingley. Hurst (the 39th Ward Republican committeeman and was also a candidate for alderman in that ward) was a self-described Reagan Republican. He ran for mayor on a platform focusing on a wide number of social issues, including opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment, opposition to a gay rights ordinance by the City Council, and opposition to publicly subsidized abortions and the distribution of contraceptives in clinics at public schools. Hornowski (the 35th Ward Republican committeeman, a police officer, and also a candidate for alderman in the 35th ward) live https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/3GIufiaSpvM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GIufiaSpvM 2021-12-05 REPUBLICAN opposition @ 1987 CHICAGO mayoral race YouTube ran for mayor on a "law and order" platform, also pledging to end tax hikes and improve the city's schools. He focused his time more heavily on his coinciding aldermanic campaign, admitting that he had little prospect of becoming mayor. Ray Wardingley (an entertainer who performed as a clown under the name "Spanky the Clown" and had run for mayor twice before) promoted himself as the candidate representing "the little guy". Results January 2019 Haider won the primary. Illinois Solidarity nomination Vrdolyak formally received the Illinois Solidarity nomination in the party's primary, held on February 24. His sole opponent in the primary had been a write-in candidate.After Close Primary Victory Washington Faces New Foes https://www.newspapers.com/image/639420070 Newspapers.com Fort Worth Star-Telegram Chicago Tribune News Service subscription 28 November 2024 en February 26, 1987 Independents and other third-party candidates Independent candidate Ronald D. Bartos saw his name removed from the ballot due to issues with his petition.State of Illinois, County of Cook, Case No. 87-EB-IND-1 https://app.chicagoelections.com/documents/Electoral-Board/document_1276.PDF Chicago Board of Election Commissioners 10 February 1987 "Chicago First" nominee Thomas Hynes withdrew two days before the election and threw his support behind Washington's two remaining opponents.Joravsky Ben Harold and the Hyneses https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/dan-hynes-harold-washington-ad-tom-hynes-chicago-racial-politics/Content?oid=1384818 Chicago Reader 9 June 2020 en 4 February 2010Hynes withdraws from mayoral race https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/04/05/Hynes-withdraws-from-mayoral-race/8694544597200/ UPI 9 June 2020 en 5 April 1987 General election Campaign December 2018 Some regarded Washington's modest margin of victory in the Democratic primary as an indicator that he would be vulnerable in the general election. Initially, Chicago First nominee Hynes polled well. He claimed he was a fresh alternative to the dirty infighting that had defined Chicago politics in recent years.Rivlin Gary Mr. Machine https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/mr-machine/Content?oid=870459 Chicago Reader 9 June 2020 en 2 April 1987 Hynes also talked about being the issue-oriented candidate as opposed to some of the other candidates who allegedly talked about each other. As the election drew close, voters opposed to Mayor Washington rallied behind Vrdolyak, Washington's most fiery opponent. Hynes' support waned.https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/dan-hynes-harold-washington-ad-tom-hynes-chicago-racial-politics/Content?oid=1384818 Harold and the Hyneses Ben Joravsky Chicago Reader 4 February 2010 Just two days before the general election, Hynes dropped out, leaving Vrdolyak and Haider as Washington's remaining opponents. Hynes did not throw his support to any of the remaining candidates, but suggested that either Vrdolyak or Haider should also drop out make it a one-on-one race against Washington. During the campaign, in a desperate bid for press, Republican nominee Haider rode an elephant (an animal often used to symbolize the Republican Party) down State Street.10 things you might not know about Chicago mayoral elections Mark Jacob and Stephan Benzkofer March 10, 2015 Civil rights activist Coretta Scott King, widow of Martin Luther King Jr., campaigned for Washington in predominately African-American neighborhoods throughout the city, most notably at the city's public housing complexes.CORETTA SCOTT KING & HAROLD WASHINGTON @ 1987 CHICAGO mayoral race - CBS news segment Results Mayor of Chicago 1987Board of Election Commissioners For the City of Chicago Mayoral Election Results Since 1900 General Elections Only http://66.107.4.19/ Chicago Board of Election Commissioners 26 March 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20040718031857/http://66.107.4.19/ July 18, 2004 18 July 2004 dead (general election) Democratic Party (United States) Harold Washington (incumbent) 600,290 53.78 Solidarity Party (Illinois) Edward Vrdolyak 468,493 41.96 Republican Party (United States) Donald Haider 47,652 4.26 1,116,435 Washington won a plurality of the vote in 27 of Chicago's 50 wards (winning a majority in 25 of those wards). Vrdolyak won a plurality in 23 wards (winning a majority in 20 of those wards). Haider's 4.26% vote share (at the time) marked the lowest for any Republican nominee for mayor of Chicago, usurping the previous low of 15.83% seen in 1935. Results by wardhttp://chicagodemocracy.org/ElectionResults.jsp?election=crdd_general%2Ccrdd_1987_general_election%2Cil_chi_mayor Election Results for 1987 General Election, Mayor, Chicago, IL https://web.archive.org/web/20210621152056/http://chicagodemocracy.org/ElectionResults.jsp?election=crdd_general%2Ccrdd_1987_general_election%2Cil_chi_mayor Chicago Democracy Project (Michael Dawson/University of Chicago) chicagodemocracy.org dead June 21, 2021 Ward Harold Washington(Democratic Party) Edward Vrdolyak(Solidarity Party) Donald Haider(Republican Party) Total Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes 1 12,179 59.7% 7,245 35.5% 977 4.8% 20,401 2 20,018 97.6% 296 1.4% 194 0.9% 20,508 3 20,769 99.0% 113 0.5% 100 0.5% 20,982 4 19,766 93.0% 946 4.5% 540 2.5% 21,252 5 22,543 92.2% 1,256 5.1% 642 2.6% 24,441 6 32,676 99.1% 182 0.6% 117 0.4% 32,975 7 16,072 83.6% 3,049 15.9% 108 0.6% 19,229 8 29,847 98.5% 340 1.1% 102 0.3% 30,289 9 22,012 95.0% 1,036 4.5% 113 0.5% 23,161 10 9,052 31.0% 19,906 68.2% 241 0.8% 29,199 11 4,460 20.5% 16,894 77.5% 432 2.0% 21,786 12 3,337 16.5% 16,186 80.2% 657 3.3% 20,180 13 1,123 3.4% 31,018 93.3% 1,092 3.3% 33,233 14 3,342 15.4% 17,766 81.9% 585 2.7% 21,693 15 18,426 79.1% 4,602 19.7% 278 1.2% 23,306 16 21,954 98.9% 154 0.7% 86 0.4% 22,194 17 25,339 99.1% 126 0.5% 99 0.4% 25,564 18 15,810 48.6% 16,146 49.6% 568 1.7% 32,524 19 6,248 19.6% 23,634 74.1% 1,992 6.2% 31,874 20 21,748 98.8% 146 0.7% 115 0.5% 22,009 21 30,370 98.9% 206 0.7% 138 0.4% 30,714 22 4,006 56.0% 2,963 41.4% 183 2.6% 7,152 23 961 3.1% 28,567 93.6% 994 3.3% 30,522 24 22,741 99.0% 125 0.5% 107 0.5% 22,973 25 4,940 50.8% 4,528 46.6% 249 2.6% 9,717 26 9,027 69.4% 3,543 27.2% 432 3.3% 13,002 27 15,282 88.7% 1,775 10.3% 168 1.0% 17,225 28 19,141 99.2% 82 0.4% 75 0.4% 19,298 29 19,389 94.7% 927 4.5% 153 0.7% 20,469 30 5,160 26.5% 13,319 68.3% 1,011 5.2% 19,490 31 9,332 67.0% 4,123 29.6% 479 3.4% 13,934 32 4,832 33.3% 9,067 62.5% 605 4.2% 14,504 33 4,737 30.4% 9,837 63.2% 1,003 6.4% 15,577 34 27,407 98.8% 231 0.8% 94 0.3% 27,732 35 2,628 14.6% 13,871 77.3% 1,454 8.1% 17,953 36 1,886 6.7% 25,096 88.5% 1,372 4.8% 28,354 37 20,522 96.8% 551 2.6% 130 0.6% 21,203 38 1,292 4.6% 25,024 89.5% 1,659 5.9% 27,975 39 2,731 13.2% 16,308 78.9% 1,632 7.9% 20,671 40 3,050 18.7% 11,518 70.7% 1,724 10.6% 16,292 41 1,582 5.2% 26,530 86.8% 2,461 8.0% 30,573 42 9,680 42.1% 10,215 44.4% 3,100 13.5% 22,995 43 7,723 29.3% 13,707 52.1% 4,897 18.6% 26,327 44 8,002 37.8% 10,389 49.1% 2,756 13.0% 21,147 45 1,562 5.5% 24,812 87.2% 2,064 7.3% 28,438 46 9,944 51.4% 7,564 39.1% 1,844 9.5% 19,352 47 4,161 21.8% 13,008 68.2% 1,896 9.9% 19,065 48 8,789 48.5% 7,348 40.6% 1,966 10.9% 18,103 49 8,269 47.1% 7,496 42.7% 1,809 10.3% 17,574 50 4,385 20.7% 14,673 69.2% 2,155 10.2% 21,213 Total 600,252 53.8% 468,444 42.0% 47,648 4.3% 1,116,344 References collapsed 1987 Chicago Category:1987 Illinois elections Category:1987 in Chicago Category:April 1987 in the United States