The Chicago mayor election is a nonpartisan race held every four years in February, with an April runoff if no candidate wins an outright majority. Every candidate, regardless of party, appears on the same ballot. The next scheduled election is February 23, 2027, with a runoff in April if needed.1Chicago Board of Ethics. A Guide for Candidates to Elected Office of the City of Chicago for the 2027 Elections There is no limit on how many terms one person can hold the office.
How the Vote Works
The race is governed by the Revised Cities and Villages Act, which requires a nonpartisan format. All qualified candidates appear on a single ballot at the consolidated primary election in February of the appropriate odd-numbered year. If any candidate wins a majority of votes cast, that candidate wins outright and no runoff is held.2Illinois General Assembly. 65 ILCS 20/21-5 – Revised Cities and Villages Act of 1941
When no candidate clears a majority, the top two vote-getters advance to a runoff at the consolidated election in April. Only those two names appear, and whoever gets the most votes wins. Runoffs have been common in recent Chicago history because the field tends to be crowded. The 2023 race had nine candidates on the February ballot and required an April runoff.2Illinois General Assembly. 65 ILCS 20/21-5 – Revised Cities and Villages Act of 1941
Inauguration typically follows in May after results are certified. Mayor Brandon Johnson was inaugurated on May 15, 2023.3City of Chicago. Inauguration of Mayor Brandon Johnson
Who Can Run
Illinois law sets three baseline requirements. A candidate must be at least 18 years old, a registered voter in Chicago, and a resident of the city for at least one full year before the election.4Justia Law. Illinois Code 65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-5 – Qualifications; Elective Office
Two things will block a winner from being sworn in. A conviction for a felony, bribery, or perjury in any U.S. court disqualifies the candidate unless citizenship rights have been restored through a governor’s pardon or another legal process. Owing unpaid taxes or other debts to the city at the time of the oath also prevents taking office.4Justia Law. Illinois Code 65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-5 – Qualifications; Elective Office
Getting on the Ballot
Eligibility is just the entry point. Candidates file a packet with the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners that includes a Statement of Candidacy and a Statement of Economic Interests disclosing financial holdings and potential conflicts. Missing the filing window or submitting incomplete paperwork can knock a candidate out before voters ever see the name.1Chicago Board of Ethics. A Guide for Candidates to Elected Office of the City of Chicago for the 2027 Elections
Signatures are where many campaigns stumble. A mayoral candidate needs at least 12,500 valid signatures from registered Chicago voters.5Chicago Board of Elections. 2023 Municipal, Alderperson, and District Council Elections Quick Reference Guide Each sheet must show the candidate’s name and the office sought, every signer must give a full legal name and current home address so officials can confirm voter registration, and the circulator must sign a statement that they personally witnessed every signature on the page. Campaigns usually collect well above the minimum, because falling below 12,500 after verification means removal from the ballot.
Opponents and voters can challenge nominating petitions in writing within five business days after the final filing deadline. Miss that window, and objections are permanently waived. An electoral board convenes within three to five days of the objection. The challenger carries the burden of proof and must show by a preponderance of the evidence that the petitions are deficient. Common grounds include forged signatures, signers who are not registered in Chicago, and technical defects on the sheets themselves. These proceedings have ended campaigns that looked viable on paper.6Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. How to Navigate the Candidate Petition Challenge Process
Campaign Contribution Limits
Illinois sets per-cycle contribution caps that apply to candidates for Chicago mayor. An individual can give up to $7,300 to a candidate committee. Corporations, labor unions, and associations can give up to $14,600. Political action committees and other candidate committees can give up to $72,800.7Illinois State Board of Elections. Contribution Limits
Those caps can disappear. If any candidate in the race spends $100,000 or more of their own money, or if independent expenditures on the race exceed $100,000, the limits lift for every candidate running for that office for the rest of the cycle.8Illinois State Board of Elections. Contribution Limits Off Search In a race for Chicago mayor, that trigger regularly gets hit, which effectively makes the contest an unlimited-contribution one.
Candidates file quarterly D-2 reports disclosing contributions and expenditures. Any single contribution of $1,000 or more also triggers a separate A-1 filing. The Illinois State Board of Elections publishes an annual disclosure calendar with the exact deadlines.9Illinois State Board of Elections. Campaign Disclosure Menu
What the Mayor Does and How Long They Serve
The mayor is Chicago’s chief executive and runs the daily operations of municipal government, appointing department commissioners and members of city boards and commissions.10Office of the City Clerk. About City Government and the Chicago City Council The mayor also submits the city’s annual budget, typically adopted in November.11City of Chicago. Chicago Government
The mayor holds veto power over ordinances, resolutions, and motions passed by the 50-member City Council, including a line-item veto on specific spending amounts within an appropriation. Vetoed items return with written objections at the next regular council meeting occurring at least five days after passage. Items the mayor fails to return within the required time become law without a signature.12Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/5-3-2 – Ordinances, Approval, Veto The council can override a veto with a two-thirds supermajority, but that is rare against a sitting mayor.
The term is four years, and the mayor stays in office until a successor is elected and qualified.13Justia Law. Illinois Code 65 ILCS 5/3.1-15-10 – Mayor; President There are no term limits.
If the seat becomes vacant with at least 28 months left in the term, and the vacancy occurs before the petition filing period for the next general municipal election, a special election fills the balance of the term at the next scheduled municipal election. The City Council elects one of its own as acting mayor in the interim, with full mayoral powers. If fewer than 28 months remain, no special election is held, and the acting mayor chosen by the council serves out the term.14Justia Law. Illinois Code 65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-50 – Vacancies in Municipal Offices
Illinois does not currently have a recall mechanism for the Chicago mayor. Legislation has been proposed over the years but none has been enacted. The only ways to remove a sitting mayor before the term ends are legal proceedings or resignation.