In under two weeks, Chicagoans will have a decision to make: who the next mayor of the city will be. This election in particular will be important  for many Lane students because it will be the first they will be able to vote.

   Newly registered voters may not know who or what they will be voting for on Feb. 24.  With the large amount of candidates and different viewpoints, it can seem overwhelming to pick the person who will be calling the shots for the citizens of Chicago. The five main contenders are incumbent Rahm Emanuel, Alderman Robert Fioretti, Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, businessman Willie Wilson, and community activist William Walls.

The current mayor, Rahm Emanuel, has been in office since 2011, when he left his position in Washington, D.C., as President Obama’s chief of staff. Since his victory in 2011, Emanuel has enacted several civic works projects such as the “Healthy Chicago” and the “Building a New Chicago” programs. Based on a recent Chicago Tribune poll conducted by APC Research, Emanuel currently leads the race with approximately 42% of the projected votes.

Trailing Emanuel by 18% of projected votes is Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia. Garcia was not seen as a major contender in the race until Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis fell ill and put her support behind him. This pushed him to his position as the second most popular candidate. Like Emanuel, Garcia is a Democrat and believes in redeveloping Chicago’s infrastructure and parks. He also vows to promote safety and lower crime in Chicago neighborhoods, as well as discontinue the closing of CPS schools.

   Alderman Robert Fioretti is a South Side democrat who is seeking the office of mayor for the first time. He has served as alderman of the 2nd Ward since 2007 and since then has focused primarily on job creation and education improvements for CPS. He oversaw the expansion of Jones College Prep and Roosevelt University, and in 2011 he won the “Defender of Public Education Award.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Democrat Willie Wilson follows Fioretti with approximately 7% of the projected votes. Despite this seemingly low projection, Wilson’s campaign website touts his growing success with south side residents ever since he launched his campaign in November. Wilson plans to devote his time as mayor to education improvement, economic empowerment, and ensure the growth of city contracts.

Unlike Wilson, businessman and Democrat William Walls is no stranger to mayoral elections. He has run in and lost the Chicago mayoral election in both 2007 and 2011. However, he hopes to break this unlucky streak in 2015. Walls is a religious candidate who believes in reintroducing the Bible as an elective course option in CPS curriculum. Along with these religious views, Walls believes in restructuring public housing and removing speed and red light cameras on Chicago’s streets.

How To Register to Vote

1. Must be 18 by election date and register a month in advance.

2. A completed Illinois Voter Registration Form (found on dmv.org/il-illinois)

3. Proof of Identity such as:

    – Driver’s license

    – ID card

    – University photo ID

4. Proof of your current Illinois residence such as:

   – Utility bill

  – Pay check

  – Bank statement

5. Must register one month before election.

for more information visit: dmv.org/il-illinois