Unique South Loop Voting Patterns

According to the preliminary report published by the Chicago Board of Elections, results from the 3rd and 4th Wards show a significant difference between those Wards’ precincts in the South Loop and their non-South Loop precincts, further south. In the mayoral primary, Lightfoot won in both Ward’s South Loop precincts while Preckwinkle won in the non-South Loop precincts. South Loop precincts in the 3rd Ward include 3, 6, 13, 14, 17, 19, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 32, 33, 34, 39, and 40. South Loop precincts in the 4th Ward include 2, 13, 16, 17, 20, 21, 25, and 37.
In the 3rd Ward, the 16 South Loop precincts lay north of the Stevenson Expressway with the remaining 25 precincts to the south and generally west of Martin Luther King Drive. The 3rd Ward’s South Loop precincts voted 23% for Lightfoot and 19% for Preckwinkle. The other 3rd Ward precincts voted 14% for Lightfoot and 27% for Preckwinkle.
In the 4th Ward, the 8 South Loop precincts lay north of Roosevelt Road with the remaining 30 precincts south of the Stevenson and generally east of Martin Luther King Drive. The 4th Ward’s South Loop precincts voted 27% for Lightfoot and 19% for Preckwinkle. The other 4th Ward precincts voted 17% for Lightfoot and 35% for Preckwinkle.
The two wards’ Aldermanic elections also showed significant differences, but not as large as the mayoral results. In the 3rd Ward, Pat Dowel won the South Loop 73% to Alexandria Willis’s 27%. South of the Stevenson, Dowell won 65% to 35%.
In the 4th Ward, Sophia King won the South Loop 73% to Ebony Lucas’s 27%. South of the Stevenson, King won 64% to 36%.
A curious anomaly showed up in the 3rd Ward’s Precinct 6. Of the 407 ballots cast, 158 did not include a vote for a mayoral candidate. The next highest mayoral “under count” in a South Loop precinct was 5. As the report from the Board of Elections was its first preliminary report, this anomaly may be updated in the final results.
Roger Marsh
South Loop Neighbors