1987 Chicago mayoral election#Democratic primary

;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

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).[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19850218&id=KI5PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZQYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1708,1215300 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.{{cite web |last1=Green |first1=Larry |title=Scandal Has Mayor of Chicago Fighting for His Political Life |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-03-02-mn-1403-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |date=2 March 1986 |access-date=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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lib.niu.edu/1991/ii910617.html|title=Chicago's 1991 mayoral elections: Richard M. Daley wins second term}} 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 1975 Chicago mayoral election in which the incumbent mayor won the primary.{{cite web |last1=Malcolm |first1=Andrew H. |title=Washington Is Victor in Chicago Mayoral Primary |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/02/25/us/washington-is-victor-in-chicago-mayoral-primary.html |work=New York Times |access-date=15 December 2018 |date=February 25, 1987}} Also running was Sheila A. Jones,{{cite web |title=State of Illinois, County of Cook, Case No. 87-EB-175 |url=https://app.chicagoelections.com/documents/Electoral-Board/document_1222.PDF |website=Chicago Board of Election Commissioners |date=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.{{cite web |title=State of Illinois, County of Cook, Case No. 87-EB-ALD-176 |url=https://app.chicagoelections.com/documents/Electoral-Board/document_1222.PDF |website=Chicago Board of Election Commissioners |date=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.

{{cite web |title=[Chicago mayoral primary 1987] |url=https://mediaburn.org/video/chicago-mayoral-primary-1987/ |publisher=WLS-TV |access-date=15 December 2018 |date=January 13, 1987}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20181216120645/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1987/02/26/after-primary-mayors-field-in-chicago-is-still-crowded/ The 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.{{cite web |title=Washington Beats Byrne in Primary |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/538594294 |via=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Daily Sentinel |url-access=subscription |access-date=28 November 2024 |language=en |date=February 25, 1987}}

File:1987 Chicago mayoral election by ward (D primary).svg

Turnout was 75.68%.

Washington received 96% of the African-American vote, surpassing the 80% in the 1983 election.[https://www.nytimes.com/1987/02/25/us/washington-is-victor-in-chicago-mayoral-primary.html 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.[https://www.chicagoreporter.com/looking-back-at-washingtons-victory-all-blacks-most-latinos-17-whites/ Chicago Reader - Can Washington’s victory point the way forward for the next Chicago mayor? - By Ben Joravsky and Tom Brune | March 10, 2015]

{{election table}}

|-

! colspan="5" rowspan="1" align="center" |Chicago Democratic Party Mayoral Primary, 1987{{cite web |title=Election Results for 1987 Primary Election, Mayor, Chicago, IL |url=http://chicagodemocracy.org/ElectionResults.jsp?election=crdd_primary%2Ccrdd_1987_primary_election%2Cil_chi_mayor |website=Chicago Democracy Project |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130155054/http://chicagodemocracy.org/ElectionResults.jsp?election=crdd_primary%2Ccrdd_1987_primary_election%2Cil_chi_mayor |archive-date=November 30, 2018 |url-status=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)

| {{formatnum:586841}}

| {{formatnum:53.50}}%

| +17.22%

|-

| style="color:inherit;background:#3333FF" |

| align="left" | Jane Byrne

| {{formatnum:507603}}

| {{formatnum:46.27}}%

| +12.63%

|-

| style="color:inherit;background:#3333FF" |

| align="left" | Sheila Jones

| {{formatnum:2549}}

| {{formatnum:0.23}}%

| +0.12%

|-

| colspan="2" align="left" | Majority

| {{formatnum:79238}}

| {{formatnum:7.22}}%

| +2.64%

|-

| colspan="2" align="left" | Total

| {{formatnum:1,096993}} || {{formatnum:100.00}}%

| 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.{{cite web | title=2 Reviews Bare Up to 100,000 Irregularities | website=Chicago Tribune | date=1987-03-08 | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1987/03/08/2-reviews-bare-up-to-100000-irregularities/ | access-date=2024-04-22}}{{cite web | title='Massive' Fraud Reported During Chicago Primary | website=Washington Post | date=1987-03-09 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1987/03/09/massive-fraud-reported-during-chicago-primary/c5fa8a2b-6431-4ae1-9593-35e07e0a95f8/ | access-date=2024-04-22}}{{cite web | title=Webb Asks Primary Vote Fraud Probe | website=Chicago Tribune | date=1987-03-11 | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1987/03/11/webb-asks-primary-vote-fraud-probe/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240828155102/https://www.chicagotribune.com/1987/03/11/webb-asks-primary-vote-fraud-probe/ | archive-date=2024-08-28 | url-status=live | access-date=2024-08-28}}

;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 nominee{{cite web |title=Hearing Officer: Bounce Epton From Primary |url=https://apnews.com/article/0ce7dce6b7cdfcebc8a4b09f7dcdff20 |website=The Associated Press |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=25 November 2020 |date=13 January 1987}}{{cite web |title=Epton Bows Out Of Chicago Mayoral Race |url=https://apnews.com/article/94e94802c6e3576021cfcf0d239559ae |website=The Associated Press |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=25 November 2020 |date=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 player{{cite web |title=GOP Leaders Want Fencik for Mayor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/306056640 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription |publisher=Quad-City Times |agency= Associated Press |access-date=25 November 2024 |language=en |date=September 17, 1986}}
• Louis Masotti, urbanist and professor{{cite web |title=Mayor To Stress Fairness Policies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/92506241 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=Herald and Review (Decatur, Illinois) |via=The Associated Press |url-access=subscription |access-date=28 November 2024 |language=en |date=December 1, 1986}}{{cite web |title=GOP Panel Narrows Mayoral List to Haider |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/12/01/gop-panel-narrows-mayoral-list-to-haider |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=28 November 2024 |date=1 December 1986}}
• Richard B. Ogilvie, former governor of Illinois
• Dan K. Webb, former United States attorney for the Northern District of Illinois

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.{{cite web |title=Political Office Probably Too Small for Fencik |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/09/21/political-office-probably-too-small-for-fencik |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=22 November 2024 |date=21 September 1986}}{{cite web |title=John Lattner, A Promising Political Rookie |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/10/19/john-lattner-a-promising-political-rookie |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=22 November 2024 |date=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.{{cite news |last1=Camper |first1=John |last2=Devall |first2=Cheryl |date=February 23, 1987 |title=4 Republicans Try to Make a Dent in Mayoral Race |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-02-23-8701150433-story.html |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=January 22, 2019 }} Haider was formerly a Democrat.{{cite news |last1=Neal |first1=Steve |last2=Houston |first2=Jack |title=Haider gets GOP nod for Mayor |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-12-04-8603310769-story.html |work=Chicago Tribune |date=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).{{cite web |title=Edgewater Teasers Vol. XVI No. 3 - FALL 2005 |url=http://www.edgewaterhistory.org/ehs/articles/v16-3-5 |publisher=Edgewater History |access-date=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 was )the 35th Ward Republican committeeman, a police officer, and also a candidate for alderman in the 35th ward){{cite web| url-status = live| archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/3GIufiaSpvM| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GIufiaSpvM| archive-date= 2021-12-05 | title = REPUBLICAN opposition @ 1987 CHICAGO mayoral race | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} 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".

{{expand section|date=January 2019}}

Haider won the primary.

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.{{cite web |title=After Close Primary Victory Washington Faces New Foes |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/639420070 |via=Newspapers.com |publisher=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |agency=Chicago Tribune News Service |url-access=subscription |access-date=28 November 2024 |language=en |date=February 26, 1987}}

Independent candidate Ronald D. Bartos saw his name removed from the ballot due to issues with his petition.{{cite web |title=State of Illinois, County of Cook, Case No. 87-EB-IND-1 |url=https://app.chicagoelections.com/documents/Electoral-Board/document_1276.PDF |website=Chicago Board of Election Commissioners |date=10 February 1987}}

"Chicago First" nominee Thomas Hynes withdrew two days before the election and threw his support behind Washington's two remaining opponents.{{cite web |last1=Joravsky |first1=Ben |title=Harold and the Hyneses |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/dan-hynes-harold-washington-ad-tom-hynes-chicago-racial-politics/Content?oid=1384818 |website=Chicago Reader |access-date=9 June 2020 |language=en |date=4 February 2010}}{{cite web |title=Hynes withdraws from mayoral race |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/04/05/Hynes-withdraws-from-mayoral-race/8694544597200/ |website=UPI |access-date=9 June 2020 |language=en |date=5 April 1987}}

{{Expand section|date=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.{{cite web |last1=Rivlin |first1=Gary |title=Mr. Machine |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/mr-machine/Content?oid=870459 |website=Chicago Reader |access-date=9 June 2020 |language=en |date=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.{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/dan-hynes-harold-washington-ad-tom-hynes-chicago-racial-politics/Content?oid=1384818|title=Harold and the Hyneses|first=Ben|last=Joravsky|website=Chicago Reader|date=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.[https://web.archive.org/web/20150328073135/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-things-chicago-mayoral-elections-emanuel-garcia-perspec-0329-jm-20150327-story.html 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.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=atp--hO4a6k CORETTA SCOTT KING & HAROLD WASHINGTON @ 1987 CHICAGO mayoral race - CBS news segment]

{{Election box begin no change| title=Mayor of Chicago 1987{{cite web |title=Board of Election Commissioners For the City of Chicago Mayoral Election Results Since 1900 General Elections Only |url=http://66.107.4.19/ |publisher=Chicago Board of Election Commissioners |access-date=26 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040718031857/http://66.107.4.19/ |archive-date=July 18, 2004 |date=18 July 2004 |url-status=dead}} (general election)}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Harold Washington (incumbent)

|votes = 600,290

|percentage = 53.76

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Solidarity Party (Illinois)

|candidate =Edward Vrdolyak

|votes = 468,493

|percentage = 42.68

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Donald Haider

|votes = 47,652

|percentage = 4.36

}}

{{Election box turnout no change

|votes = 1,116,435

|percentage =

}}

{{Election box end}}

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).

Results by ward{{cite web| url=http://chicagodemocracy.org/ElectionResults.jsp?election=crdd_general%2Ccrdd_1987_general_election%2Cil_chi_mayor | title=Election Results for 1987 General Election, Mayor, Chicago, IL |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621152056/http://chicagodemocracy.org/ElectionResults.jsp?election=crdd_general%2Ccrdd_1987_general_election%2Cil_chi_mayor |publisher=Chicago Democracy Project (Michael Dawson/University of Chicago) |website= chicagodemocracy.org |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 21, 2021}}

{{reflist}}

{{1987 United States elections}}

{{Illinois elections}}

{{Mayors of Chicago|state=collapsed}}

1987

Chicago

Category:1987 Illinois elections

Category:1980s in Chicago