Brandon Johnson’s mayoral victory charts a new course for Chicago, and it also opens up a new spot to represent the city’s West Side and west suburban communities on the Cook County Board.
State Rep. Lamont Robinson’s win in the race for 4th Ward City Council alderman, meanwhile, creates a vacancy for the slim Statehouse district that includes portions of River North all the way south to West Woodlawn and Pocket Town.
Neither Johnson nor Robinson has submitted a letter of resignation to the county board or the House clerk in Springfield, though they are expected before inauguration day for both on May 15. Their respective resignations get the clock ticking: selection committees made up of Democratic Party leaders from Johnson’s and Robinson’s respective districts will have 30 days to make their choice from the date of the resignation. Both just won reelection in November to the seats they’re now leaving, and their replacements will serve until the next election in 2024.
There’s little time for Johnson or Robinson to complete any unfinished business from their old roles. Mayor-elect Johnson’s transition time is the shortest in recent mayoral history: 41 days. Mayor Lori Lightfoot had 48 days between her election in April of 2019 and inauguration in mid-May. Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel took office 81 days after his 2011 victory. The city’s swearing-in ceremony is also four days before the General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn for the spring on May 19.
Both of their seats will be filled by Democrats who serve as committeepersons for the wards and townships that fall within each district. Each committeeperson has a weighted vote based on turnout for each candidate’s seats in the November general election.
Johnson only served one full term and a scant few months of a second on the county board. He was slated to earn $93,500 this year.
Johnson’s goal is to attend the next county board meeting for one final appearance, his campaign said. He plans to issue his resignation in early May. Johnson told the online publication The Daily Line on Friday that he hopes his successor will be a fellow progressive who can address the disparities in his district, which includes the Austin neighborhood and suburban Oak Park, suburban Maywood, Broadview, and Bellwood.
Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, who is the committeeperson for Oak Park township, has the largest share of the vote: just under 29%. Johnson and Harmon have a history: Johnson ran constituent services for him from 2003 to 2004. Johnson went on to serve as chief of staff for state Rep. Deborah Graham for five years before he began teaching in 2007.
Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough, who represents Proviso Township, has just over 23% of the vote. Others on the committee with less than 10% of the weighted vote are City Council members Chris Taliaferro, 29th; Emma Mitts, 37th; Daniel La Spata, 1st; Jason Ervin, 28th; and and four others.
Robinson was first elected to the Illinois House in 2018, and went unchallenged in 2020 and 2022. He opted to run in the 4th Ward race to succeed outgoing Ald. Sophia King, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor. With support from Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Robinson defeated King’s chief of staff, Prentice Butler, in the runoff earlier this month.
Ald. Pat Dowell, the Democratic committeeperson for the 3rd Ward, has the largest share of the weighted vote to fill Robinson’s seat in Springfield, 48.6%, followed by the 42nd Ward’s Ald. Brendan Reilly and his 17.6% share, then state Rep. Mattie Hunter, who has 17.4%. Other selection committee members include Preckwinkle, who is also the Cook County Democratic Party chair, as well as outgoing Ald. Leslie Hairston, 5th, and Ald. Michelle Harris, 8th.
