More than 20,000 people have registered to vote since the February 24 general election, and according to data from the Chicago Board of Elections, these new voters are concentrated in North Side wards friendly to Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Although the top-gaining ward (the 1st, which includes Wicker Park and Logan Square) tilted toward Jesus “Chuy” Garcia in February, the top 10 wards combined to vote 55.9 percent for Emanuel, much higher than the 45.6 percent he received overall.

These 20,000 new voters would represent 4 percent of the 478,000 Chicagoans who voted for mayor in February. Surprisingly, the biggest gains in registration do not appear to have a strong correlation to wards with runoff aldermanic races. Are the increases the result of the mayoral campaigns shoring up their respective bases? Or did the campaigns try to make inroads on their opponent’s home turf?

We’ll start finding out after the polls close tonight at 7 p.m.

 

Ward New voters Emanuel in
general election
Garcia in
general election
Aldermanic run-off?
1st 675 39.6% 48.8%  
46th 673 57.5% 31.4%  
2nd 628 64.5% 23.3%  
43rd 620 72.0% 18.3%  
42nd 615 73.5% 16.6%  
32nd 615 47.6% 41.2%  
47th 589 51.5% 39.9%  
44th 574 64.2% 27.0%  
11th 565 48.9% 32.6%  
3rd 538 49.1% 20.8%  
Show entire table
27th 518 48.6% 21.7%  
4th 504 44.6% 28.4%  
48th 492 52.3% 37.4%  
26th 472 34.3% 54.0%  
41st 458 47.8% 30.8%  
45th 458 48.1% 35%  
5th 457 44.0% 33.6%  
49th 445 44.1% 43.6%  
40th 428 47.3% 42.2%  
28th 420 39.9% 21.8%  
33rd 415 40.0% 49.1%  
35th 397 33.6% 57.1%  
39th 368 48.5% 37.1%  
23th 368 40.2% 43.3%  
29th 366 42.0% 24.8%  
13th 366 52.0% 36.4%  
7th 363 43.8% 24.2%  
31st 363 40.6% 51.1%  
10th 359 37.7% 47.4%  
20th 341 40.6% 26.0%  
6th 336 42.6% 22.9%  
19th 330 41.9% 35.9%  
24th 329 36.5% 23.4%  
38th 307 48.1% 33.1%  
50th 303 55.3% 32.2%  
36th 300 39.3% 45.1%  
16th 294 39.9% 25.3%  
18th 283 39.0% 32.4%  
9th 279 43.3% 21.9%  
37th 270 41.4% 21.0%  
8th 269 43.4% 24.0%  
30th 266 39.6% 48.8%  
14th 266 38.0% 52.2%  
12th 255 25.7% 66.7%  
15th 245 30.0% 51.2%  
34th 242 45.5% 20.5%  
21st 237 42.56% 22.2%  
22nd 228 21.2% 69.7%  
17th 181 40.1% 24.0%  

Where Chicago’s Newest Voters Live

Larger circles indicate bigger increases in registration since the February 24 election. Blue wards favored Emanuel in the general election, green Garcia, with darker colors indicating larger leads.

 
 
700 new voters

   Precincts in which Emanuel led Garcia
   Precincts in which Garcia led Emanuel

Sources: Chicago Board of Elections for results and registration