- Credibility:
KENWOOD — Prentice Butler will square off against state Rep. Lamont Robinson to determine who will lead the Near South Side’s 4th Ward.
Robinson netted about 46 percent of the vote, or 5,789 votes, in the Feb. 28 election — but it was unclear for weeks who he’d face in the April 4 runoff. Final but unofficial results released by the city’s elections board Tuesday night show the second candidate will be Butler, who got 15 percent of the vote, or 1,906 votes, prevailing over attorney Ebony Lucas by 104 votes.
Lucas was in third place with 14 percent. The results are expected to be certified by the election board’s commissioners Wednesday afternoon.
The winner will replace Ald. Sophia King, who launched an unsuccessful bid for mayor.
The race has been tense, with some of the candidates accusing Robinson of exaggerating his involvement in the fight to keep Mercy Hospital open. Lucas also accused Robinson’s camp of sending out campaign mailers charging that she is a “slumlord.” The attorney named Robinson, Cook County Board Toni Preckwinkle and the 4th Ward Democratic Organization in a defamation lawsuit filed last month.
Robinson, who has represented the 5th District since 2019, previously told Block Club his public service record and experience in the statehouse will be invaluable to the City Council, saying he hopes to leverage the connections he’s made in the Illinois General Assembly to help the 4th Ward. He is the state assembly’s first openly LGBTQ Black lawmaker.
Several of Robinson’s former opponents — including Tracey Bey, Helen West and Lucas — have thrown their support behind Butler, who serves as incumbent King’s chief of staff. Butler has been a fixture in the 4th Ward office since 2011.
Butler previously told Block Club he looks forward to continuing King’s efforts to bring affordable housing and businesses to the ward.
The ward covers parts of Bronzeville, Douglas, Kenwood and the South Loop.
The final results:
- Helen West: 692 votes, 5.53 percent
- Tracey Bey: 1,145 votes, 9.15 percent
- Lamont Robinson: 5,789 votes, 46.28 percent
- Matthew Khari Humphries: 1,175 votes, 9.39 percent
- Ebony Lucas: 1,802 votes, 14.41 percent
- Prentice Butler: 1,906 votes, 15.24 percent
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