Lobbyists, journalists, consultants and others with a pronounced interest in what the local electorate will decide usually say the same thing: Politics in Chicago is a sport.
It’s an article of faith, a claim for a Chicago distinction, like parking dibs. But if it’s true, then politics is a sport drawing less participation at a basic level. In the 2019 mayoral election, only about one-third of registered voters cast ballots. It was a surprisingly low figure involving a race for a wide-open seat.
