Young people in Chicago aren’t voting. Here’s why

Chicago mayoral candidates Brandon Johnson, left, and Paul Vallas await the start of a debate at ABC7 studios on March 16. With both candidates for mayor polling closely, any advantage in turnout could produce an advantage in the election. (Chris Sweda, AP Photos)

NEW YORK —  The new edition of the Chicago Sun-Times political show “At the Table” focuses on the April 4 battle for mayor between Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson, and when I asked the political panel of campaign operatives and reporters about the youth vote, a stunning statistic emerged: only 3% of ballots cast on Feb. 28 came from the youngest voters.

That stat came from WBEZ data reporter Amy Qin, one of the “At the Table” show panelists, who highlighted that the youngest voters in Chicago did not show up in the first round to vote.