In a historic first, a lesbian African American woman was elected mayor of America's third largest city Tuesday, as Chicago voters entrusted a political novice with tackling difficult problems of economic inequality and gun violence.
Lori Lightfoot, a 56-year-old former federal prosecutor and practicing lawyer who has never before held elected office, was elected the midwestern city's mayor in a lopsided victory.
She beat out Toni Preckwinkle, who is also an African American woman, by a wide margin of 74 to 26 per cent in early voting results with most ballots counted.
Interestingly, Lightfoot will become Chicago's first openly gay mayor and the first African-American woman to hold the post. Since 1837, Chicago voters have elected only one black mayor and one female mayor.
With inputs from PTI