1983 Chicago mayoral election

The Chicago mayoral election of 1983 was first the primary on February 22, 1983, which was followed by the general on April 12, 1983. The election saw the election of Chicago's first African-American mayor, Harold Washington. Incumbent Mayor Jane Byrne, who had served since April 16, 1979 had lost renomination in the Democratic primary in a three-way race between herself, then–Congressman Washington, and then–Cook County State’s Attorney Richard M. Daley (who would be elected mayor six years later in 1989) in February 1983. Washington would face off against Republican nominee Bernard Epton, winning with a 3.7% lead over Epton in the general election.