1/ Chicago, the nation’s third-biggest city and a frequent political target of President Donald Trump, is facing a history-making municipal #electionday today.

We asked our colleagues at @ProPublicaIL to explain why it’s especially significant:

2/ The city will elect its first black woman as mayor — either Lori Lightfoot or Toni Preckwinkle.

propublica.org/article/chicag…

3/ Two-term Chicago Mayor @RahmEmanuel — former chief of staff to @BarackObama — is leaving office after facing widespread criticism for his handling of the fatal police shooting of #LaquanMcDonald.

4/ Even before Emanuel announced he wouldn’t seek reelection, challengers were lining up. But after, even more joined the race.

In all, 14 names were on the ballot in the first round of voting in February.

5/ All pledged to take the city in a new direction, vowing to rebuild struggling neighborhoods, invest in local schools and fight corruption.

6/ The top two vote-getters were Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor, and Preckwinkle, president of the Cook County Board and chair of the county Democratic Party. They share positions on many issues, although Lightfoot has been widely viewed as the candidate of change.

7/ Whoever wins, any celebration may be short-lived. The mayor will have to wrestle with Chicago’s many problems:

-economic inequality in one of the nation’s most segregated cities
-stubborn gun violence
-rising indebtedness

8/ Tonight, reporter @mickeyd1971 will be tweeting from the @ProPublicaIL account as election results come in, sharing his political expertise and analysis.

He might talk about his cats, too.