This was the final Chicago mayoral election held before the ratification of the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.

[5] In a press conference announcing his reelection campaign, Daley remarked: "This election won't be won by speeches.

[3] Richard Friedman, a 41-year-old independent Democrat running as a Republican, was an attorney and former executive director of the watchdog organization Better Government Association.

[9] In the days ahead of voting on April 6, The New York Times described Chicago's public health facilities as "among the worst in the nation", with the infant mortality rate among the highest.

[6] But, as The New York Times noted, "unless a voter is black, poor, rebellious, or involved in some contretemps with a Democratic precinct leader, his dissatisfaction with Mr. Daley is likely to be minute."