* As I told you yesterday, it’s within the realm of possibility that Paul Vallas will have the field all to himself in the first days or even much longer after Tuesday. NBC 5…

What’s more, mail-in ballots, which are far outpacing any previous mayoral election in Chicago, could be key. Those ballots can be submitted until midnight on Election Day, and so long as they are postmarked by Feb. 28, they can be counted as long as they are received by March 14.

Results in the election are due to be certified by March 21, and if a candidate finishes within 5% of the top-two spots in the race, then they would be legally allowed to request a recount, according to election experts.

That condensed timeframe would not only mean that Chicago voters may not know who will be on their ballots for the runoff until just weeks prior to the vote, but also would mean that candidates wouldn’t have much time to fundraise, run advertisements and push for votes in that limited turnaround time.

* After repeating the “defund the police” mantra for years, Brandon Johnson is trying to walk away from it…

Asked at a Monday campaign stop if he would reduce the $1.94 billion Chicago Police Department budget, Johnson did not say. Nor would he address his past comments on the defund movement. Instead, he implored reporters to “ask better questions,” such as what actually makes communities safer. […]

In a September progressive candidates forum, Johnson was quick to say “absolutely yes” when asked if he will commit to not raising Chicago police funds “any further.” But his statement last week in response to Lightfoot’s ad against him said his safety plan includes “new investments … not cuts to the CPD.”

Asked this week to clarify if he would adjust the Police Department’s $1.94 billion allocation, Johnson evaded the question. He instead pointed out that his safety plan calls for ensuring $150 million in police funds would “be reallocated” by streamlining the amount of department supervisors. He did not answer whether that money would be reinvested within the department or taken out of its budget, but his campaign confirmed Wednesday the plan “reinvests (the $150 million) within the CPD.”

The ol’ having it both ways to avoid any blowups before what could be a very tight race for the second runoff slot. But the earned media hits will immediately turn into paid media hits if he does qualify for the runoff.

* He does seem to be having the most fun of all the candidates, though…

Thank you @iochicago and the brilliant cast of last night's "Brandon is Literally Better" improv showcase!! It's a long road to City Hall, with long days, but some love and laughter is still the best medicine. 📷: @paulmgoyette pic.twitter.com/a9UUNUqk9g

— Punch 5 for Brandon Johnson! (@Brandon4Chicago) February 22, 2023

100 more artists signed on overnight, bringing us to over 200+ artists for @Brandon4Chicago! We got graphic designers, filmmakers, poets, CPS art teachers, musicians, textile artists, playwrights & more who agree that #BrandonIsBetter. Read + join: https://t.co/lt2mgwGCXJ https://t.co/dv0v6e8KRV

— Monica Trinidad (@monicatea2) February 23, 2023

* She has a real knack for getting under reporters’ collective skin…

Earlier this week, Lori Lightfoot told people if they weren't going to cast their ballot for her, not to vote– later apologizing for misspeaking.
Now, @LoriLightfoot tweets a graphic that apparently encourages people to vote more than once.
CONTEXT: There are six (6) days to go. pic.twitter.com/WQgh1lAK3A

— Heather Cherone (@HeatherCherone) February 23, 2023

* Dan and Amy have been having a sad ever since Vallas denounced DeSantis…

Instead of positioning himself as a "reasonable" man of the Left–whatever that is these days–which is what he thinks he did, Vallas exposed himself as not the guy who will do whatever it takes to get the job done but the guy who will say anything to get the job. 2/3

— Dan Proft (@DanProft) February 21, 2023

I’m left shaking my head on this one.

Who hijacked @PaulVallas ? https://t.co/dbI3EUOVZa

— Amy Jacobson (@AmyJacobson) February 17, 2023

* The other take-away from these numbers is that Madigan’s 13th is still cranking…

Top in person early voting wards for the Chicago mayor election #chimayor23 as of Feb 19th:

1) 19th Ward
2) 41st Ward
3) 11th Ward
4) 13th Ward
5) 24th Ward
6) 18th Ward
7) 38th Ward
8) 21st Ward
9) 39th Ward
10) 45th Ward

Turnout looks good for Paul Vallas #twill pic.twitter.com/ZZf4P3i4kw

— Frank Calabrese (@FrankCalabrese) February 23, 2023

* Isabel’s roundup…

* Philadelphia Inquirer | Paul Vallas, a front-runner in the Chicago mayor’s race, was a controversial leader of Philly schools: Vallas’ Philadelphia security policies strike a much different tone when viewed with a modern lens — some districts have abolished their school police forces, and even Philadelphia has softened its stance, rebranding its school police as ”security officers” who don’t wear traditional law enforcement uniforms and focus on mentorship and trauma-informed practices as well as keeping order.

* WGN | Mayor Lori Lightfoot on CPS email controversy, working collaboratively, improving public safety, more: Mayor Lightfoot talks about the challenge of running the city through a global pandemic, the CPS email controversy, her recent suggestion that South Side voters who don’t vote for her shouldn’t vote in the race at all, how she will persuade Chicagoans that she will work collaboratively with CPD, CTU, and the business community, and the progress that she’s made tackling violence and improving public safety.

* Crain’s | City worker union ramps up pressure on Lightfoot to strike a deal as Election Day looms: The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Workers, represented by AFSCME Local 131 in Chicago, is at the bargaining table with the Lightfoot Administration in an effort to reach a new deal covering the union’s more than 3,000 city workers in almost every city department.

* CBS Chicago | Two candidates vie to replace indicted Ald. Ed Burke in 14th Ward: Gutiérrez, a staffer to Cook County Commissioner Alma Anaya, will run against Reyes, who works as a staff assistant in the City’s Clerk’s Office. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Reyes helped Burke gather signatures on his nominating petitions to get on the ballot ahead of the 2019 election, and also filed an objection against Burke challenger Tanya Patino.

* Ald. Michael Rodriguez | Size isn’t the City Council’s problem: Crain’s rightly noted that each Chicago alderperson represents fewer people than city councils in every other one of the nation’s 10 biggest cities by stating, “Chicago’s 50 aldermen each represent, on average, 53,931 people . . . and in Los Angeles it’s 256,620 people per council member.” But here it omits a crucial piece of the Los Angeles political landscape: Los Angeles has more than 90 neighborhood councils, each serving about 40,000 individuals.

* Marilyn Katz | Want better government? Strengthen the City Council: We don’t need a complicated process or even a city charter to get this part right. As early as 2010, City Council members recommended simple strengthening measures including an independent budget analyst and parliamentarian and legal counsel of their own. Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel did not respond. Mayor Lori Lightfoot promised to adopt them but has not acted.

* WBEZ | Chicago is expanding the types of 911 calls that get a mental health response: A pilot program under Mayor Lori Lightfoot aims to curb the police role. The program, Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement, is setting up mobile teams that include paramedics, mental-health clinicians and, in some cases, cops trained in crisis response. The teams aim to de-escalate crises and connect people to the care they need. Since the program’s September 2021 launch, CARE responses have not included any arrests or uses of force.

* WGN | Troubles continue for O’Hare Airport train: Three days before Christmas, on the busiest holiday travel day for Chicago’s airports, O’Hare’s automated train system broke. The outage spanned three days and stranded thousands of travelers some of whom missed connecting flights.

* ABC Chicago | Some candidates dismiss Lightfoot’s assertion race is down to her, Vallas: “I think the mayor likes to construe things to put herself as a contender,” Garcia said. “I think she has serious problems. She’s not had a good week, a good week and a half as a matter of fact. She’s trying to hang on for dear life.”

* Tribune | There’s major turnover on the City Council, but aldermen on West Side look to keep things status quo: It’s certain that 16 aldermen who were elected in 2019 will not join the new council in May, thanks to several retirements, a handful opting to run for other offices and one forced out when he was convicted of federal tax crimes. Several other incumbents on the 50-member council are in tough reelection fights.

* WGN | Ja’Mal Green on why his age shouldn’t bother critics: Ja’Mal Green, candidate for Mayor of Chicago, joins Lisa Dent to make a final pitch to voters on why he’s best suited to replace Mayor Lori Lightfoot in next week’s election. Green talks about his plans to make lives better for the working people in Chicago, and how he would help solve the city’s crime problem.

* CBS Chicago | Roderick Sawyer undeterred by steep odds in mayoral race: Sawyer does not have a big campaign war chest, and he is lacking big endorsements that some of his opponents have. But he told CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov he is not deterred.