The election wasn't important

Independents were successful in many parts of Illinois in the 1969 election for Delegate to the Illinois Constitutional Convention (Con-Con).

Some observers felt that was because voters understood the importance of electing people who were free of political party control. Others thought the two major parties just didn’t care enough to use all their political muscle on an election that didn’t offer many tangible benefits.

So, a lot of Independents won but they didn’t do so well in subsequent elections.

Al Raby won his Hyde Park district in the Con-Con election but later lost a race for 5th Ward Alderman. Mary Lee Leahy was victorious in a South Shore-based district but failed in a bid for 7th Ward Alderman. Ron Smith won in a far northside district but was later nosed out in a race for State Senator and fell short in two judicial races.

Outcomes were different for some Machine candidates. Richard M. Daley won and was later elected State Senator, Cook County State’s Attorney, and Mayor of Chicago. Clifford Kelley won several races for 20th Ward Alderman before going being jailed for political corruption. Martin Tuchow later became 48th Ward Democratic Committeeman and a Cook County Commissioner. He ended up in jail, too.