Nearly 20 percent of registered Evanston voters cast ballots in the mayoral primary contest, according to data from the Cook County Clerk’s Office.

Of the 49,874 residents eligible to vote in Evanston, just under 10,000 turned out during early voting and on Election Day Tuesday to vote for one of the five mayoral candidates in the primary race, according to the data.

Businessman Steve Hagerty and Ald. Mark Tendam (6th) led the pack with around 44 percent and 20 percent of the vote, respectively, and will move on to compete in the April general election.

City Clerk Rodney Greene, Evanston’s election official, said the turnout was “kind of low.” The 5th Ward aldermanic race — the only of six aldermanic contests with enough candidates to require a primary, which is mandated by the state if more than four candidates run — had especially few voters cast votes, Greene said. Just 17.5 percent of 5th Ward voters participated in the primary, according to Cook County data. Of the five initial candidates, Robin Rue Simmons and Carolyn Murray will participate in the general election.

Greene said he believed reduced participation could be the result of both voter apathy and inclement weather.

“A lot of people do not think they need to vote in the local elections, and with the rain, rain will stop a lot of folks, especially the elderly, so it was a combination of rain and lack of interest,” he said.

Early voting for the April municipal election starts March 20 and lasts until April 3.

Nora Shelly contributed reporting.

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