Tiffany Henyard loses in landslide in Dolton mayoral primary
'Henyard is out!': Residents react after Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard loses mayoral primary
Incumbent Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard is projected to lose by a wide margin in the village's mayoral primary election.
DOLTON, Ill. - Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard, who confidently predicted a landslide victory on election morning, lost in a landslide herself in the primary.
Challenger Jason House overwhelmingly defeated Henyard in the mayoral primary, with House receiving 3,896 votes to Henyard’s 536.
What we know:
Henyard, whose tenure has been marred by allegations of financial mismanagement and controversy, was widely criticized by residents leading up to the election.
House, a village trustee and former ally of Henyard, campaigned on a platform of transparency and reform under the slogan "clean house."
Despite Henyard’s prediction of an easy victory earlier in the day—arriving at a polling site with campaign music blasting from her car—voters decisively rejected her leadership. House won with over 87% of the vote.
Tiffany Henyard suffers landside loss in Dolton mayoral primary
Challenger Jason House overwhelmingly defeated Tiffany Henyard in the Dolton mayoral primary, with House receiving 3,896 votes to Henyard’s 536.
What they're saying:
House had promised throughout his campaign to bring accountability back to Dolton government.
"Not only is Ms. Henyard depriving the public of what they deserve, it’s costing the village money," he said on Election Day. "Day one, every record will be turned over."
Voters echoed similar frustrations, with many saying the election was an opportunity to change Dolton’s image.
"The way that the present mayor has been doing things just hasn't been sitting right with me," said voter Sharon Hunley.
"We’re kinda like a joke," said Regan Lewis, another Dolton resident. "It’s not a good thing, it’s embarrassing."
‘People didn't give me a chance’: Tiffany Henyard speaks after voting in Dolton mayoral primary
Tiffany Henyard dropped by a voting site on Tuesday morning and predicted that she would win reelection. She arrived to the voting site with a car stereo turned up to a campaign song she recorded titled, "We the People."
The backstory:
Henyard’s administration has been under intense scrutiny, with investigations into alleged financial mismanagement. A federal subpoena issued in May 2024 sought Dolton’s financial records, reportedly focusing on Henyard’s expensive out-of-state trips.
Last year, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was hired to investigate Henyard’s handling of village funds. Lightfoot’s review found that Dolton’s general fund had gone from a $5.6 million surplus in 2022 to a $3.6 million deficit in 2024, with questionable credit card purchases and a lack of financial accountability.
What's next:
House will now face independent candidate Casundra Hopson-Jordan in the general election on April 1.
Henyard’s political future remains uncertain as legal and financial investigations continue.