Democratic primary

Bilandic won the Democratic Party's primary. Bilandic had a well-staged "draft" effort.^[4] He won the Cook County Democratic Party central committee's endorsement.^[4] Congressman Roman Pucinski had entered the race at the point when Bilandic had yet to reverse course on his pledge to not seek election.^[4] The party organization had pressured him to drop out of the race for Bilandic's benefit, which he refused to do.^[4] Pucinski sought to receive strong support from the city's sizable Polish-American electorage.^[4] He also sought to challenge Bilandic to a series of debates, which Bilandic declined.^[4] Pucinski was considered Bilandic's foremost opponent in the primary.^[5]

Puncinski argued that a Bilandic administration would present more, "politics-as-usual".^[5] Pucinski focused much of his campaign on addressing the issue of unemployment.^[5] He alleged that Bilandic had been using unfair campaign tactics, alleging that Puncinski campaign workers and supporters had received threats from landlords and city inspectors.^[5] State Senator Harold Washington's campaign was underfunded and lacked strong organization.^[4] He also suffered due to the impact of personal legal issues.^[4] He focused his campaign on the black wards of the city's South Side.^[4] Washington was an African American, and was counting on receiving strong African American support.^[5] Also running was disgraced former Cook County State's Attorney Edward Hanrahan.^[4] Minor candidates in the primary were lawyers Anthony R. Martin-Trigona and Ellis E. Reid, the latter of whom was African American.^[5]

Wanting to be seen by voters as a competent administrator and chief executive, Bilandic refused to be drawn into controversy and largely ignored his opponents.^[4] He sought to also present himself as a friend to business and a successful labor mediator.^[5] During the campaign, he made appearances at ribbon-cutting ceremonies, charity dinners, and other events.^[5] The Washington Post noted that, largely absent from the discourse of the primary, had been the issues of industries leaving the city, public transport, the quality of schools, and racial integration.^[5]

Republican primary

The Republican nomination was captured by 47th Ward alderman Dennis H. Block, who had originally was supportive of Bilandic's interim mayoralty before the incumbent mayor reneged on his pledge not to run for a full term.^[8][9] Block was urged by Governor James R. Thompson to run for mayor so as not to leave the office in the hands of the Democrats.^[10]

Block handily won the Republican primary over three other Republican candidates.^[5] Block, at the time, was the city's sole Republican alderman (among 50).^[4] He had been elected an alderman two years prior.^[11] Block was the first mayoral candidate since Martin H. Kennelly to be a resident of Edgewater.^[9] Thus, he was the first candidate from Edgewater since 1955 and the first general election nominee since 1951 to hail from Edgewater. He was the fourth overall mayoral candidate from the neighborhood, and would have been the third mayor from the neighborhood if elected.^[9]

Socialist Workers nomination

• Dennis Brasky^[8]

U.S. Labor Party nomination

• Gerald Rose^[8]