Math Snap

STEP 1

Assumptions1. Rahm Emanuel received218,217 votes. This was45.63% of the total votes cast3. We assume that no votes were invalidated or uncounted

STEP 2

We need to find the total number of votes cast. We can do this by dividing the number of votes Rahm Emanuel received by the percentage of votes he received.
$$Total\, votes = \frac{Votes\, received\, by\, Rahm\, Emanuel}{Percentage\, of\, votes\, he\, received}$$

STEP 3

Now, plug in the given values for the votes received by Rahm Emanuel and the percentage of votes he received to calculate the total votes.
$$Total\, votes = \frac{218,217}{45.63\%}$$

STEP 4

Convert the percentage to a decimal value.
$$45.63\% =0.4563$$$$Total\, votes = \frac{218,217}{0.4563}$$

STEP 5

Calculate the total number of votes cast in the election.
$$Total\, votes = \frac{218,217}{0.4563} =478,405.$$

Since the number of votes must be a whole number, we round up to the nearest whole number.
$$Total\, votes =478,406$$In the2015 Chicago mayoral election,478,406 votes were cast.