Chicago Decides: Johnson and Vallas stump across the city on Election Day
CHICAGO (CBS) -- After months of stump speeches, campaign ads, and shaking hands with voters, the candidates for Chicago mayor are approaching the finish line, as voters will finally decide whether Paul Vallas or Brandon Johnson will be the city's 57th mayor.
With pre-election polls showing the race could be the closest mayoral election since Harold Washington beat Bernie Epton by less than 4 points in 1983, it's not out of the question that voters might have to wait a few days to know who won.
As of Tuesday morning, more than 91,000 vote by mail ballots had yet to be returned to the Chicago Board of Elections. While not all of those ballots will make it by the April 18 deadline to be counted – if they are postmarked by Election Day – they could make a big difference in the results. About 52% of vote by mail ballots that had yet to arrive by Election Day for the first round in February ultimately were returned on time to be counted, and helped Johnson gain about 2.5 points on Vallas in the final count in the first round.
Tuesday's stormy weather didn't stop turnout in the runoff election from outpacing the first round so far, with total turnout as of 5 p.m. at 29.8% citywide, compared to a turnout rate of 28.1% citywide at the same time on Feb. 28.
The Vallas campaign is expecting about 1,000 supporters to pack the Hyatt Regency Chicago ballroom after the polls close to await the election results; among them several high-profile elected officials who endorsed Vallas, including former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, former Congressman Bobby Rush, and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.
Vallas cast his ballot Tuesday morning in Bridgeport, and his campaign said they are feeling good about his chances. Vallas himself also sounded confident after casting his ballot.
"I like to think that I've focused on the issues that are important to Chicagoans, and the issues that Chicagoans can unite around; issues like public safety, issues like quality of schools, and issues like equity and affordability. So I think we're finishing strong. Obviously, you know, it's always about turnout, but I feel really good," Vallas said. "Hopefully it won't be too long a night."
Vallas later visited Manny's Deli, a time-honored Election Day tradition for candidates in Chicago.
Meantime, Johnson's campaign will hold his watch party Tuesday night at the Marriott Marquis Chicago ballroom.
Johnson also voted on Election Day, casting his ballot in the Austin neighborhood, before his own lunch stop at Manny's Deli. Johnson made a total of 15 stops during the morning and afternoon, criss-crossing the city to get out the vote, largely focusing on the South and West sides.
"Very exciting times for the city of Chicago. We are uniting this city. Our promises get to be as large as the city, and no matter where you are, you deserve to have a fully-funded neighborhood school. Today we're voting for mental health services. We're voting for affordability. We're voting for a better, stronger, safer Chicago," Johnson said after voting Tuesday morning.
Johnson said he wants to achieve that goal by "investing in communities," especially in long under-served neighborhoods, though he's often been short on specifics.
Vallas, who will turn 70 in June, would become the oldest person elected mayor in Chicago since Richard J. Daley was elected to his 6th and final term in 1975 at the age of 72.
It would also be Vallas' first win an election, after a prior bid for the mayor's office in 2019, and earlier campaigns for governor and lieutenant governor. He also announced plans in 2009 to leave the Democratic Party and run for Cook County Board president as a Republican, though he never followed through.
His previous bid for mayor ended with him finishing 9th out of 14 candidates, with only 5% of the vote, but he's run a much more organized and successful campaign this time.
According to Reform For Illinois, Vallas has raised a total of $19.89 million this campaign cycle, much of it from corporate donors who have expressed concerns about public safety in Chicago. He's also won the endorsement of several private sector labor unions, as well as the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police.
Meantime, Johnson has raised about $11.53 million in contributions, thanks in large part to the support of several public sector labor unions, in particular the Chicago Teachers Union, which has given him $2.4 million. Johnson is a former teacher and longtime CTU organizer, but is currently on leave from the union and not drawing a paycheck.
Johnson also has been endorsed by several prominent progressive elected officials, including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, former mayoral rival U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, and U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
CBS 2 will have live updates starting when the polls close at 7 p.m., on our streaming service CBS News Chicago, followed by a special edition of the CBS 2 News at 10 p.m.