5th Ward Race Between Incumbent Leslie Hairston And Activist William Calloway Too Close To Call

CHICAGO (CBS) -- In the battle between the established politician and an activist who wanted to challenge the establishment incumbent Leslie Hairston and William Calloway are neck and neck.

With two precincts left to report, Hairston holds a 128-vote lead.

Hairston has been the alderman for the South Side ward since 1999. In the February election, she received 48.6 percent of the vote with Calloway getting close to 27 percent.

The South Side ward bordering Lake Michigan had been seen as a contentious fight between the longtime alderman and the activist who pressed authorities to release the Laquan McDonald video showing the teen being shot 16 times by Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke.

Calloway, who was recently endorsed by the Chicago Tribune, had been highly critical of the administration of current Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the aldermen who signed off on payments to victims of police shootings.

Hairston also pushed for the overhaul of the agency charged with overseeing the Chicago Police Department.

In 2016, Hairston called for the abolishment of IPRA, the Independent Police Review Authority, which was eventually replaced by COPA, the Civilian Office of Police Accountabilty.