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Ald. Willie Cochran Says Low Turnout Helped Force Runoff in 20th Ward

By  Sam Cholke and Josh McGhee | February 25, 2015 3:30pm | Updated on February 25, 2015 6:37pm

 Mayor Rahm Emanuel and 20th Ward Ald. Willie Cochran are both headed for a runoff election on April. 7.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel and 20th Ward Ald. Willie Cochran are both headed for a runoff election on April. 7.
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DNAinfo/Erica Demarest

HYDE PARK — Ald. Willie Cochran said he wasn’t expecting to be facing a runoff election again in the 20th Ward.

On April 7, voters will choose between Cochran and challenger Kevin Bailey, who captured 20 percent of the vote compared with Cochran’s 48 percent.

“We can’t take any breaks,” Cochran said. “I’m arranging meetings to get strategy in place — we only have seven weeks.”

Bailey, a civil engineer, said he was already back at work, trying to close the gap between himself and Cochran, who garnered more than twice as many votes.

"Fifty-two percent of the population didn't want him, so it's still possible to unseat him," Bailey said.

Though Cochran won a majority in every one of the 39 precincts, Cochran’s vote totals did not reach the 50 percent plus one vote necessary to avoid a runoff.

Cochran said on Wednesday from his home in Woodlawn that he thinks the weather and voter apathy drove down turnout in the Tuesday election and caused the runoff.

Campaigning in a runoff is familiar territory for Cochran, a former police sergeant and federal marshal. In 2011, he was forced into a runoff against musician Che “Rhymefest” Smith.

The lead up to Tuesday's vote was fierce, with Bailey claiming Cochran was not doing enough to protect current homeowners. Cochran shot back, characterizing Bailey as a newcomer to the ward unfamiliar with its needs and limitations.

Both said they were looking forward to a second round of forums, now with fewer candidates crowding for a chance at the mic.

"I have never liked the way these forums run where they give you 60 seconds to reply," Cochran said.

Bailey said he felt he dominated at the forums and was looking forward to debating Cochran one-one-one.

Voter turnout dropped sharply, 17 percent, in the redrawn 20th Ward with 1,239 fewer voters coming to the polls than in 2011.

Bailey also blamed the low turnout on the "terrible weather" but said he expects much more voter participation in a few weeks.

"People know we need a change," Bailey said. "They're the same ones staring out their door scared if they go out there, they'll get shot or their children will be — those are the ones that will come out when the weather is better."

Cochran said the low turnout hurt him, and voter interest tends to continue to decline when an extra seven weeks is tacked onto the campaign for a runoff. He said he thinks being joined by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Jesus “Chuy” Garcia in the city’s first mayoral runoff since the system was adopted will bring more people out to the polls, however.

"More than anything, people will come out to vote for me because they understand it's better to have a proven candidate," Cochran said.

He said he’s sticking to his campaign of bringing jobs and development to the ward and hoping that the Barack Obama Presidential Library lands in Jackson Park or Washington Park, at the edge of the ward.

Bailey said he's not sweating the turbulence of a possible Obama library announcement because he doesn't think voters will give Cochran credit for it.

A decision on the final site for the library is expected in late March, just before voters head back to the polls.

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