WICKER PARK — As Ald. Joe Moreno (1st) thanked supporters for a win in the ward's Democratic Committeeman race, his opponent refused to concede Thursday, calling the race "too close to call."
Maria Teresa Gonzalez, a public defender who ran against Moreno in Tuesday's primary election, said on Thursday that only 211 votes separate the candidates and some votes from one precinct have yet to be counted.
By Friday, with all precincts counted, Moreno's lead had narrowed to 172 votes.
Jim Allen, a spokesman for the Chicago Board of Elections, said on Friday that there are about 300 absentee ballots in the 1st Ward that are not yet processed in addition to 3,000 absentee ballots across the city that arrived on Thursday, two days after the election.
Absentee ballots can take up to 10 days to count; voters also have the opportunity to respond by March 22 to show proof of valid I.D, if it is missing from their mailed ballot.
On or about March 31st, the Board of Elections expects to make final proclamations for all races, Allen said.
In a statement issued Thursday, Gonzalez wrote, "At this point, the election is too close to call. There is a precinct that remains not accounted for and absentee ballots still have to be tabulated. I thank everyone who supported me and all who voted for me, including those whose ballots have not yet been counted."
With all 44 precincts reporting results of 12,718 ballots counted, Moreno had 6,445 votes to 6,273 for Gonzalez.
That's 50.68 percent to 49.32 percent showdown, according to unofficial results from the Chicago Board of Elections.
Allen said there are approximately 30,000 voters in the entire 1st Ward, Allen said.
Moreno, however, was moving forward.
Thank you for re-electing me as your 1st Ward Democratic Committeeman. I am humbled by your support and I'm... https://t.co/5bL9iHs7RS
— Alderman Joe Moreno (@Alderman_Moreno) March 16, 2016
Moreno won his first term as committeeman for his ward in 2012, commanding 58 percent of the 3,292 ballots cast after facing incumbent Jesse Ruben Juarez and Anne Shaw.
Committeemen — one each for the Democratic and Republican parties — slate candidates, oversee voter registration, work to boost voter turnout and ensure elections run smoothly. In many wards, the alderman — or his or her close ally — serves as the committeeman to consolidate power and operations.
The unpaid position has a four-year term.
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