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Cappleman Has Lead In 46th Ward Runoff Race

By Mina Bloom | April 6, 2015 5:30pm | Updated on April 7, 2015 9:15pm
 Amy Crawford (l.) and Ald. James Cappleman and will face off in a runoff election Tuesday.
Amy Crawford (l.) and Ald. James Cappleman and will face off in a runoff election Tuesday.
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DNAinfo/Mina Bloom

UPTOWN — The battle to become 46th Ward alderman is almost over: Incumbent Ald. James Cappleman will square off against challenger Amy Crawford in the runoff election Tuesday.

The runoff came to be because both candidates and a third candidate all failed to secure a majority vote in February's municipal election. Cappleman, who has served one term, and Crawford were the top two vote-getters.

As of 9 p.m., Cappleman won 53.78 percent to Crawford's 46.22 percent with more than 80 percent of the precincts reporting, according to unofficial election results.

Voters in the 46th Ward headed to the polls Tuesday, which were open until 7 p.m. save for one polling place, which was among five polling places in the city where voting started more than 30 minutes late, according to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.

The board requested that the polling place at Eastwood Towers, 4640 N. Sheridan Road, stay open until 8 p.m., an hour later than originally planned.

Election judge Dimitrios Dixon blamed a broken outlet, which is needed for electronic machines, for the delay. He said he arrived at the polling place on time, at 5 a.m.

"It wasn't our fault. The outlet was out," Dixon told DNAinfo Chicago.

He said the investigator "took his time" getting to the polling place to fix the outlet. They were up and running sometime before 7 a.m. after an investigator found an extension cord they could use, he added.

Of 736 registered voters, 152 voters had cast ballots at Eastwood Towers as of 4:45 p.m.

Dixon said the turnout was better this time compared to February's municipal election, which was an opinion shared by other election judges at different polling places across the ward. 

"It's a lot better than it was last time," said Loretta Rode, an election judge at a polling place held at Bezazian Library, 1226 W. Ainsle St. Of 723 registered voters in the 16th precinct, 127 people had cast ballots as of 3:30 p.m. 

"That is how many we had at closing time in February," Rode said.

Meanwhile, at Grace Towers, 635 W. Grace St., only two election judges were present Tuesday afternoon even though four judges and a precinct administrator are required. 

While working as a volunteer for Crawford's campaign, Alan Mills, executive director for Uptown People's Law Center, called one of the judges "incompetent," saying he would "wander away half the time," which left the other judge to "run the whole precinct." 

Both judges at Grace Towers declined to comment. 

Mills said an investigator came out to address the issue, and told the legal director that he was "surprised" to see the judge working a polling place after a poor performance during the municipal election.

"This is a recurring problem," Mills said. "There are judges that aren't really functioning in these precincts."

Grace Towers is also where Cappleman, while on a tour of the precincts, found a poll watcher wearing a button supporting Crawford — a practice that is prohibited within 100 feet of a polling place.

Tressa Feher, Cappleman's chief of staff, said not only was the poll watcher violating the rules by wearing a button, but he also did not have the proper credentials.

"[Cappleman] spoke to the judges," Feher said, adding that the matter was resolved quickly. 

The board hadn't been notified of any problems at Grace Towers, according to spokesman Jim Allen.

He said most precincts were "able to start up fairly well," though they have seen "some situations where there are shortages of judges." 

In the lead-up to the runoff, the opponents have shared differing visions for Uptown.

Crawford, who worked as an attorney at Kirkland & Ellis before she decided to run for office, said the neighborhood has "roughly the right amount" of affordable housing, while the incumbent alderman thinks the ward needs more of it. They also disagree on other hot-button issues facing the ward like violent crime and development.

Crime is an issue for 46th Ward resident Sean Moffett, 60, who voted Tuesday because the ward continues to see gun violence, among other reasons.

"[Emanuel] was a disappointment," he said. "[Cappleman] hasn't done very much for this area either."

He also pointed to the fact that the sidewalks in Uptown are not cleared when it snows. 

"They're covered in snow," he said.

Another resident, Rebekah Troche, 21, who has lived in Uptown her entire life, said she voted with her job in mind. She works with the ward's homeless at an Uptown church, Worship At Wilson Abbey, 920 W. Wilson Ave.

"If we have a good mayor and a good alderman, then we're more likely to get support," said Troche, adding that funding has been cut over the years.

Mina Bloom breaks down the race:

Since the race was declared a runoff, Crawford has raised more money on the campaign trail. As of March 27, she had raised almost $30,000 more, but it was largely due to a $50,000 donation she gave her own campaign, according to state filings. Crawford is by far the biggest contributor to her campaign, having donated more than $85,000.

Throughout the campaign, Crawford has distributed some accusatory campaign mailers, one of which features Cappleman staring down a pigeon. The alderman has made headlines for blaming pigeons for a lack of economic development in the ward.

Cappleman has received donations ranging from fellow politicians like Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) to the Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor-Management PAC. Chicago Forward, the PAC widely considered to be aligned with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, spent $9,025 in support of the alderman March 19, according to state filings.

In the 2011 municipal election, Cappleman received 55 percent of the votes in a runoff against Molly Phelan, a real estate and tax attorney. Before Cappleman, Helen Shiller presided over the ward for 24 years.

If elected, Crawford has said she will take an "honest" and "balanced" approach. Cappleman has said he would like to "continue our progress of reducing crime and increasing economic development."

The 46th Ward includes Uptown, Lakeview, Buena Park and Sheridan Park.

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