EAST SIDE — For anyone who doesn't think his or her vote matters, the candidates in the 10th Ward would beg to differ.
Challenger Susan Sadlowski Garza holds a seven-vote lead over Ald. John Pope in the runoff race on Tuesday on the Southeast Side.
With 97.2 percent of the vote reported, Garza had 5,472 votes, or 50 percent, while Pope had 49.9 percent, or 5,465 votes.
Votes from the 11th precinct still need to be counted. In the municipal election held on Feb. 24, 342 votes were cast in the precinct bordered by Avenue O, Ewing Avenue, 105th Street and 109th Street.
On Feb. 24, Pope carried the precinct with 132 votes, or 38.6 percent. But Garza was not far behind with 109 votes, or 31.8 percent.
However there was a total of six candidates in the election on Feb. 24. And Garza remained convinced on Wednesday afternoon that those who supported candidates other than Pope back in February lined up behind her bid for alderman.
"We have faith that this is definitely going to roll our way," Garza said. "Just look at where we've come from."
On the other hand, Pope's aldermanic office is in the heart of the remaining precinct at 3522 E. 106th St. in East Side.
“While we are confident that, once all the votes are counted, I will be declared the winner, we are holding off on declaring victory until all absentees and provisional ballots have been counted," Pope said in a written statement issued Wednesday afternoon.
Pope was elected to serve the residents of South Chicago, East Side, Hegewisch, The Bush and South Deering in 1999.
He's a lifelong resident of the 10th Ward and served as an assistant to former Mayor Richard M. Daley before he was elected alderman.
Garza has also spent her life on the Southeast Side. She works as a Chicago Public Schools counselor at Jane Addams Elementary in the East Side neighborhood.
On Tuesday night, Garza was surprised by her slim lead. She expected a decisive win against the incumbent.
"There are so many good things that came from the 10th Ward contest," Garza said.
She said the 10th Ward is made up of 17 different neighborhoods — all divided by race, economic status or both.
Patricia Rodriguez of South Chicago agreed with Garza's assessment of the community. Both were all smiles at the post-election party at Crow Bar in East Side.
"A lot of us don't like each other. We all came together for her," said Rodriguez, who was raised in The Bush. "I've known her for 15 years. She never ceases to amaze me."
Meanwhile at the after-party for Pope, Robert Chico of South Chicago was one of several long faces. He stood outside the Gallistel Language Academy in East Side for 13 hours on Tuesday campaigning for Pope.
He said the polls were busy throughout the day, despite the cold, wet weather. He believes many voters were drawn into the election in anticipation of a tight race.
"There were people that I was seeing that I don't think would have come out otherwise," Chico said.
His relative, Monica Chico, lives near the piles of petcoke on the Southeast Side that were much debated throughout the campaign.
She said the black dust that once covered her home and garage has subsided in recent months. Monica Chico said that was part of the reason she supported Pope.
"I anticipated a close race," said Chris Anderson, another campaign worker for Pope.
"Every vote counts," he said.
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