Matt Martin and Michael Negron advanced to a runoff election in Chicago's 47th Ward out of one of the largest field of candidates in any aldermanic race in the city Tuesday night.
Martin received 39.4 percent of the vote while Negron took 21.2 percent, with 100 percent of precincts reporting, according to the Chicago Board of Elections. They prevailed over seven others running in the 47th - Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s home turf that had no incumbent.
The field exploded after outgoing Ald. Ameya Pawar made good on his vow to only serve two terms and is now running for treasurer instead. [[505902811, C]]
The two candidates who advanced were arguably the most well-connected of the bunch: Martin is a civil rights lawyer at the Illinois attorney general’s office, while Negron is an attorney and ex-staffer for former President Barack Obama and Emanuel.
The other aldermanic hopefuls included: social worker Eileen Dordek, Chicago Public Schools teacher Angela “Angie” Maloney, Cubs lobbyist Heather Way Kitzes, restaurant owner Gus Katsafaros, firefighter Thomas M. Schwartzers, physician Kimball Ladien and nonprofit organization Midnight Circus in the Parks’ founder Jeff Jenkins.
Of those, Dordek garnered the most votes, coming in third with 14.5 percent. Next was Jenkins at 8.4 percent while the rest failed to clear five percent. [[504651202, C]]
The 47th Ward includes parts of the Ravenswood and North Center neighborhoods on the city's North Side.
