It appears the race to become Chicago's next mayor could be decided at the last possible moment, with Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas in a dead heat and Election Day just hours away.
Both candidates were on the campaign trail Monday in an attempt to attract last-minute supporters, with Johnson stopping at Operation PUSH Headquarters and Vallas in Old Town.
Johnson and Vallas are counting on their campaign staff and volunteers to get out the vote.
"It's about leadership, you know. It's about leadership," Vallas said Monday. "It's about somebody with the experience."
"We've literally knocked on hundreds of thousands of doors," Johnson said, discussing his campaign's efforts. "I believe we've made almost one million phone calls."
Additionally, both reacted to word that McDonald's, which is headquartered in the West Loop, has closed its corporate offices as it notifies hundreds of corporate employees of layoffs.
Vallas, meanwhile, said now isn't the time for Johnson's plan to raise $800 million in revenue.
"People are looking for financial certainty right now, and I think the absolutely wrong thing to be talking about right now is $800 million in tax increases," he said.
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Speaking to NBC 5, Johnson provided additional insight about what he would do - if elected.
"We're going to make sure we don't raise property taxes, because people are leaving," Johnson said. "We're going to make investments, because this is how we're going to have a safe, thriving city. We can do that collectively. I feel confident about that."
Whether they're dancing to Johnson's arrival on the city's South Side or asking for an interview in Roseland, there's no way to predict the winner.
The final independent poll, conducted by Victory Research, shows Vallas with a very slight edge, up by four points, but the margin of error makes the race too close to call.
With Election Day nearing, the focus is on voter turnout, but concerns remains about possible severe weather. The Chicago Board of Election is urging residents to take advantage of early voting, which ends Monday, or to vote early in the day on Tuesday, as most of the region is at an "enhanced risk" of severe thunderstorms.
