CHICAGO — Chicago is known as a City of Neighborhoods a This sprawling city is divided into distinct pockets by its architecture, language, cuisines, and ballparks.
This is not the case. a It’s an election season that is heated Chicagoans Temporarily, they are dissecting the City a More political parlance: The mathematics of Wards.
All 50 wards are represented by a Each member of the City Council has its own identity. With every mayoral race, the political winds shift. a Runoff election for 2019, Mayor Lori Lightfoot won the 50 seats, however she lost her February bid to re-elect herself amid a In a field full of competitors, she only took 16. Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas were the top two finishers from February. They are currently crisscrossing New York City to campaign for votes.
In this large city, there are roughly equal amounts of Hispanic, Black, or white residents. But around the city, residents say their votes will be driven by broad, universal issues — crime, education, housing and transportation. Chicagoans often feel as though they are living in their own neighborhoods and seeing the issues through their neighborhood’s history.
These are the four Chicago wards that provide you with an array of services. a A fascinating glimpse into the process of selecting its next mayor.
“We are a microcosm of Black America,” Roderick Sawyer, 6th Ward representative on the City Council, spoke as he mixed at a campaign event at Josephine’s, a Popular soul food restaurant located on 79th street
Few people know the ward — and its politics — more intimately than Mr. Sawyer, whose father, Eugene Sawyer, was a City Council member in the 6th Ward and Chicago’s second Black mayor, assuming office after the sudden death of Harold Washington in 1987.
The 6th Ward lies in the heart of South Side geography; it population It is 95% Black and reliable Democratic.
Chatham can be found in the one-third of the ward. a This middle-class area is characterized by neat rows of brick bungalows that are instantly recognizable as Chicago classic architecture. Block clubs signs are a A staple in the area, it welcomes all who pass by while cautioning them against loitering or playing loud music.
Englewood is further north. a Neighborhood with high levels of gun crime in the city. Undeveloped and empty lots common. The flight of Black families from Chicago’s South Side to the suburbs and beyond in recent decades has been especially visible in Englewood, despite a Strong network of community activists fighting to increase investment.
What According to Mr. Sawyer, amenities such as bars and restaurants would give the Ward more stability and economic viability.
“We need more of these,” he said, motioning around him at Josephine’s, the kind of place that attracts hordes for meals after Sunday church, and for birthday lunches and anniversaries. “More coffee shops and Gymborees, more things for people to do.”
In February Ms. Lightfoot took 37 percent of votes. Willie Wilson was next to her. a Businessman who is a good listener a a large base of residents from the working class, comprising 22 percent. Third-place winner, Mr. Johnson is expected to be. a Excellent performance at the runoff. He was followed by Mr. Vallas.
Yet, Sawyer, who was a supporter of Mr. Vallas’ candidacy, stated that the 6th Ward is a good option. a litmus test a All over the city, win
Chicago’s 19th Ward is located on the Far Southwest Side. It’s how Chicago sees it. a It is a white conservative bubble that includes firefighters, police officers, Irish pubs and Catholic church members. a Relic from the Chicago political machine.
“There is that history,” Clare Duggan a A Democratic Political Organizer who is a Beverly resident. “But we have a dichotomy in the 19th Ward.”
Beverly’s South Side Irish Parade continues to parade down Western Avenue each year. a A colorful celebration of Irishness a This is a city that values this part of its heritage. The 19th Ward, which hugs the border of the southwest suburbs, does have an unusually large population of city employees, but not just people who work for the police and fire departments — teachers, sanitation workers and employees of libraries and the parks department.
The ward can still give a sense of being occasionally a Throwback to the 20th Century, a Car-centric, suburban vibe and vintage neighborhood institutions such as the Rainbow Cone Ice Cream Shop that was established in 1995 a Favorite since 1926
It is still a part of a more diverse racial group in spartan Chicago. a population It is composed of 62 percent White, 29 percent Black and 1 percent Asian. Ms. Duggan described the ward as roughly split between Mount Greenwood — a conservative-leaning neighborhood that voted for Donald J. Trump in 2016 — and the neighborhoods of Beverly and Morgan Park, which are more liberal. Beverly is known for its large houses and tree-lined streets. It also has a Metra line to downtown. This Metra train attracts the middle classes, particularly lawyers and bankers.
The 19th Ward is defined by its high voter turnout during each election season.
The February election saw the highest ward vote. turnout Chicago: 58 per cent of voters registered cast their ballots a ballot. CitywideThe turnout was just 36%
“We had the highest voter turnout in the first round, and we will exceed that number in the runoff,” According to Ms. Duggan who is a Co-founder of Illinois 123GO, a progressive political group.
Here, political organizing is deep: In living rooms where candidates come every decade to present themselves to voters for many decades, as well in churches which, decades ago, played a vital role in the church’s life. a Beverly neighbourhood integration was a success.
As the Mayoral Runoff nears, 19th Ward holds a prominent place. In the first round of balloting in February, most of the ward’s votes went to Mr. Vallas, a Was a South Side native whose message of law enforcement was well received. Although the crime rate in 19th Ward is relatively low, there has been a lot of activity. a Recent years have seen a spike in crime, particularly in the form of carjackings and robberies. Many residents are now calling for more patrols by police.
In the West Side, the 22nd Ward has been a slum that has witnessed turmoil for four years. This enclave is home to many families with Mexican heritage. In 2020, a failed attempt to demolish an abandoned power station in Little Village covered homes and businesses. a The cloud of pollution created by the choking dust caused furious residents to point it out. a The North Side is a wealthier and whiter area.
The neighborhood’s street vendors who sell tamales have been victimized Recent months have seen armed robbers, leading to a For more police presence, please ask Mayor Lightfoot.
This largely Latino Ward residents said that they have nothing left. a a feeling of being ignored by leaders in the city.
“I feel like we’re put last in terms of what needs to be done,” Xochitl Nieto (21), who works for a day care.
Both candidates make their final push for the mayoral race as it enters its last days. a push for Latino voters, many of whom supported Representative Jesús G. García, known as Chuy, who ran for mayor in the February election. Mr. García, who was born in Mexico and grew up in Little Village, won 57 percent of the vote.
Jaime Dominguez, a professor at Northwestern University who studies Latino politics, said he anticipates that the Latino vote — which includes a wide array of geographic origins and political perspectives — would split largely on generational lines on Tuesday. According to him, younger Latino voters are more inclined toward progressive leaders like Mr. Johnson and Democratic Socialists. However, older voters might lean towards Mr. Vallas.
In the first week before early voting, a Little Village library — identified by a sign reading Biblioteca Pública de Chicago — about 400 people had cast ballots, a The rate ticked slightly higher than the February 28th election.
According to Ms. Nieto, the strong connection with Mexican culture was one of the reasons she moved to the 22nd Ward. Belmont Cragin was her previous home, and she found that Little Village, with its vibrant murals on its walls, is a more desirable place to live.
She finally decided to move away from her weekends visits. “I feel closer to home,” She said.
If you can’t find it in one area of Chicago, then try compressing Chicago.
Rogers Park. a tiny patch in the city’s northeastern corner, bordering Lake Michigan and the North Shore suburbs. The demographics of this area are very similar to the rest of the city, with approximately 44 percent being white and 25 percent Black. There is also 21 percent Latino, 8 percent Asian, and around 21% Latino.
However, in the mayoral election, it is important to know how the 49th District votes a glimpse into how far left Chicago’s voters could go. This was one of Johnson’s strongest performances in Chicago, where he won 40% of the vote in February.
“We’ve got a tradition of very progressive and active politics,” Maria Hadden (City Council member) was just elected to her second term.
Those politics show up in the ward’s devotion to welcoming outsiders, especially immigrants, refugees and members of other marginalized groups.
“This is where the non-dominant cultures were allowed to be,” She said.
The lake a Connectivity feature a lot of people in the 49th Ward, also shapes some of the ward’s politics, fostering a Concern for environment issues
This lakefront area is densely populated. There are some beautiful brick single-family houses, but most apartments and condos can be found in the high-rises on Lake Michigan. Ms. Hadden stated that approximately 75% of the residents rent their home.
The neighborhood is home to many working-class residents, particularly in the hospitality and service industries. a Chicago’s median household income is below its wage. Some residents expressed concern about economic stability and the costs of living as they approach the mayoral election.
It was the 49th Ward’s reputation as a Demetrius McGhee 60 years old, who moved there in 2002, said it is a place that’s friendly to outsiders. He waited patiently for his turn. a bus.
Because of this, Mr. McGhee is not able to work. a He was disabled and received a He was able to afford rent by receiving housing subsidies a Only one block away from Lake Michigan.
“It has a very strong sense of community,” He stated. “There’s always somebody around, and people get to know each other.”
