EDGEWATER — The race for the open 48th Ward seat will come down to Joe Dunne and Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth, who will square off in a runoff to succeed retiring Ald. Harry Osterman.
With all 35 precincts reporting, Dunne and Manaa-Hoppenworth lead the 10-person field to become the ward’s next alderperson. Dunne secured 27 percent of the vote while Manaa-Hoppenworth secured over 21 percent.
With no candidate securing more than 50 percent of the vote, the two top vote earners proceed to a runoff election April 4.
Nick Ward, the candidate endorsed by the Chicago Democratic Socialists of America and the Chicago Teachers Union, finished third place with 18 percent of the vote. Ward conceded Tuesday night.
Dunne chalked up his first-place finish to his years living in Edgewater, where he was born and raised.
“This has been just a wild experience for me,” Dunne said at his election night party. “It’s not done tonight. Let’s get up tomorrow and start the hard work.”
Manaa-Hoppenworth arrived to her election party at her Brynn Mawr Avenue campaign offices after her spot in the runoff was secured. A local business owner and political organizer, Manaa-Hoppenworth said her platform cut through the 10-candidate field and helped her advance in the race.
“I have the experience as a grassroots organizer and a small business owner,” she said. “I love this ward and I want to be an alderperson for everybody.”
Ten candidates ran to replace Osterman (48th), who retired after three terms on the City Council. The 48th Ward has one of the largest fields of candidates in a municipal election marked by the historic levels of aldermen retiring and resigning.
The 48th Ward also became a flashpoint in the hunt for control of City Council, with special interests and unions getting involved in the race. The 48th Ward is comprised of Edgewater, a northern portion of Uptown and East Andersonville. The new alderperson will make an annual salary of $142,772.
Ward, who was the only candidate to jump in the race before Osterman announced his retirement, secured endorsements from the powerful teachers unions and the Chicago Democratic Socialists of America, the progressive group that has made major inroads in City Council representation in recent years.
Ward is also a member of 48th Ward Neighbors For Justice, a progressive local political group that has contributed more than $20,000 to his campaign.
Political action group Get Stuff Done spent nearly $90,000 opposing Ward’s candidacy, according to the Chicago Tribune. Get Stuff Done is founded by local business leaders and aides to former mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Ward said on social media his campaign helped build a progressive coalition in the 48th Ward and that the work will continue past election day, including to help Mayoral hopeful Brandon Johnson.
“Although we didn’t get the results we wanted to last night, our movement in the 48th Ward and Chicago is not going anywhere,” Ward said on Twitter.
Osterman endorsed Joe Dunne as his pick for successor. A longtime Edgewater resident, Dunne is a vice president at affordable housing developer Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation.
Dunne also received a litany of endorsements from builders and workforce unions, including the Chicago Federation of Labor and multiple operating engineers unions, according to his campaign. He was also endorsed by former Gov. Pat Quinn.
Manaa-Hoppenworth has been endorsed by Rep. Theresa Mah and the political group Indivisible Illinois, of which she is a co-founder. Isaac Freilich Jones, who finished fourth with 10 percent of the vote Tuesday, has been endorsed by Carol Ronen, who served in the state’s Senate and House and as a Democratic committeeperson.
Real estate broker Andre Peloquin has received $10,000 from the Realtor political action committee. Peloquin garnered 2 percent of Tuesday’s vote total.
Also running in the race were Larry Svabek (6 percent of votes), Roxanne Volkmann (6 percent), Andy Peters (4 percent), Nassir Faulkner (3 percent) and Brian J. Haag (1 percent).
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