10 alderman in Chicago facing runoffs in April

CHICAGO (FOX 32) - Tuesday night’s election produced some surprises outside the race for mayor, with familiar faces on the City Council being forced into runoffs in April. 

Andre Vasquez admits it's an uphill battle, taking on Ald. Pat O'Connor, the mayor's City Council floor leader. O'Connor joined the council back in 1983, but Tuesday received just 33 percent in his mid-north-side 40th ward.

Vasquez got about 20 percent, three other candidates split the rest. So, now, it's Vasquez against O’Connor.

“What it's going to take is the same thing it's taken to get us here, neighbors talking to neighbors, and really getting everyone involved,” said Vasquez.

O’Connor’s aides said he was out of town Wednesday.

Another council veteran facing a runoff is 5th Ward Ald. Leslie Hairston on the South Side lakefront. She’s served for 20. She'll face community activist William Calloway, who helped uncover the Laquan McDonald video.

“I think what I need to do is a better job of reminding the people of all of the work that I’ve done and what the ward looks like now as opposed to what it looked like then,” said Ald. Hairston.

Ald. Hairston got just over 49 percent of the vote. Calloway's hoping that a higher turnout in April will help his chances.

“We're going to get out the vote, and one thing my campaign has done effectively is focus on likely voters,” said Calloway. “That’s what got us here. A lot of unlikely voters.” 

Including Ald. O’Connor and Ald. Hairston, 10 of Chicago’s fifty aldermen will face runoffs in April. In four other wards, runoff's will occur for seats where there's no incumbent running.