Willie Cochran had a narrow lead over Kevin Bailey in their runoff election for the 20th Ward aldermanic seat, though turnout was lower than expected due to icy weather on the initial election day. Both candidates campaigned hard ahead of the runoff, with Bailey strongly opposing incumbent Cochran and invoking mayoral candidate Chuy Garcia, while Cochran maintained independence from Mayor Rahm Emanuel's campaign despite receiving its support. Forecasts of warmer and rainy weather raised hopes of increased voter turnout.

1.
HYDE PARK — Ald. Willie Cochran had a late lead the race for his 20th
Ward seat against Kevin Bailey.
With 74 percent of precincts reporting, Cochran had 55 percent of the
vote to Bailey's 45 percent.

2. This is now the second time Cochran has faced a runoff since wrestling
the seat from Arenda Troutman in 2007.
Bailey, a civil engineer by training, has been nipping at Cochran’s heels
the entire race.
Cochran has stuck to a campaign of promising more jobs and
development to the 20th Ward as he hopes for better weather on
Election Day.
Turnout was down on Feb. 24 compared to previous municipal elections
in the 20th Ward and Cochran blamed the icy weather.
Both Cochran and Bailey were optimistic that better weather and the
inclusion of a high-profile race between Mayor Rahm Emanuel and
challenger Jesus “Chuy” Garcia would drive more voters to the polls on
Tuesday.
Bailey has waged a vicious campaign against Cochran on social media
and has not shied from plastering Chuy’s name on campaign material in
a ward where neither mayoral candidate has strongly moved voters.
Despite this, community leaders supporting Emanuel like the Rev. Leon
Finney Jr. of the Woodlawn Organization and the Rev. Torrey Barrett of
the Keep Loving Each Other Center in Washington Park have appeared
at events with Bailey, but have been careful not to appear in photos with
him.
Cochran has maintained a distance from Emanuel during the election
and has not officially endorsed either mayoral candidate, but he has
gotten support from the mayor.

3. On March 31, Emanuel’s campaign transferred $10,000 to Cochran’s
campaign.
Chicago Forward, the independent expenditure committee backing
Emanuel, has not stepped in yet to help Cochran as it has for other
candidates. The group has not yet spent any money in support of
Cochran or in opposition of Bailey, as of the most recent state filings on
March 31.
The weather promises to be in the high-50s on Election Day with
occasional showers as both candidates hope the break from winter will
bring people to the polls.
https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150406/woodlawn/willie-­‐cochran-­‐facing-­‐
off-­‐against-­‐kevin-­‐bailey-­‐runoff-­‐election