Deb Mell Concedes In 33rd Ward; Democratic Socialist Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez To Join City Council
CHICAGO (CBS) -- More than a week after the results of the city's runoff elections were declared official, Ald. Deb Mell (33rd) has ended her bid for a recount and conceded to challenger Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez.
The move ends the Mell family's 44-year hold on the 33rd Ward seat in the City Council, and brings another democratic socialist to the ranks at City Hall.
Rodriguez-Sanchez led Mell by about 60 votes at the end of election night on April 3. Her lead narrowed to 13 votes by the time the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners finished counting all mail-in and provisional ballots.
Mell had asked for a discovery recount, but called Rodriguez-Sanchez on Saturday to concede.
Rodriguez-Sanchez joins four other newly elected democratic socialists joining the City Council – including Daniel LaSPata (1st), Jeanette Taylor (20th), Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) and Andre Vasquez (40th). Incumbent Carlos Ramirez-Rosa also is a democratic socialist.