>>> HEY THERE, AND WELCOME TO A SPECIAL ELECTION NIGHT ADDITION OF CHICAGO TONIGHT.

>> THE CURRENT RESULTS OF JOHNSON AHEAD WITH 99%.

>> FROM THE ELECTION NIGHT HEADQUARTERS -- WE ARE GOING TO KICK IT OFF WITH YOU TONIGHT.

>> SUPPORTERS ARE CLEARLY IN A VERY GOOD MOOD TONIGHT.

FOLKS ARE EAGERLY AWAITING COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER BRANDON JOHNSON I CAN IMAGINE THIS WOULD FEEL VERY EXCITING FOR YOU.

>> THIS IS A CLOSE DECISION WITH A SPLIT CHICAGO.

>> I THINK HE REALIZES THAT HE HAS GOT A HUGE -- A LOT OF NEGATIVES HAVE BEEN THROWN.

HE IS NOT OFFENDED BY THE NEGATIVE -- HE SEEKS TO PROVE THAT HE IS TAKING CHICAGO TO A BETTER PLACE.

>> HE IS SHOWING WHAT A DIVERSE CITY CHICAGO IS.

HE GOT VOTES FROM ALL ACROSS -- IT TAKES ORGANIZING.

IT IS WHO HE NATURALLY IS.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO SAY REALLY QUICK IS THAT POLICE OFFICERS ARE GOING TO LEAD THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THEY HAVE TAKEN AN OATH, AND THEY ARE GOING TO LEAD .

I THINK HE HAS THE BURDEN OF REACHING OUT AND BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

WE WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ALL CANDIDATES, WHETHER THEY SUPPORTED BRANDON .

>> THIS IS JUST STEP ONE .

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND WE APPRECIATE IT.

WE WILL HAVE -- VERY -- AWAITING HIS VICTORY TONIGHT HERE.

>> BRANDON JOHNSON IS EXPECTED TO ADDRESS SUPPORTERS IN THE MEDIA VERY SOON.

FOR NOW WE GO LIVE TONIGHT TO THE PAUL VALLAS HEADQUARTERS .

WHAT IS THE MOOD RIGHT NOW?

>> Reporter: YES, PARIS.

THERE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE BAGPIPE PLAYERS .

INSTEAD THERE WERE FOLKS HUGGING AND A LOT OF FROWNS.

AS VALLAS EXITED THE STAGE YOU HAVE A LOT OF -- BEGAN BY SAYING THAT HE BELIEVES THAT THERE ARE BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD FOR CHICAGO AND THAT THEY ARE ON THE HORIZON -- DIFFERENCES.

LET'S HEAR MORE OF WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.

>> IT IS CLEAR BASED ON THE RESULTS IN THAT THE CITY IS DEEPLY DIVIDED.

I CALLED BRANDON JOHNSON AND TOLD HIM THAT I ABSOLUTELY EXPECT -- PLEASE!

PLEASE!

IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

THIS CAMPAIGN I RAN TO BRING THE CITY TOGETHER WOULD NOT BE -- IT WOULD BE FOR NOTHING IF THIS CAMPAIGN DIVIDED US MORE.

>> Reporter: I AM JOINED NOW BY ONE OF VALLAS'S SUPPORTERS.

GIVEN THAT IT IS NOT GOING TO BE MAYOR VALLAS?

>> I THINK THAT THE CITY HAS TO COME TOGETHER.

THE DIVIDE IS HIGHLIGHTED ON BOTH SIDES.

THIS WAS A CALL TO COME TOGETHER.

IT WAS A CALL TO FACE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY.

>> COULD THERE BE A CONSENSUS?

THE DIFFERENCES ARE SO VERY STARK, FROM CRIME TO POLICING TO MONEY AND HOW IT CAN BE RAISED.

>> IS A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TO MAKE THE CITY THAT WE LOVE THRIVE.

WE ALL HAVE TO COME TOGETHER .

>> OUR LAST 20 SECONDS OR SO.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF -- >> IT WAS SO CLOSE.

IT COULD HAVE GONE EITHER WAY.

WE WILL HAVE TO SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT.

BUT WE WANT A HEALTHY, THRIVING CITY.

>> ALDERMAN HOPKINS ALSO CALLING FOR CONSENSUS AND WORKING TOGETHER.

WE WILL BE BACK FOR MORE.

BACK TO YOU IN THE STUDIO.

>>> FOR MORE TOP HEADLINES TODAY, HISTORY MADE US DONALD TRUMP BECOMES THE FIRST FORMER PRESIDENT TO BE INDICTED.

TRUMP PLED NOT GUILTY TO CHARGES THAT HE FALSIFIED BUSINESS DOCUMENTS AND AUTHORIZED HUSH MONEY PAYMENTS.

>> UNDER NEW YORK STATE LAW, THIS IS A FELONY TO FALSIFY RECORDS.

THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THIS CASE IS ABOUT.

>> IN THE MEANTIME, TRUMP SPOKE ABOUT THE CASE AT HIS MAR-A-LAGO HOME IN FLORIDA.

>>> CHICAGO IS MOURNING THE DEATH OF A FIREFIGHTER .

>> THOSE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVED BESIDE HIM.

>> THE FIRE COMMISSIONER SAYS THAT HE WENT DOWN AS CREWS WERE FIGHTING THE FLAMES.

PELT JOINED THE DEPARTMENT IN 2005 AND LEAVES BEHIND TWO CHILDREN.

>>> MORE SAD NEWS TO REPORT TONIGHT.

CONGRESSMAN CHUY GARCIA ANNOUNCED THAT HIS 28-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER ROSA HAS DIED.

THE YOUNG GIRL HAD BEEN IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.

HE GOES ON TO ASK FOR PRIVACY AND PRAYER.

>>> THE LOCKOUT AT HIGHLAND PARK HIGH SCHOOL THIS AFTERNOON AFTER A STUDENT -- REPORTEDLY APPREHENDED.

THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF SHOTS FIRED.

>>> COMING UP IN THE PROGRAM WE CHECK IN FROM THE PAUL VALLAS ELECTION NIGHT HEADQUARTERS.

>>> BUT FALLING MORE OF THE FALLOUT SURROUNDING -- >> CHICAGO TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY ALEXANDER AND JOHN NICHOLS.

THE POPE BROTHERS FOUNDATION.

AND THE SUPPORT OF GENEROUS DONORS.

>>> THE WORDS OF THIS ELECTION DAY OUR TURNOUT AND WEATHER.

MAX, WELCOME BACK!

LONG DAY FOR YOU.

558,000 PEOPLE VOTED IN THIS ELECTION.

ONLY ABOUT 4% OF THE VOTES WERE BY PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 AND 24.

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WAS A CLOSE RACE.

APRIL 18th IS THE CUT OFF FOR VOTES TO BE COUNTED.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

A LOT HAS CHANGED IN THE PAST THREE HOURS.

BUT A LOT OF ATTENTION WILL STILL BE ON -- AS OF LAST NIGHT HEADING INTO ELECTION DAY.

WE DON'T EXPECT ALL OF THESE TWO ARRIVED.

WE LOOK AT THE FEBRUARY 28th ELECTION.

WE HAVE 52,000 BACK IN THAT PERIOD.

WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE A SIMILAR RETURN RATE.

FOR THE OTHER RACES, IT IS GOING TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

THEY WILL PROBABLY BE WATCHING THOSE COME BACK IN.

>> ARE YOU SURPRISED BY THE LOW TURNOUT NUMBERS OF VOTERS?

>> NOT PARTICULARLY.

VOTERS AGE 18 TO 24, YOUNG VOTERS, THEY REALLY DO SHOW UP IN PRESIDENTIAL YEARS.

THEY TURNOUT FOR MIDTERMS, TOO.

BUT FOR SOME REASON, MIDTERM ELECTIONS DO NOT REALLY DRIVE -- FEBRUARY 28th ELECTION.

YOU SAW A LOT MORE VOTING TODAY ON ELECTION DAY.

THOSE AGES, 25 THROUGH 74 , VOTERS 55 AND UP OR DRIVING MORE OF THE RESULTS.

>> WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT THE STORMS THAT WERE PREDICTED.

WE MADE THAT WARNING TO PEOPLE.

HOWEVER , WE DID HAVE A PRETTY NASTY THUNDERSTORM WHICH SEEMED TO CAUSE A DIP IN TURNOUT.

HOWEVER, PEOPLE STARTED TURNING UP AGAIN.

>> MAX BEVER, CHICAGO BOARD OF ELECTIONS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>> WHAT WENT RIGHT FOR BRANDON JOHNSON?

PAUL VALLAS HAS CONCEDED.

THERE ARE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF BALLOTS STILL TO BE COUNTED.

JOHNSON HAS DECLARED VICTORY.

JOINING US NOW TO UNPACK EVENTS ARE JASON DeSANTO AND OUR VERY OWN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT.

WE ARE HEARING THAT CTU PRESIDENT GAVE AN ADDRESS TO THE CROWD.

WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE TODAY?

>> DETAILED RESULTS, SO WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

WE THINK THAT IT WAS THE VOLUNTEERS WHO TOOK THE STREETS, WHO KNOCKED ON DOORS AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO RETURN THESE BALLOTS.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE.

RIGHT NOW WE DO KNOW THAT ABOUT 20,000 YOUNG PEOPLE VOTED BACK IN FEBRUARY.

THAT COULD DETERMINE IT.

>> JASON DeSANTO, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY WANT VOTERS TO HOLD THEIR FIRE.

JOHNSON WAS SORT OF AGGRESSIVE AGAINST VALLAS.

DO YOU REGRET THAT STRATEGY?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

>> IT'S TRUE THAT WHEN WE WERE SITTING HERE SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, IT WAS BRANDON JOHNSON WHO HAD ATTACKED A LOT MORE.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT FOUR WEEKS AGO, PAUL VALLAS WAS RUNNING WELL AHEAD.

>> IT MAY HAVE MADE SOME SENSE TO GO THERE A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.

BUT I AM NOT SURE IT WOULD HAVE MADE ANY DIFFERENCE.

I THINK A MAJOR ISSUE THAT HAPPENED HERE WAS THAT JOHNSON WAS DOING WHAT CAMPAIGNS DO.

HEATHER TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GETTING OUT THE VOTE.

HE WOULD BACK OFF ON A LOT OF THINGS HE HAD BEEN SAYING.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS INSPIRING.

I THINK THAT HE DIDN'T SEEM AS RADICAL AS VALLAS WAS TRYING TO PAINT HIM.

>> VALLAS TRIED TO RAISE QUESTIONS.

YOU'RE SEEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE CTU GIVE THE ADDRESS.

WHAT ABOUT THE ALDERMAN RACES?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

IT APPEARS THAT TWO ASIAN AMERICAN -- 48 WAR HAVE APPARENTLY WON.

FIRST CHINESE-AMERICAN TO BE ELECTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

SO -- ALDERMAN TIMMY KNUTSON IN THE 43rd WARD.

THIS WAS A MARK OF GREAT ORGANIZATION IN CHICAGO.

>> BOTH HAD A MORE CENTRIST, CENTERLEFT ORGANIZATION.

WHERE ARE THE FAULT LINES?

>> THEY WILL FEEL LIKE THE ADDED ANGELA CLAY IN THE 46th WARD..

THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WILL BE MORE CENTRIST AND MODERATE.

IN THE 10th WARD, HE HAS DECLARED VICTORY.

HE IS A CHICAGO POLICE OFFICER WHO -- >>> IT LOOKED LIKE BRENDA JOHNSON PERSUADED THE MAJORITY OF VOTERS TO COME OVER TO HIS SIDE HERE.

>> THAT IS PREMATURE TO SAY.

NEITHER JOHNSON NOR VALLAS HAD WON.

THIS MEANT THE CRIME ISSUE WOULD BE CRUCIAL IN THESE AREAS.

>> MAYBE JOHNSON'S MESSAGE RESONATED WITH SOME VOTERS.

>> ONE THING THAT WAS INTERESTING AND IT REALLY GOES TO THE POINT FROM EARLIER, HE IS SAYING SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID ABOUT DEFUNDING THE POLICE.

SO I THINK THAT IF YOU WERE A PROGRESSIVE, THIS WAS KIND OF A RESPONSE TO THE ATTACK FOR JOHNSON.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE ARE GOING TO GO TO THE BRANDON JOHNSON HEADQUARTERS, WHERE THE MAYOR ELECT IS ADDRESSING THE CROWD.

>> BRANDON JOHNSON!

>> THANK YOU!

CHICAGO, HOW THE HECK ARE YOU?

YOU KNOW, THEY SAID THIS WOULD NEVER -- YOU KNOW, IF THEY DON'T KNOW, NOW THEY KNOW!

THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MOMENT.

WE WANT TO TAKE A SECOND TO THANK THESE INDIVIDUALS.

THE FIRST THING THAT I WANT TO SAY IS TO THOSE CITIZENS OF CHICAGO WHO DID NOT VOTE FOR ME, HERE IS WHAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW!

THIS IS WHAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW.

I VALUE YOU, AND I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

I WANT TO WORK WITH YOU.

I WANT TO BE THE MAYOR FOR YOU, TOO!

BECAUSE THIS CAMPAIGN HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT BUILDING A BETTER, STRONGER, SAFER CHICAGO.

WHEN I SAY ALL THE PEOPLE, I MEAN ALL THE PEOPLE.

ESPECIALLY FOLKS WHO HAVE EVER BEEN ON A PAYMENT PLAN.

SO FROM LINCOLN PARK TO HUMBOLDT PARK, THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE.

I WANT TO THANK MY GUYS.

COURSE TO MY FAMILY, MY WIFE STACY, I LOVE YOU, BABY.

TO MY THREE CHILDREN, OWEN, ETHAN AND BRADEN, TO THE CTU, TO THE ISD , MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT.

I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD PRESIDENT, CONGRESSWOMAN DELIA RAMIREZ , CONGRESSMAN JONATHAN JACKSON, AND OF COURSE DANNY DAVIS.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK SOMEBODY WHO COULD NOT BE HERE TONIGHT.

CONGRESSMAN CHUY GARCIA.

WE LOVE YOU, BROTHER.

WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, PAUL.

CHICAGO, TONIGHT IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

WE HAVE USHERED IN A NEW CHAPTER!

THE TRUTH IS THE PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS WORKED FOR CHICAGO!

WHETHER YOU TEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL OR NURSE PATIENTS IN NEED, YOU HAVE ALWAYS -- >> AND THAT'S BRANDON JOHNSON.

HOPEFULLY WE WILL HEAR A LOT MORE FROM HIM IN THE COMING MONTHS, DAYS, YEARS.

NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT CHICAGO TONIGHT, I AM BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

>> AND I AM PARIS SCHUTZ.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE.