Chicago mayoral election: Vallas, Johnson make last-minute push for votes on eve of Election Day

CHICAGO (WLS) -- On the eve of Election Day in the Chicago mayoral race, Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas spent the weekend trying to court last minute voters.

Both candidates said Monday night that they feel positive, energized and ready to lead.

New polling shows Vallas gaining ground over Johnson with a four point lead, according to Victory Research.

Both spent the day campaigning non-stop as they try to sway any remaining undecided voters.

Vallas was out on the campaign trail Monday morning hoping he'll taste sweet victory Tuesday.

The mayoral hopeful was at Old Fashioned Donuts on the Far South Side in the Roseland neighborhood, flanked by supporters including former U.S. Congressman Bobby Rush, Alderman Anthony Beale and former mayoral candidate Ja'Mal Green.

He ended the day greeting voters in the loop with U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.

"It's been a great opportunity for me to hear the issues from Chicagoans all across the city while at the same time hearing their stories," Vallas said.

Vallas reacted to a new independent poll showing his lead over Johnson widen from two points to four.

"I'm not paying attention to the polls, I'm just driving on," Vallas said. "I see that finish line."

Johnson started Monday morning on the West Side in Humboldt Park meeting with an organization dedicated to getting kids into the trades. Providing work opportunities for young people is an issue Johnson has talked about often on the campaign trail. He also stopped at a senior home and seemed unconcerned about the new poll.

"We have a ground operation that we have not seen in a generation. I am confident that the people of Chicago want a better, stronger, safer city. And I'm taking that confidence into tomorrow, and we're going to take that confidence all the way to the fifth floor," he said.

Johnson ended his day at the Racine Blue Line, talking voter turnout.

"You can feel the energy all over the city. I'm grateful for it. I'm encouraging everyone to get out and vote in this race," he said.

He's confident he's the one who will come out on top in this runoff election.

"I was polling at 2.3%," Johnson said. "Why worry now? I am confident that the people of Chicago want a better, safer, stronger city," Johnson said. "I am taking that confidence into tomorrow and we're going to take that confidence all the way to the 5th floor."

The polls point to an interesting age divide in this race. Vallas leads Johnson by 12% in voters over the age of 60, while Johnson leads Vallas by 20 points among voters aged 18 and 30, which could be even more significant.

"If the Bernie Sanders rally and other methods that they are trying to use energize the youth vote are successful, younger voters could carry him to victory," said Rod McCulloch, owner of Victory Research.

But McCulloch noted older voters tend to be more reliable about getting the polls, which could be important for Vallas.

Among Latinos, who some say could decide the election, Vallas has an eight point lead with 7% undecided.

The race is likely to go down to the wire, and could hinge on who does the better job of getting their voters to the polls.

Severe weather is possible on Election Day, specifically the afternoon. Elections officials are aware of that and they're asking voters to vote as soon as possible if they can.

The Chicago Board of Elections says more than 154,000 early ballots have been cast in person and 95,000 vote-by-mail ballots have been returned, with many more are outstanding. That's a total of nearly 250,000 votes already cast in the runoff election.