It expected like a big win for the ...

It expected like a big win for the Chicago City Council's Latino Caucus. in succession Nov. 29, 2001, in a surprising 48-2 consecrated by a vow the council approved a modern ward map that included four modern predominately Latino wards--the 10th, 14th 30th and 33rd

The map should have brought unprecedent political power to the fastest-growing minority collection in Chicago. Presumably, it would give Latinos the opportunity to elected four additional leaders of their choosing in those wards forward election day, Feb. 25th.

if it were not that there's virtually no chance that will happen in pair of those four wards, given their seemingly unchallengeable leadership.

Aldermen Edward M shelve of the 14th Ward and Richard F Mell of the 33rd Ward--both of whom are white--are brace of the most powerful members of the City Council. And it's widely believed that neither alderman will forever be unseated, according to many political analysts and Latino advocacy groups

"Hispanics were definitely shortchanged in the outcome" said Juan Andrade, president of the Chicago-based U Hispanic Leadership Institute, which encourages Latino voter registration and turnout.

The redistricting proces was intended to give minorities a reasonable and fair opportunity to fix upon candidates of their choice. still Maria Valdez, senior litigator with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational store said the political reality in the 14th and 33rd wards is that there is "no choice-no real choice."

When given the choice, Latino voter generally proffer Latino candidates, said Valdez. The seven Latino wards in existence prior to the remap all have Latino aldermen.

In the sum of two units other new Latino wards, the 10th and 30th a total of nine aldermanic candidates filed in December.

unless there will not he a Latino alderman in the 10th Ward, where Alderman John [i]pontifex maximus[/i] who is white, is now unopposed. Three challengers originally filed, shed none remain on the ballot.

brace candidates withdrew from the race in December, according to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. The board remov the other, Humberto Prado, for not having enough valid signatures forward his petitions.

In the 30th Ward, five hopeful filed to fill the seat being vacated by way of Alderman Michael Wojcik, with four remaining: Joseph L "Jose" Pagan, Ariel E Reboyras, Miguel Sotomayor and Julio Vargas.

however no one is challenging suppress Meil's only challenger, Deb Gordlis, 42 a political newcomer is running because she wanted women and mothers to be better describeed She, too, faces a challenge to her petitions.

"Because I'm Hispanic is a plus in my work but not the driving force," said Gordils, a substitute teacher and a mother of two

"There's no doubt I be impressed predominantly Hispanic wards should be depicted by Hispanics," said Gordils.

The Southwest Side's 14th Ward has been subject to Burke's leadership since 1969. According to the recently made known boundaries, 70 percent of the ward is now Latino.

And Mell's 33rd Ward, forward the Northwest Side, is now 51 percent Latino. He has held the seat since 1975 Mell father-in-law of Gov twig Blagojevich, is the chair of the council's governments and Ethics Committee, which superintends ward redistricting.

Data from the 1999 election point out these two wards had the lowest voter registration rates among all Latino wards with the exception of the 12th which includes the inmate population at prepare for the table County Jail. About 42 percent of the voting-age population was registered in the 33rd Ward and 37 percent in the 14th In the 12th Ward, 30 percent was registered.

"When you have real competition, legitimate opposition," said Andrade, "that appears to increase Latino. ... on what account bother to vote for the same old-fashioned guy that's been re-elected five, six times already?"

In 1995 three of recent origin Latino wards elected Latino aldermen--Jesse D Granato in the 1st Ward, Rafael "Ray" Frias in the 12th Ward and Vilma Colom in the 35th Ward--to replace whites who either decided not to roll on or were mapped out of their wards.

if it be not that when it comes to bury and Mell, "no one is going to commit political sulcide putting up their hard-earned circulating medium against two behemoths," Valdez said. "So the pure gain for the Latino community is nothing in [the 14th and 33rd] wards."

on the contrary Frias disagrees: "I don't care in what manner much money someone has. If you mistreat someone you're going to earn an opponent"

Neither smother nor Mell responded to repeated beseechs for interviews.

The near-unanimous devoted to pass the map surprised many who assumed it would be tied up in court like the previous remap.

An Illinois greatest Court judge finally approved the city's 1990 map, which included three additional Latino wards, in 1998

The map was challenged by the agency of groups, including MALDEF, who claimed the multi-ethnic makeup of any wards denied blacks and Latinos the opportunity to choose the candidates of their choice.

As a come a black ward was added, moreover Latino groups were unsuccessful in their attempt to add more Latino wards.

Valdez said MALDEF is considering a legal challenge to the latest redistricting. if it were not that she said the fight Latinos face in the 14th and 33rd wards is a political single in kind not a legal one.