Chicago black ward organizations

I found this article doing a google search on Chicago ward organizations and I came across this article from the Chicago Reporter.

This article was published back in 1999 after another municipal election. They talked about the Chicago political structure. Every ward in Chicago (there are 50 wards) have a committeman for both the GOP and the Democrats. They are elected in presidential election years. The committeemen are charged with selecting election judges and filling state legislative vacancies.

Once upon a time commetteemen were handing out patronage jobs or other perks but a decree in 1983 put an end to that. However ward political organizations can still get out the vote. To break it down however in most of the white wards the organizations are "powerful, fine-tuned organizations can still deliver the vote but, with a few notable exceptions". On the other hand black and latino organizations "have younger, weaker and less-disciplined party structures".

The only black wards as of 1999 that could boast of effective ward organizations where the 8th, 7th, 17th and 34th wards. All others are more difficult to bulid without patronage jobs. I should also remind you that the 17th ward organization didn't exist at all up until 2001.

In any case read this article, I may comment on it more later.

Article: Black Ward Organizations Languish