CHICAGO--"Race has nothing to do with this." Greg Smith, a lifelong Democrat from Chicago's white North west side, was on the street election day--Tuesday--selling the Republican mayoral ticket.

"They're going to burn the city down," he said. "But I would rather have to protect my home from the riots than vote for a man like [Black Democrat Harold] Washington."

Bill Johnson, 18, cast the first vote of his life for the Republican candidate, businessman Bernard Epton, wearing a green Epton t-shirt, a "Democrats for Epton" badge, and one of the city's ubiquitous "Bigots for Bernie" buttons. He whispered his case against Washington in a corner of the Epton election night headquarters.

"Look, if he becomes mayor, they'll think stronger about themselves and take over the city," he said.

For Rose Mungon, spreading Washington pamphlets on the city's affluent take front. Epton's campaign was "the most racist in history."

"He's the great white hope," she said. "I don't want this to reflect on any individual personally, but white people is the most low-down, dirty humans God ever let live."

Squeaking to a 51.4 percent majority to become the first Black mayor in Chicago's history, Washington--a two-term congressman--said Wednesday his "most important concern" would be to heal and unify a city divided by a seven-week campaign of unusual racial bitterness.

"Fat chance," suggested Bill Johnson. Many residents--Black and white--voiced similar doubts.

"I think it's going to leave its scars. It has to." Charlotte Goss, a Washington supporter, said. "I came through here with Martin Luther King in the '60s. I guess I felt we had accomplished something, I was wrong."

Some on both sides predicted violent outbursts no matter who won. A bolstered Chicago police force was on special alert election night in sensitive neighborhoods, according to police sources.

But by the time the long night was over no incident had occured. The only outburst was a spontaneous celebration by Washington supporters in the streets outside the victory party.

Inside the convention hall, by 1:30 Wednesday morning, 15,000 supporters chanted "We Want Harold." Washington workers seemed awed by the emotions and expectations their campaign had tapped.

Washington's party was originally scheduled for a downtown hotel, but his campaign staff at the last minute changed the location to the huge hall on the South side to accomodate the crowd.

"Do you know what's happening here?" an aide shouted. Everyone was awaiting the candidate. Waves of cheers rebounded from corner to corner as the crowd surged forward against police barriers. "Can you feel it?" he mouthed over deafening cheers. "It's not a man. It's a movement."

Someone raised a banner reading "Rizzo is next," referring to the opponent in a May primary of Philadelphia's Black mayoral candidate Wilson Goode. The crowd erupted again.