Meet Chicago’s newest aldermen
By Sam Hudzik
Meet Chicago’s newest aldermen
By Sam HudzikUpdated at 10:07 a.m.
Four incumbent aldermen appear headed for losses in Chicago’s runoff elections: the 6th Ward’s Freddrenna Lyle, the 24th Ward’s Sharon Denise Dixon, the 36th Ward’s John Rice and the 50th Ward’s Berny Stone. Rice was one of the council’s newest members, having been appointed just a year-and-a-half ago; Stone one its longest-serving.
Those seats represent just about a quarter of the turnover in the council. Nine aldermen decided to call it quits come May 16th. And the new council will also include two aldermen who were only appointed in January. That all adds up to fifteen new(ish) faces, assuming last night’s election results hold.
The list below includes three Democratic ward committeemen, one wife of a Democratic ward committeeman and one brother of a Democratic ward committeeman. It includes one former alderman, and three offspring of former aldermen. It includes two members of the Illinois House, a former city inspector, a firefighter, a graphic designer and a caterer. It includes 12 men and 3 women. Here are the freshmen:
| rd | New alderman | Who’s that? | Old alderman | Why the change? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Will Burns | State representative | Shirley Newsome / Toni Preckwinkle | Newsome was a placeholder after Preckwinkle became Cook County Board president. |
| 6 | Roderick Sawyer | Lawyer and son of former Chicago Mayor Eugene Sawyer | Freddrenna Lyle | Sawyer appears to have defeated Lyle in April runoff. |
| 13 | Marty Quinn | Democratic campaign worker, ally of ward committeeman Mike Madigan, the Illinois House speaker | Frank Olivo | Olivo announced his retirement after the November filing deadline, clearing the way for Quinn. |
| 19 | Matt O’Shea | Rugai aide, 19th Ward committeeman | Virginia Rugai | Rugai is retiring, and O’Shea won in February. |
| 24 | Michael Chandler | Musician, former 24th Ward alderman | Sharon Denise Dixon | Chandler defeated Dixon in April runoff, reclaiming his old seat. |
| 28 | Jason Ervin | Former Maywood village manager | Jason Ervin / Ed Smith | Ervin won in February, after being appointed in January to fill out the term of Smith, who retired in the fall. |
| 36 | Nick Sposato | Chicago firefighter, unsuccessful 2007 aldermanic candidate | John Rice | In the April runoff, Sposato defeated Rice, who was appointed to finish Bill Banks’ term in 2009. |
| 38 | Tim Cullerton | Electrician, retired city employee, son of the late Ald. Tom Cullerton, sister of ward committeeman P.J. Cullerton | Tim Cullerton / Tom Allen | Cullerton won the April runoff, after being appointed in January to finish the term of Allen, who became a judge. |
| 41 | Mary O’Connor | Ward committeeman, owner of catering company | Brian Doherty | O’Connor won the April runoff to replace Doherty, who is retiring. |
| 43 | Michele Smith | Ward committeeman, former federal prosecutor, failed 2007 aldermanic candidate | Vi Daley | Daley is retiring, and Michele Smith won the April runoff. |
| 45 | John Arena | Owner of small graphic arts business | Patrick Levar | Levar is retiring, and Arena has a small lead in the runoff to replace him. |
| 46 | James Cappleman | Social worker, unsuccessful 2007 aldermanic candidate | Helen Shiller | Cappleman won the runoff to replace Shiller, who is retiring. |
| 47 | Ameya Pawar | Program assistant at Northwestern University’s emergency management office | Eugene Schulter | After Schulter announced retirement, Pawar beat the alderman’s chosen successor in February. |
| 48 | Harry Osterman | State representative, son of the late Ald. Kathy Osterman | Mary Ann Smith | Osterman won in February to replace Smith, who is retiring. |
| 50 | Debra Silverstein | Certified public accountant, wife of state Sen. Ira Silverstein, who is the ward’s committeeman | Berny Stone | Silverstein defeated Stone in the April runoff. |
Not included in this table are three other aldermen who are (relatively) new. Each of them was reelected outright in February, avoiding a runoff.
- In the summer of 2009, Mayor Richard Daley picked then-Cook County Commissioner Roberto Maldonado to replace the 26th Ward’s Billy Ocasio, who left the council to take a job in Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration.
- Ald. Proco Joe Moreno was appointed by Daley in March of 2010 to replace 1st Ward Ald. Manny Flores, who also took a job with Quinn.
- At the same time, Daley appointed then-state Rep. Deborah Graham to fill 29th Ward Ald. Ike Carothers’ term. Carothers lost his seat when he pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges.