The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 alderpersons elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms. The council is called into session regularly,usually monthly,to consider ordinances,orders,and resolutions whose subject matter includes code changes,utilities,taxes,and many other issues. The Chicago City Council Chambers are located in Chicago City Hall,as are the downtown offices of the individual alderpersons and staff.
Dorothy Jean Tillman is an American politician,civil rights activist and former Chicago,Illinois alderman. Tillman served as the alderman of the city's 3rd ward from 1985 until 2007. A member of the Democratic Party,representing part of the city's South Side in the Chicago City Council. As an Alderman,Tillman was a strong advocate of reparations for slavery. In April 2007,Tillman was defeated in a runoff election by challenger Pat Dowell. Tillman defeated Dowell in 2003. Prior to her career as an alderman,Tillman was active in the Civil Rights Movement,working for Martin Luther King Jr.'s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) as an activist. Tillman was known for wearing large hats and has cultivated this image as her trademark.
Mary Ann Smith was an alderman of the 48th ward of the City of Chicago;she was appointed in 1989 by Mayor Richard M. Daley to replace Kathy Osterman. She won re-election in 1991,and was re-elected four more times before retiring in 2011. She served as a member of the Chicago Commission on Landmarks.
Thomas M. Tunney is an American politician and entrepreneur from Chicago,Illinois. From 2003 to 2023,he served as an alderman on the Chicago City Council. He represented the 44th Ward of the city,which includes major tourist destinations,Northalsted and Wrigleyville neighborhoods. He was also vice mayor from 2019 to 2023.
Helen Shiller is a former Alderman of the 46th ward in Chicago,Illinois. Shiller is also a published author,having written a 500-page book on her politics and activism in Chicago from 1971 to 2011. Shiller served in the Chicago City Council for six four-year terms,from 1987 to 2011. Shiller was elected to the City Council on her third attempt,as Harold Washington,Chicago's first black Mayor,was re-elected to his second term,and her election as alderman helped close the Council Wars era in Chicago government. Shiller has been described as "a reformer unafraid to take on the boys in power." A less flattering description is that she is "committed to liberal causes and destroying all within her path". Among her most significant impacts on Chicago were her advocacy for diverse,inclusive,affordable housing and helping craft Chicago's response to the HIV/AIDS crisis. Her commitment to fostering community development without displacement often brought Shiller into contention with some constituencies,real estate developers,and editorial boards. Shiller's oral history was collected by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Uptown resident Studs Terkel in his 2003 book,Hope Dies Last. As she details in her own book,among her policy victories as a City Council member was:getting human rights legislation passed,having Chicago implement anti-apartheid legislation,creating a City Council Subcommittee on Domestic Violence,and building a unique mix-used development.
Carrie Austin is a former alderman on the Chicago City Council who represented the 34th ward on Chicago's far south side from 1994 to 2023. The predominantly African-American ward includes portions of Morgan Park,Roseland,Washington Heights and West Pullman.
Toni Lynn Preckwinkle is an American politician and the current County Board president in Cook County,Illinois,United States. She was elected to her first term as president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners,the executive branch of Cook County government,in November 2010,becoming the first woman elected to that position.
Vi Daley was an alderman in the Chicago City Council,representing Chicago's 43rd ward. The 43rd ward includes much of the Lincoln Park and a small portions of the Near North Side Community areas. Daley was elected to three four-year terms,and chose not to seek reelection when her last term ended in 2011.
Scott Waguespack is a member of the Chicago City Council,representing the 32nd ward since May 2007. The current 32nd ward includes parts of the neighborhoods of Bucktown,Goose Island,Hamlin Park,Lakeview,Lincoln Park,and Roscoe Village.
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa is an American politician. He has served as the Alderperson for Chicago's 35th Ward since May 18,2015. He was first elected to the Council in 2015,become one of the chamber's youngest members ever elected at age 26. He was re-elected in 2019 and 2023.
Raymond Anthony Lopez is an American politician who is currently a member of the Chicago City Council serving as alderman of the 15th Ward in Chicago,Illinois.
Sophia D. King is an American politician and former member of Chicago City Council,who served as alderman from the 4th ward,which includes portions of the neighborhoods Bronzeville,Hyde Park,Kenwood,Oakland,and South Loop. King was appointed to the position by mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2016 as a replacement to the retiring William D. Burns. She won a special election in 2017 to serve out the rest term of the Burns' unexpired term,and was re-elected to a full term in 2019. On the council,she was a member and chair of the Progressive Reform Caucus. She forwent reelection to the city council in 2023 in order to make an unsuccessful run for mayor of Chicago in the 2023 Chicago mayoral election.
The 2019 Chicago mayoral election was held on February 26,2019,to determine the next Mayor of the City of Chicago,Illinois. Since no candidate received a majority of votes,a runoff election was held on April 2,2019,between the two candidates with the most votes,Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle. Lightfoot defeated Preckwinkle in the runoff election to become mayor,and was sworn in as mayor on May 20,2019.
The 2019 Chicago elections took place in two rounds on February 26,2019,and April 2,2019. Elections were held for Mayor of Chicago,City Clerk of Chicago,City Treasurer of Chicago,and all 50 members of the Chicago City Council. The candidates who won in these elections were inaugurated on May 20,2019. Four ballot referendums were also voted on in certain precincts. The elections were administered by the Chicago Board of Elections.
Jeanette Beatrice Taylor is an American politician and community organizer. Taylor is the alderman of Chicago,Illinois' 20th ward,taking office as a member of the Chicago City Council in May 2019. She won an open race to succeed outgoing alderman Willie Cochran in the 2019 Chicago aldermanic elections. She is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Rossana Rodríguez-Sánchez is a Chicago politician and community organizer. She is the alderwoman of Chicago's 33rd ward,having taken office as a member of the Chicago City Council in May 2019. She won election to that office after defeating incumbent Deb Mell in the 2019 Chicago aldermanic elections. She is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.
The 2023 Chicago mayoral election was held on February 28,2023,to elect the mayor of Chicago,Illinois. With no candidate receiving a majority of votes in the initial round of the election,a runoff election was held on April 4. This two-round election took place alongside other 2023 Chicago elections,including races for City Council,city clerk,city treasurer,and police district councils. The election was officially nonpartisan,with winner Brandon Johnson being elected to a four-year term which began on May 15.
The 2022 Illinois Secretary of State election was held on November 8,2022,to elect the next Illinois Secretary of State. Incumbent Democrat Jesse White did not seek re-election to a seventh term. Alexi Giannoulias,a former state treasurer,won the open seat.
The 2023 Chicago aldermanic election took place in two rounds on February 28 and April 4,2023,to elect 50 alderpersons to the Chicago City Council. Each alderperson represents one of Chicago's 50 wards. The elections are non-partisan and use a two-round system where the top two finishers compete in a second-round runoff if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the first round. The elections are part of the 2023 Chicago elections,which include elections for Mayor,City Clerk,and City Treasurer.
Timmy Knudsen is an American politician,currently serving in the Chicago City Council as alderman for the 43rd ward. He was appointed to the position by Mayor Lori Lightfoot and confirmed by the City Council in September 2022,following the retirement of Michele Smith. The 43rd ward is on Chicago's North Side,including much of Lincoln Park and a small portion of the Near North Side.
