NBC Chicago and Ward Room bring you profiles on the 18 wards heading into a runoff election April 7. In this profile, learn all about the 46th Ward.
46th Ward – James Cappleman (incumbent) vs. Amy Crawford
Issues at Stake in Runoff:
Alan Mills, executive director at the Uptown People’s Law Center, says that affordable housing, crime, quality of city government and homelessness are issues the community are most concerned with. Mills thinks that voter turnout will be higher for the runoff because “there’s more at stake” and there being only two candidates for the mayoral and aldermanic races now.
Local
James Cappleman (campaign website)
Education: Jane Addams at UIC (M.S.W.), University of Houston (B.S.)
Occupation: 46th Ward Alderman
Endorsements: Senator Dick Durbin, Former Gov. Pat Quinn, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Congressman Mike Quigley, State Treasurer Mike Frerichs, State Senators John Cullerton and Heather Steans, State Representatives Sara Feigenholtz and Greg Harris, Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer, Chicago Police Sergeants’ Association, Citizen Action, Planned Parenthood Illinois Action
Key Issues: Public safety, raising minimum wage, local economic development, improving Uptown’s entertainment district, rebuild of Wilson L Station, aldermanic accountability, social services, public education, housing
Amy Crawford (campaign website)
Education: University of Chicago Law School (J.D.), University of Notre Dame (B.A., economics and government)
Occupation: Litigation partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Endorsements: Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Fraternal Order of Police, Chicago NOW, Independent Voters of Illinois, Grassroots Illinois Action, Reclaim Chicago, People Over Politics 46, Illinois Herald
Key Issues: Public safety, local businesses, improving Uptown’s entertainment district, neighborhood schools, affordable housing, gun violence, city government accountability
General information:
Voter Turnout on Feb. 24: 37 percent
How did they vote in the mayor’s race?
- Rahm Emanuel: 57 percent
- Jesus “Chuy” Garcia: 31 percent
Demographics
- Total population: 53,784
- White: 57.24 percent
- Black: 20.28 percent
- Hispanic: 11.51 percent
- Asian: 9.54 percent (Source: WBEZ)
Neighborhoods: Uptown, Buena Park and Lakeview
Adjectives that Describe the Ward: Historic, gentrifying, divided and low-income
How Ward Typically Votes: James Cappleman was first elected alderman of the 46th Ward in 2011. Prior to Cappleman’s election, Helen Shiller had been alderman since 1987. In 2007, Shiller won 53 percent of the vote, defeating Cappleman. In 2011, Cappleman won 55 percent of the vote, defeating Molly Phelan in a runoff. Shiller did not run that year.
