While most of the attention has been focused on the nine candidates running for Chicago mayor, the Chicago City Council will also have a decidedly-new look in the new term, as a dozen incumbents aren’t running for reelection and several others are facing tough fights.
In all, 12 members of the City Council will not be seeking reelection, with several more defending seats that they’ve only recently been appointed to.
Alds. Sophia King and Roderick Sawyer, representing the fourth and sixth wards, respectively, are both opting out of running for reelection, and are instead running for Chicago mayor.
Ald. Leslie Hairston opted not to seek reelection in the fifth ward, with 11 candidates battling to replace her in the ward that includes parts of Hyde Park, South Shore and Woodlawn.
In the 14th ward, Ald. Ed Burke has opted not to run for reelection after decades on the City Council. Jeylu Gutierrez and Raul Reyes are squaring off in that ward, which includes parts of Archer Heights and Gage Park.
Another long-time member of the City Council, Ald. Carrie Austin, will not run for reelection in the 34th ward, with Bill Conway and Jim Ascot competing to replace her.
A total of 10 contenders are vying for the 48th ward seat of Ald. Harry Osterman, who had been on the council since 2011.
In addition to the retirements from the Council, other members are facing contentious reelection fights, including Ald. Daniel La Spata, who is facing three opponents in the first ward, including Procco “Joe” Moreno, the man he defeated for the seat in 2019.
In the 19th ward, which includes Beverly, Mount Greenwood and Morgan Park, Ald. Matthew O’Shea is facing a tough battle against Tim Noonan and Michael Cummings.
Ald. Monique Scott, representing the city’s 24th ward, is facing a staggering seven contenders for her position after she was appointed to the City Council to replace her brother Michael Scott in June 2022.
Just like in the mayoral election, if no candidate receives a majority of the votes in the Feb. 28 election, meaning 50% plus one additional vote, then the top two vote-getters would advance to a runoff, which will be held on April 4.
Not sure which ward you live in? You can use the city's "Ward Finder" tool here.
Note: the candidates on this list appear in the order in which they will appear on the ballot.
1st Ward
Ald. Daniel La Spata
Stephen “Andy” Schneider
Procco “Joe” Moreno
Sam Royko
2nd Ward
Ald. Brian Hopkins
3rd Ward
Ald. Pat Dowell
4th Ward
Helen West
Tracey Y. Bey
Lamont Robinson
Matthew “Khari” Humphries
Ebony Lucas
Prentice Butler
5th Ward
Renita Q. Ward
Marlene Fisher
Joshua Gray
Robert Palmer
Martina Hone
Jocelyn Hare
Dialika “Dee” Perkins
Desmon C. Yancy
Kris Levy
Gabriel Piemonte
Wallace E. Goode, Jr.
6th Ward
Sylvester Baker, Jr.
Richard Wooten
O. Patrick Brutus
Barbara Ann Bunville
Kirby Birgans
Paul Bryson, Sr.
William E. Hall
Aja Kearney
Sharon E. Pincham
Tavares Briggs
Kimberly Egonmwan
7th Ward
Ald. Gregory Mitchell
8th Ward
Ald. Michelle Harris
Sean Flynn
Linda Hudson
9th Ward
Cleopatra Draper
Ald. Anthony Beale
Cameron Barnes
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10th Ward
Peter Chico
Jessica Venegas
Ana Guajardo
Yessenia Carreón
Oscar Sanchez
11th Ward
Anthony Ciaravino
Ambria Taylor
Elvira “Vida” Jimenez
Ald. Nicole Lee
Froylan Jimenez
Steve Demitro
Don Don
12th Ward
Julia Ramirez
Ald. Anabel Abarca
13th Ward
Ald. Marty Quinn
Paul Bruton
14th Ward
Jeylu Gutierrez
Raul Reyes
15th Ward
Ald. Raymond Lopez
Victoria Alvarez
Gloria Ann Williams
16th Ward
Carolynn Denise Crump
Ald. Stephanie Coleman
Eddie Johnson III
17th Ward
Ald. David H. Moore
18th Ward
Ald. Derrick Curtis
Heather Wills
19th Ward
Timothy Noonan
Ald. Matthew O’Shea
Michael Cummings
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20th Ward
Ald. Jeanette Taylor
Jennifer Maddox
Andre Smith
21st Ward
Cornell Dantzler
Preston Brown, Jr.
Larry Lloyd
Ronnie Mosley
Daliah Goree
Ayana Clark
Kweli Kwaza
22nd Ward
Ald. Michael Rodriguez
Neftalie Gonzalez
Kristian R. Armendariz
23rd Ward
Ald. Silvana Tabares
Eddie Guillen
24th Ward
Ald. Monique Scott
Larry G. Nelson
Luther Woodruff, Jr.
Vetress M. Boyce
Edward Ward
Creative Scott
Drewone Goldsmith
Traci Treasure Johnson
25th Ward
Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez
Aida Flores
26th Ward
Julian Perez
Jessica Fuentes
Angee Gonzalez Rodriguez
27th Ward
Ald. Walter Burnett, Jr.
28th Ward
Ald. Jason C. Ervin
Shawn A. Walker
29th Ward
Ald. Chris Taliaferro
CB Johnson
Corey Dooley
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30th Ward
Juanpablo Prieto
Ruth Cruz
Jessica W. Gutierrez
Warren Williams
31st Ward
Ald. Felix Cardona Jr.
Esteban Burgoa Ontañon
32nd Ward
Ald. Scott Waguespack
33rd Ward
Ald. Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez
Samie Martinez
34th Ward
Bill Conway
Jim Ascot
35th Ward
Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa
36th Ward
Leonor “Lori” Torres Whitt
Ald. Gilbert Villegas
David Herrera
Jacqueline Baez
37th Ward
Howard Ray
Ald. Emma M. Mitts
Jake Towers
Corey Denelle Braddock
38th Ward
Cynthia M. Santos
Franco Reyes
Ald. Nicholas Sposato
Ed Bannon
Bruce Randazzo
39th Ward
Denali Dasgupta
Ald. Samantha Nugent
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40th Ward
Ald. Andre Vasquez
Christian Blume
Jane Lucius
41st Ward
Ald. Anthony Napolitano
Paul Struebing
42nd Ward
Ald. Brendan Reilly
43rd Ward
Ald. Timmy Knudsen
Brian C. Comer
Rebecca Janowitz
Steve Bostford
Steven McClellan
Wendi Taylor Nations
44th Ward
Bennett R. Lawson
45th Ward
Susanna Ernst
Megan Mathias
Ald. James Gardiner
Ana Santoyo
Marija Tomic
James Suh
46th Ward
Angela Clay
Kim Walz
Patrick Nagle
Roushaunda Williams
Michael Cortez
Marianne Lalonde
47th Ward
Ald. Matt Martin
48th Ward
Larry Svabek
Nick Ward
Joe Dunne
Andre Pleoquin
Brian J. Haag
Isaac Freilich Jones
Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth
Roxanne Volkmann
Andy Peters
Nassir Faulkner
49th Ward
Ald. Maria Hadden
Belia Rodriguez
William Morton
50th Ward
Mueze Bawany
Ald. Debra Silverstein