2015 Chicago aldermanic election

The 2015 Chicago aldermanic elections happened on February 24, 2015, to elect the 50 Aldermen that represent Chicago in the City Council. The elections were non-partisan and if no candidate received an absolute majority, a runoff would be held between the top two finishers on April 7, 2015.

Ward boundaries had been redrawn since the previous 2011 election, to reflect the results of the 2010 United States Census. The new ward map had been approved by the Chicago City Council in January 2012.

Campaign
43 incumbent aldermen sought re-election. Aldermen Edward M. Burke (14th Ward), Marty Quinn (13th Ward), Brendan Reilly (42nd Ward) and Harry Osterman (48th Ward) all ran unopposed in this election. Aldermen Toni Foulkes (15th Ward) and Nicholas Sposato (36th Ward) ran in different wards than those they had been incumbents of: the 16th and 38th, respectively. Incumbent aldermen Robert Fioretti (2nd Ward), James Balcer (11th Ward), Latasha Thomas (17th Ward) and Timothy Cullerton (38th Ward) did not run for re-election.

In the first round, two candidates who ran for re-election lost their seats, including Joann Thompson (who died in office, but remained on the ballot). There were runoffs in 18 wards. Six additional incumbent aldermen were defeated in runoffs.

1st Ward
Incumbent alderman Proco Joe Moreno was reelected. He had been appointed alderman in 2010 by Mayor Richard M. Daley, and had subsequently been reelected in 2011.

Candidates
One candidate was removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Mia Lena Lopez

2nd Ward
Incumbent second-term alderman Bob Fioretti did not seek reelection, instead, opting to run (unsuccessfully) for mayor. Brian Hopkins was elected to succeed him, defeating Alyx Pattison in a runoff.

32nd Ward
Incumbent second-term alderman Scott Waguespack was reelected, defeating Elise Doody-Jones, his sole challenger.

40th Ward
Incumbent eighth-term alderman Patrick J. O'Connor was reelected, defeating Dianne Daleiden, his sole challenger.

42nd Ward
Incumbent second-term alderman Brendan Reilly was reelected, running unopposed.

43rd Ward
Incumbent first-term alderman Michelle Smith was reelected, defeating Caroline Vickrey in a runoff by a narrow 79 vote margin (equal to 0.54% of the votes cast in the runoff).

Candidates
One write-in candidate filed:
 * Steven McClellan

One candidate was removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Steven McClellan (subsequently ran as a write-in)

The following candidate filed nominating petitions but withdrew before ballot certification:
 * Andrew Challenger

44th Ward
Incumbent third-term alderman Tom Tunney was reelected.

Candidates
One write-in candidate filed:
 * Robin Cook

46th Ward
Incumbent first-term alderman James Cappleman was reelected, defeating Amy Crawford in a runoff.

47th Ward
Incumbent first-term alderman Ameya Pawar was reelected, defeating Rory Fiedler, his sole challenger.

48th Ward
Incumbent first-term alderman Harry Osterman was reelected, running unopposed.

49th Ward
Incumbent sixth-term alderman Joe Moore was reelected, defeating Don Gordon, his sole challenger.

Candidates
Four candidates were removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures or other reasons:
 * John Beacham
 * Connie Gates-Brown
 * Grady A. Humphrey
 * Nathan Benjamin "Ben" Myers

50th Ward
Incumbent first-term alderman Debra Silverstein was reelected.

Candidates
Two write-in candidates filed:
 * Hilaire Fuji Shioura
 * Peter Sifnotis

Two candidates were removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Hilaire Fuji Shioura (subsequently ran as a write-in)
 * Peter George Sifnotis (subsequently ran as a write-in)

26th Ward
Incumbent alderman Roberto Maldonado was reelected. He had been first appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 2009, and had been subsequently reelected in 2011.

30th Ward
Incumbent third-term alderman Ariel Reboyras was reelected, running unopposed on the ballot, facing only a write-in opponent.

Candidates
One write-in candidate filed:
 * Edgar Esparza

One candidate was removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Edgar Espparza (subsequently ran as a write-in)

The following candidate filed nominating petitions but withdrew before ballot certification:
 * Walter Zarnecki

31st Ward
Incumbent sixth-term alderman Ray Suarez unsuccessfully sought reelection. He was defeated in a runoff by Milly Santiago.

33rd Ward
Incumbent alderman Deb Mell was reelected to a first full term. Mell had been appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2013.

Candidates
One candidate was removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Tyler Solario

35th Ward
Incumbent third-term alderman Rey Colón unsuccessfully sought reelection. He was defeated by Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, his sole challenger.

36th Ward
Incumbent Nicholas Sposato ran in the adjacent 38th Ward due to redistricting. Gilbert Villegas was elected to succeed him as 36th Ward alderman, defeating Omar Aquino in a runoff.

Candidates
One candidate was removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Joaquin Vazquez

Endorsements

 * First round


 * Runoff

38th Ward
Incumbent Timothy Cullerton did not run for reelection. Cullerton had been first appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 2011, and had been elected outright to a full term in the 2011 aldermanic elections shortly thereafter. Redistricted 36th Ward incumbent Nicholas Sposato was elected to succeed Cullerton as 38th Ward alderman.

Candidates
Two candidates were removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures or other reasons:
 * John J. Cianci
 * Mike Keeney

39th Ward
Incumbent alderman Margaret Laurino was reelected. Laurino had first been appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 1994, and had been reelected five times before.

Candidates
One candidate was removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Joaquin Vazquez

41st Ward
Incumbent first-term alderman Mary O'Connor ran unsuccessfully for reelection, being defeated by Anthony Napolitano in a runoff.

Endorsements

 * First round


 * Runoff

45th Ward
Incumbent first-term alderman John Arena was reelected, defeating John Garrido in a runoff.

22nd Ward
Incumbent alderman Ricardo Muñoz was reelected. Muñoz had first been appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 1993, and had been reelected five times before.

Candidates
One write-in candidate filed:
 * Alex Velazquez

One candidate was removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Alex Velazquez (subsequently ran as a write-in)

24th Ward
Incumbent alderman Michael Chandler did not run for reelection. Michael Scott Jr. was elected to succeed him, defeating Vetress Boyce in a runoff.

Candidates
One write-in candidate filed:
 * Catrina Singletary-Edwards

One candidate was removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures or other reasons:
 * Denarvis Mendenhall

The following candidates filed nominating petitions but withdrew before ballot certification:
 * Andre Holland
 * Vernell L. Hollis-Swanigan
 * Marcus D. Thorne

25th Ward
Incumbent alderman Daniel Solis was reelected. Solis had first been appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 1996, and had been reelected four times before.

Candidates
The following candidate filed nominating petitions but withdrew before ballot certification:
 * Troy Hernandez (subsequently ran as a write-in)

27th Ward
Incumbent fifth-term alderman Walter Burnett Jr. was reelected, defeating Gabe Beukinga, his sole challenger.

Incumbent alderman Daniel Solis was reelected. Solis had first been appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 1996, and had been reelected four times before.

28th Ward
Incumbent first-term alderman Jason Ervin was reelected, running unopposed on the ballot, facing only a write-in opponent.

Candidates
One write-in candidate filed:
 * Willie McGill

Six candidates were removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures or other reasons:
 * Jasmine Jackson
 * Alex M. Lyons
 * Willie McGill (subsequently ran as a write-in)
 * William Siegmund
 * Elliot Thomas
 * Tammie Vinson

The following candidate filed nominating petitions but withdrew before ballot certification:
 * Marseil Jackson

29th Ward
Incumbent alderman Deborah L. Graham unsuccessfully sought reelection. Graham had first been appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 2010, and had been reelected in 2011. She was defeated by Chris Taliaferro in a runoff.

Candidates
The following candidates filed nominating petitions but withdrew before ballot certification:
 * Lisa Jackson
 * Maurice J. Robinson
 * Brenda Smith
 * Deborah D. Williams

Endorsements

 * First round


 * Runoff

37th Ward
Incumbent alderman Emma Mitts was reelected. Mitts had first been appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 2000, and had subsequently been reelected in 2003, 2007, and 2011. She defeated Tara Stamps in a runoff.

Candidates
One candidate was removed from the ballot:
 * Otis Percy

11th Ward
Incumbent alderman James Balcer did not run for reelection. Balcer had first been appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 1997, and had been reelected four times. Patrick Daley Thompson was elected to succeed him, defeating John Kozlar in a runoff.

12th Ward
Incumbent third-term alderman George Cardenas was reelected, running unopposed on the ballot, with only a write-in opponent.

Candidates
One write-in candidate filed:
 * Peter John DeMay

One candidate was removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Peter John DeMay (subsequently ran as a write-in)

13th Ward
Incumbent first-term alderman Marty Quinn was reelected, running unopposed.

14th Ward
Incumbent alderman Edward M. Burke was reelected, running unopposed. The longest-serving member of the Chicago City Council, Burke had consecutively served eleven full terms, plus a partial term.

15th Ward
Incumbent two-term alderman Toni Foulkes ran in the adjacent 16th ward due to redistricting. Raymond Lopez was elected to succeed her as 15th Ward alderman, defeating Rafael Yanez in a runoff.

Endorsements

 * First round


 * Runoff

16th Ward
Incumbent alderman JoAnn Thompson sought reelection. She was challenged by redistricted incumbent two-term 15th Ward alderman Toni Foulkes and several other candidates. Thompson ultimately died two weeks before the general election. Foulkes advanced to a runoff, in which she narrowly defeated Stephanie Coleman.

Candidates
Two candidates were removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Jeffrey L. Lewis
 * Guadalupe Rivera

17th Ward
Incumbent Latasha Thomas did not run for reelection. Thomas had first been appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 2000, and was elected outright in a 2001 special election, later being thrice reelected. David H. Moore was elected to succeed her.

18th Ward
Incumbent alderman Lona Lane unsuccessfully sought reelection. Lane had first been appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley, and had been reelected in 2007 and 2011. She was defeated by Derrick Curtis in a runoff.

Candidates
Two candidates were removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Shaakira Ali
 * Howard Lindsey

Endorsements

 * First round


 * Runoff

23rd Ward
Incumbent fifth-term alderman Michael R. Zalewski was reelected.

Candidates
Two candidates were removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Charles M. Hughes
 * Paulino R. Villarreal, Jr.

3rd Ward
Incumbent second-term alderman Pat Dowell was reelected, defeating Patricia Horton, her sole challenger.

Candidates
One candidate was removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Clarence D. Clemons

4th Ward
Incumbent first-term alderman William D. Burns was reelected.

Candidates
One candidate was removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Jeffrey Booker

5th Ward
Incumbent fourth-term alderman Leslie Hairston was reelected.

Candidates
One write-in candidate filed:
 * Loretta Lomax

One candidate was removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Loretta Lomax (subsequently ran as write-in)

6th Ward
Incumbent first-term alderman Roderick Sawyer was reelected.

Candidates
Two write-in candidates filed:
 * Susan Davis
 * Delton Jerry Pierce

One candidate was removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Delton Jerry Pierce (subsequently filed as a write-in)

The following candidate filed nominating petitions but withdrew before ballot certification:
 * Dumars Ervin Franklin

7th Ward
Incumbent alderman Natashia Holmes unsuccessfully sought reelection. Holmes had been appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2013. She was defeated by Gregory Mitchell in a runoff.

Candidates
Two write-in candidates filed:
 * Jesse L. Harley
 * Chevette A. Valentine

One candidate was removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Lynn Renee Franco

Endorsements

 * First round


 * Runoff

8th Ward
Incumbent alderman Michelle A. Harris was reelected. Harris had been first appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 2006, and had been reelected in 2007 and 2011.

20th Ward
Second-term incumbent alderman Willie Cochran was reelected, defeating Kevin Bailey in a runoff.

Candidates
One write-in candidate filed:
 * Jerome Davis

Two candidates were removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Jerome A. Davis (subsequently ran as write-in)
 * Ronnie D. Nelson

9th Ward
Incumbent fourth-term alderman Anthony Beale was reelected.

Candidates
One write-in candidate filed:
 * Agin Muhammad

Two candidates were removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * Curtiss Llong Bey
 * Agin Muhammad II (subsequently ran as write-in)

10th Ward
Incumbent fourth-term alderman John Pope unsuccessfully sought reelection. He was defeated by Susan Sadlowski Garza in a runoff by a narrow 20-vote margin (equal to 0.18% of the votes cast in a runoff).

Candidates
One write-in candidate filed:
 * Albert Valentine

Results
As of April 21, Alderman Pope had filed suit for a recount. On May 12, however, Pope conceded defeat to Garza.

19th Ward
Incumbent first-term alderman Matt O'Shea was reelected, defeating Anne Schaible, his sole challenger on the ballot.

Candidates
One write-in candidate filed:
 * Joann Breivogei

21st Ward
Incumbent third-term alderman Howard Brookins was reelected, defeating Marvin McNeil in a runoff.

Candidates
One candidate was removed from the ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures:
 * CM Winters

Endorsements

 * First round


 * Runoff
 * First round

34th Ward
Incumbent alderman Carrie Austin was reelected. Austin had first been appointed alderman by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 1994, and had subsequently been reelected to five consecutive subsequent terms before this.