List of Chicago alderpersons since 1923

The Chicago City Council assumed its modern form on April 16,[dates 1] 1923, with fifty wards each electing one alderperson. Here is a list of the people who have served as an alderperson since that time.

Since its incorporation as a city in 1837 Chicago had been divided into wards whose number varied[a] but which were almost[b] always entitled to two alderpersons. In the early 20th century it was decided that reducing the number of alderpersons to a ward to one would be a cost-saving measure, and an ordinance to that effect was passed in 1920, taking effect in 1923.

City council elections in Chicago have been formally nonpartisan since 1920. Nevertheless, many alderpersons have had,[parties 1] and continue to have, de facto partisan affiliations that are reflected in this list.

This list is organized by which side of the Chicago River the wards were on as of 1923. Numbering the wards such that those on the South Side received the first numbers, followed by in order the West and North sides was a tradition that had dated to the City's founding and division into wards in 1837.[1] Incumbent alderpersons who started a new term in 1923 are reckoned as having started their term in 1923 regardless of whenever they actually started holding office, which is noted in the "Notes" column.

History

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Chicago was incorporated in 1837 and initially comprised six wards.

South Side (Wards 1–19)

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1st Ward

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Originally covering the Loop, Near South Side, and the northern part of Armour Square, this ward was significantly moved to its current location in 1993 to help stymie corruption.

No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1     John Coughlin April 16, 1923

November 11, 1938
Democratic[parties 2] Had been serving since 1892
Died in office
2     Michael Kenna April 12, 1939

April 9, 1943
Democratic[parties 2] Had previously served from 1897 to 1923
3     John Budinger April 9, 1943

1951
Democratic Had previously served then-4th ward from 1910 to 1912
4   John D'Arco Sr. 1951

1963
Democratic
5     Michael Fiorito February 16

May 6, 1963
Democratic Resigned
6   Donald Parrillo 1963

1968
Democratic
7   Fred Roti 1968

1991
Democratic
8   Ted Mazola 1991

1995
Democratic
9     Jesse Granato 1995

May 19, 2003
Democratic
10     Manuel Flores May 19, 2003

January 4, 2010
Democratic Appointed to be Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission
11     Proco Joe Moreno March 26, 2010

May 20, 2019
Democratic
12   Daniel La Spata May 20, 2019

present
Democratic

2nd Ward

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Originally covering Douglas and its immediate surroundings, this ward has drastically moved northward to its current location across the Near North Side and West Town.

No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1     Louis B. Anderson April 16, 1923

1933
Republican Had been serving since 1917
2     William L. Dawson 1933

April 12, 1939
Republican[parties 1]
3     Earl B. Dickerson April 12, 1939

April 9, 1943
Democratic
4 William H. Harvey April 9, 1943

December 20, 1968
Became a County Commissioner
5 Fred D. Hubbard March 11, 1969

March 16, 1972
6   William Barnett August 15, 1972

1983
Democratic
7     Bobby Rush 1983

1993
Democratic
8   Madeline Haithcock 1993

May 21, 2007
Democratic
9     Robert Fioretti May 21, 2007

May 2015
Democratic
10     Brian K. Hopkins May 2015

present
Democratic

3rd Ward

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No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1     Robert R. Jackson April 16, 1923

April 12, 1939
Republican[parties 1] Had been serving then-2nd ward since 1918
2   Benjaim A. Grant April 12, 1939

April 9, 1943
3     Oscar Stanton De Priest April 9, 1943

1947
Republican Had previously served then-2nd ward from 1915 to 1917
4   Archibald Carey Jr. 1947

1955
Republican
5     Ralph Metcalfe 1955

December 1970
Democratic Became a Congressman
6 Tyrone T. Kenner February 23, 1971

February 11, 1985
7   Dorothy Tillman February 11, 1985

April 27, 2007
Democratic
8     Pat Dowell April 27, 2007

Present
Democratic

4th Ward

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No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1   Ulysses S. Schwartz April 16, 1923

1925
Had been serving then-3rd ward since 1916
2     Berthold A. Cronson 1925

December 23, 1937
Republican[parties 1] Died in office
3   Abraham H. Cohen April 12, 1939

1955
4 Claude Holman 1955

June 1, 1973
Died in office
5 Timothy C. Evans November 27, 1973

1991
6     Toni Preckwinkle 1991

2010
Democratic
7   Shirley Newsome 2010

May 2011
8     William D. Burns May 2011

February 2016
Democratic
9   Sophia King April 16, 2016

present
Democratic

5th Ward

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6th Ward

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  • William E. Hall

7th Ward

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8th Ward

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William D. Meyering

9th Ward

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Anthony Beale

10th Ward

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11th Ward

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12th Ward

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George Cardenas

13th Ward

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Frank Olivo
  • Joseph B. McDonough
  • Thomas A. Doyle
  • John E. Egan (Democratic[parties 1])
  • Michael P. Hogan
  • John E. Egan
  • David W. Healy
  • Casamir J. Staszcuk
  • John S. Madrzyk
  • Frank Olivo
  • Marty Quinn

14th Ward

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No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1     William R. O'Toole April 16, 1923

1931
Democratic Had been serving then-30th ward since 1914
2 Thomas J. O'Grady 1931

1933
3   James J. McDermott 1933

December 3, 1942
Democratic[parties 1] Elected to Cook County Board of Appeals
4 Clarence P. Wagner April 9, 1943

July 10, 1953
Died in office
5   Joseph P. Burke November 3, 1953

May 11, 1968
Democratic Died in office
6     Edward M. Burke March 14, 1969

Present
Democratic

15th Ward

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Raymond Lopez

16th Ward

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Terence Moran

17th Ward

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18th Ward

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  • Patrick F. Ryan
  • Walter W. Morris
  • Harry E. Perry (Democratic[parties 1])
  • Bernard J. O'Hallaren
  • Thomas J. Corcoran
  • Frank J. McGrath
  • James C. Murray
  • Edward J. Hines
  • Robert T. Kellam
  • Thomas W. Murphy
  • Lona Lane
  • Derrick Curtis

19th Ward

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No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1     Donald S. McKinlay April 16, 1923

1928
Democratic[parties 3] Resigned
2   O.E. Northrup 1929

1935
Republican[parties 1]
3 John J. Duffy 1935

December 1, 1950
Elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners
4 David T. McKiernan 1951

May 25, 1957
Died in office
5 Thomas F. Fitzpatrick September 17, 1957

April 1, 1975
6   Jeremiah E. Joyce April 1, 1975

February 1, 1979
Democratic Elected to the Illinois General Assembly for the 28th district
7   Michael F. Sheahan April 16, 1979

1991
Democratic
8   Virginia Rugai 1991

2011
Democratic
9   Matthew O'Shea 2011

present
Democratic

West Side (Wards 20–41)

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20th Ward

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21st Ward

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22nd Ward

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23rd Ward

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24th Ward

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25th Ward

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No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1     John Powers April 16, 1923

1927
Democratic Had been serving then-19th ward since 1905 and previously from 1888 to 1904
2     James Bowler 1927

June 7, 1934
February 26, 1935

July 11, 1953
Democratic[parties 1] Had previously served then-19th ward between 1906 and 1923
Briefly vacated office to become a Public Vehicle License Commissioner
Became a Congressman representing IL-7
3   Vito Marzullo November 3, 1953

1985
Democratic
4 Juan Soliz 1985

1991
5 Ambrosio Medrano 1991

1996
6   Daniel Solis 1996

2019
Democratic
7 Byron Sigcho-Lopez 2019

present

26th Ward

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No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1   Joseph A. Mendel April 16, 1923

1927
2     Frank A. Sloan 1927

1933
3   Frank E. Konkowski 1933

1939
Republican[parties 1] Redistricted from the 31st ward
Died in office
4 Alexander J. Sobota 1939

June 23, 1944
Died in office
5 Mathew William Bieszczat February 5, 1945

November 8, 1960
Elected Bailiff of Municipal Court of Chicago
6   Stanley M. Zydlo February 26, 1963

April 16, 1979
7 Michael Nardulli 1979

1986
8   Luis Gutiérrez May 2, 1986

December 12, 1992
Democratic
9   Billy Ocasio 1994

2009
Democratic
10   Roberto Maldonado 2009

present
Democratic

27th Ward

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27th ward in
  1923[maps 1]
  2019[maps 2]
No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1   John J. Touhy April 16, 1923

December 1, 1926[dates 2]
Democratic[dates 2] Had been serving then-18th ward since 1917
Resigned to take office as a Sanitary District Trustee[dates 2]
2   Harry C. Van Norman 1927

October 11, 1929[dates 3]
Democratic Died in office[dates 3]
3     Jeremiah P. Leahy April 25, 1930[dates 4]

1933
Democratic[parties 4]
4   Harry L. Sain 1933

February 23, 1971
Democratic[parties 5]
5   Eugene Ray February 23, 1971

1983
Democratic[parties 5]
6   Wallace Davis Jr., Sheneather Y. Butler 1983 - 1987,

1987 - 1991
Democratic
7   Rickey R. Hendon 1991

January 13, 1993
Democratic Elected to the Illinois Senate for the 5th district
8   Dexter G. Watson 1993

May 1995
Democratic
9     Walter Burnett Jr. May 1995

present
Democratic

28th Ward

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29th Ward

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30th Ward

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  • John S. Clark Jr. (Democratic[parties 1])
  • Edward J. Upton
  • Edmund J. Hughes
  • Daniel J. Ronan
  • Edwin H. McMahon
  • Elmer R. Filippini
  • George A. Hagopian
  • George J. Hagopian
  • Carole Bialczak
  • Michael Wojcik
  • Ariel Reboyras

31st Ward

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No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1     Stanley Adamkiewicz April 16, 1923

1929
Democratic[parties 3] Had previously served then-17th ward from 1917 to 1921
2   Frank E. Konkowski 1929

1933
Republican[parties 1] Redistricted to the 26th ward
3   Thomas Patrick Keane 1933

July 13, 1945
Democratic[parties 1] Redistricted from the 34th ward
Died in office
4 Thomas E. Keane September 4, 1945

October 9, 1974
Convicted of mail fraud and conspiracy
5 Adeline Keane February 25, 1975

1979
6 Chester Kuta April 16, 1979

November 30, 1981
Resigned
7 Joseph A. Martinez December 11, 1981

1983
8 Miguel Santiago 1983

-

1987

9 Raymond Figueroa 1987

-

1991

10 Ray Suarez 1991

May 2015
11   Milly Santiago May 2015

May 20, 2019
12 Felix Cardona, Jr. May 20, 2019

Present

32nd Ward

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32nd ward in
  1923[maps 1]
  2019[maps 3]
No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1     Joseph H. Smith April 16, 1923

1933
Democratic[parties 3] Had been serving then-14th ward since 1914
2   Joseph P. Rostenkowski 1933

1955
Democratic[parties 1] Redistricted from 33rd ward
3 Bernard C. Prusinski 1955

1959
4 Robert J. Sulski 1959

November 28, 1968
Became a Circuit Court Judge
5   Terry Gabinski March 12, 1969

May 21, 1998
Democratic
6   Theodore Matlak May 21, 1998

May 20, 2007
Democratic
7     Scott Waguespack May 20, 2007

present
Democratic

33rd Ward

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34th Ward

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35th Ward

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36th Ward

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37th Ward

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  • Wiley W. Mills (Democratic[parties 3])
  • James H. Taylor
  • Wiley W. Mills
  • Roger J. Kiley (Democratic[parties 1])
  • Francis E. Callahan
  • William J. Lancaster
  • Paul T. Corcoran
  • Thomas J. Casey
  • Frank A. Damato
  • Percy Z. Giles
  • Emma Mitts

38th Ward

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No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1     Max Adamowski April 16, 1923

July 16, 1929[dates 5]
Democratic Had been serving then-22nd ward since 1916
Died in office[dates 5]
2   Frank H. Landmesser 1929

1933
Democratic
3   Henry J. Wieland 1933

1935
Democratic[parties 1]
4 Patrick J. Cullerton 1935

April 17, 1958
Elected Cook County Assessor
5 William J. Cullerton 1959

April 14, 1973
Died in office
6 Thomas W. Cullerton November 27, 1973

1993
Died in office
7 Thomas R. Allen 1993

2010
Became a judge of the Cook County Illinois Circuit Court
8 Timothy Cullerton 2011

2013
9   Nicholas Sposato 2013

present
Independent (since 2017)
Democratic (before 2017)
Redistricted from 36th ward

39th Ward

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40th Ward

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41st Ward

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North Side (Wards 42–50)

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42nd Ward

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42nd ward in
  1923[maps 1]
  2019[maps 4]

This ward, historically covering most of the Near North Side, has recently moved slightly south to also encompass the northern part of the Loop.

No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1     Dorsey Crowe April 16, 1923

July 1, 1962
Democratic[parties 1] Had been serving then-21st ward since 1919
Died in office
2   Mayer Goldberg February 26, 1963

November 29, 1968
Democratic Became a Circuit Court Judge
3   Raymond K. Fried March 11, 1969

January 26, 1970
Democratic Died in office
4     Burton Natarus 1971

2007
Democratic
5     Brendan Reilly 2007

Present
Democratic

43rd Ward

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No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1     Arthur F. Albert April 16, 1923

October 31, 1927
Republican Had been serving then-22nd ward since 1921
Albert lost the first round of the 1927 election to Haffa, but had been granted a runoff that he would win. However, the runoff was disputed and the Council unseated him in favor of Haffa, claiming that the judge who had granted the runoff had erred in counting spoiled ballots to determine the majority Haffa needed to avoid a runoff.
2   Titus Haffa 1927

1929
Republican Disputed with Albert until October 31, 1927, see above.
1     Arthur F. Albert 1929

1931
Republican
3   James B. Waller 1931

1933
Republican
4   Paddy Bauler 1933

April 9, 1943
Democratic[parties 1]
3   James B. Waller April 9, 1943

1947
Republican
4   Paddy Bauler 1947

1967
Democratic[parties 1]
5   George B. McCutcheon April 4, 1967

1971
Republican
6 William Singer 1971

1975
7   Martin J. Oberman 1975

1987
Democratic
8   Edwin Eisendrath 1987

1993
Democratic
9 Charles Bernardini 1993

1999
10 Vi Daley 1999

May 16, 2011
11   Michele Smith May 16, 2011

August 12, 2022
Democratic
12 Timmy Knudsen September 21, 2022

Present
Democratic

44th Ward

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45th Ward

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John Arena

46th ward

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47th Ward

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No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1   Harry W. Klinke April 16, 1923

1925
Republican[parties 3]
2   John J. Hoellen Sr. 1925

1933
Republican
3   Albert F. Schultz 1933

1939
Democratic[parties 1]
4 Frank O. Hilburn 1939

1947
5   John J. Hoellen Jr. 1947

1975
Republican
6     Eugene Schulter February 25, 1975

May 16, 2011
Democratic
7     Ameya Pawar May 16, 2011

May 20, 2019
Democratic
8 Matt Martin May 20, 2019

Present

48th Ward

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Harry Osterman

49th Ward

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No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1   Eli I. Frankhauser April 16, 1923

November 1929[dates 6]
Republican[dates 6] Had been serving then-25th ward since 1921
Elected Superior Court Judge[dates 6]
2   George A. Williston May 1930[dates 7]

1935
Republican[parties 1]
3 Frank Keenan 1935

December 1, 1950
Elected to Cook County Board of Tax Appeals
4 Thomas C. Keegan 1951

November 1, 1951
Died in office
5 Brian J. Ducey 1951

1955
Resigned
6 David J. Hartigan 1955

April 28, 1959
Died in office
7 Paul T. Wigoda November 3, 1959

October 10, 1974
Convicted of Income Tax evasion
8 Esther Saperstein February 25, 1975

April 16, 1979
9     David Orr 1979

1990
Democratic
10 Robert Clarke 1990

1991
11     Joe Moore 1991

May 20, 2019
Democratic
12   Maria Hadden May 20, 2019

present

50th Ward

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50th ward in
  1923[maps 1]
  2019[maps 5]
No. Alderperson Term in office Party Notes
1   William H. Pontow April 16, 1923

1927
Democratic[parties 3]
2     Aron K. Mose 1927

1929
Republican
3   Curtis F. Mellin 1929

1931
Republican
4   James R. Quinn 1931

June 21, 1945
Democratic[parties 1] Resigned
5 Jerome Huppert September 4, 1945

1947
6 Alban Weber 1947

1951
7 Robert S. Bremer 1951

1955
8   Jack I. Sperling 1955

February 1, 1973
Republican Became a Circuit Court Judge
9   Bernard Stone 1973

2011
Democratic (1973–1987; 1990–2011)
Republican (1987–1990)
10 Debra Silverstein 2011

present

Notes

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  1. ^ They were six in 1837 and 35 immediately prior to 1923.
  2. ^ The 3rd and 5th wards were entitled to one alderman each until 1839.

References

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  1. ^ "Ward Map – 11 February 1837". Chicagology. Retrieved November 4, 2018.

Dates

  1. ^ "Englewood Happenings". Suburbanite Economist. April 13, 1923. Retrieved September 16, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c d "Resign Council seats to take other offices". Chicago Tribune. December 2, 1926. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  3. ^ a b "City Hall will close in homage to Van Norman". Chicago Sunday Tribune. October 13, 1929. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  4. ^ "Jeremiah P. Leahy Takes Oath as Council Member". Chicago Tribune. April 26, 1930. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Ald. Adamowski will be buried next Saturday". Chicago Tribune. July 18, 1929. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c Evans, Arthur (November 6, 1929). "22 Candidates on Democratic slate swept in". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  7. ^ "Williston Wins Council Seat by 2,419 over Dever". Chicago Tribune. May 7, 1930. Retrieved April 4, 2019.

Partisan affiliations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay "The New City Council". Chicago Tribune. April 5, 1933. Retrieved April 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b Fremon p. 25
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Final Results on Aldermen". Chicago Tribune. Vol. 82, no. 81C. April 4, 1923. p. 4. Retrieved April 7, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Democracy's leaders urge the nomination of Judge Henry Horner". Chicago Tribune. April 10, 1932. Retrieved March 7, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b Fremon p. 180

Ward maps

  1. ^ a b c d "1930 Census Chicago, Illinois Ward Boundaries". A look at Cook. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  2. ^ "Ward 27" (PDF). CityOfChicago.org. City of Chicago. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  3. ^ "Ward 32" (PDF). CityOfChicago.org. City of Chicago. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  4. ^ "Ward 42" (PDF). CityOfChicago.org. City of Chicago. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  5. ^ "Ward 50" (PDF). CityOfChicago.org. City of Chicago. Retrieved April 4, 2019.

Bibliography

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  • Fremon, David K. (1988). Chicago Politics Ward by Ward. Bloomington, Indiana and Indianapolis, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-31344-9.