The filing period for petitions to run for a Chicago alderman office ended Monday with three candidates now eligible for the soon-to-be-vacant 11th Ward.
Patrick Daley Thompson, John K. Kozlar and Maureen F. Sullivan all met the Nov. 24 deadline by turning in the required minimum of 473 signatures needed to be considered for the Feb. 24 ballot – that is up from the nearly 200 signatures candidates needed in the 2011 alderman races.
Thompson—nephew of former Mayor Richard M. Daley—and Kozlar—a 25-year-old law student at John Marshall Law School—submitted their petitions at 9 a.m. Nov. 17, the first day petitions could be turned into the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.
Sullivan filed hers at 5 p.m. on Nov. 24, the deadline to be considered for the ballot.
Current Ald. James Balcer announced in August he would not be seeking re-election, citing his post-traumatic stress disorder from his time as a Marine who fought in the Vietnam War.
Balcer has served as the 11th Ward alderman since 1997, when he was appointed by then-Mayor Daley to replace Patrick Huels, who resigned amid a private security firm scandal after he took a loan from a company that had been given city business.
Thompson is a real estate and corporate law attorney, as well as a commissioner at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, a position he was elected to in 2012.
While Thompson’s name recognition in the Bridgeport neighborhood—long-time home to the Daley family— may give him a leg up on the other candidates, Thompson said, in a recent DNAinfo.com interview, he hopes he is judged on his ideas and platforms.
Those issues include the arts, public safety, economic development, education, infrastructure and parks and recreations, according to Thompson’s website.
While Thompson could not be reached for comment about what his next steps will be in the race for alderman, he has been endorsed by Balcer to replace him.
Kozlar, a 25-year-old law student at John Marshall Law School, is attempting his second run at the 11th Ward seat. He ran against Balcer in 2011, getting 22 percent of the vote to Balcer’s 61 percent in a three-way race.
Kozlar is president of the Canaryville Little League. Part of his plan includes bringing a community stadium, possibly to be located at 41st Street and Normal Street, to the ward to help boost economic development. He also has proposed renovating the Ramona Theater, adding residential dog parks and building a bowling alley, according to his campaign website.
Kozlar will host his first campaign fundraiser Nov. 29 from 6-10 p.m. at St. Jerome Hall, 2801 S. Princeton Ave.
“Spreading the word and continue to advocate and get information about our campaign,” Kozlar said are his top priorities.
Sullivan is a long-time activist in the 11th Ward and a small-business owner of a pet services business, according to her campaign website.
Sullivan is also a published Chicago history author. A self-described “progressive candidate,” Sullivan said she promises to never be a “rubber stamp” in the Chicago City Council for legislation being pushed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel
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“Her next steps are to continue expanding her grassroots outreach to 11th Ward voters to address the issues they care about: services, blight, schools, economic development and crime,” Rob Warmowski, communications director for Sullivan’s campaign, wrote in an email.
Candidates have until Dec. 3 to file objections to petition signatures with the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. A successful challenge could result in a candidate being removed from the ballot.
A lottery will be held—also on Dec. 3—to determine the top spot for the name on the ballot.
Since both Thompson and Kozlar are listed as having turned in their petitions first, they will be included in the lottery drawing to determine whose name will appear at the top of the 11th Ward Alderman section. Sullivan will appear third because she filed at the deadline.
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