Chicago City Council
The six-member Chicago Common Council, formed in 1837, ultimately grew and changed its name to the City Council in 1876. Each ward elected two members to the City Council until 1923, when the body took on its current structure of 50 members each representing different slices of the city. Ward boundaries are redrawn every 10 years, after each decennial Census. Illinois state law changed in 2021 to refer to municipal council members as "alderpeople," but Chicago city code and most council members continue to refer to themselves as "aldermen."
The most senior members of the City Council are Ald. Ed Burke (14), who joined in 1969, Ald. Carrie Austin (34) who became alderman in 1994 and Ald. Walter Burnett (27) who joined in 1995. Today's City Council includes 12 freshmen who were elected in 2019.
All 50 members of the council are up for reelection in February 2023.
Download our guide to the Chicago City Council.
Council Members:
- Ward 1: Daniel La Spata
- Ward 2: Brian Hopkins
- Ward 3: Pat Dowell
- Ward 4: Sophia King
- Ward 5: Leslie Hairston
- Ward 6: Roderick Sawyer
- Ward 7: Gregory Mitchell
- Ward 8: Michelle Harris
- Ward 9: Anthony Beale
- Ward 10: Susan Sadlowski Garza
- Ward 11: Nicole Lee
- Ward 12: George A. Cardenas
- Ward 13: Marty Quinn
- Ward 14: Ed Burke
- Ward 15: Raymond Lopez
- Ward 16: Stephanie D. Coleman
- Ward 17: David Moore
- Ward 18: Derrick Curtis
- Ward 19: Matthew O’Shea
- Ward 20: Jeanette B. Taylor
- Ward 21: Howard Brookins Jr.
- Ward 22: Michael D. Rodriguez
- Ward 23: Silvana Tabares
- Ward 24: Monique Scott
- Ward 25: Byron Sigcho Lopez
- Ward 26: Roberto Maldonado
- Ward 27: Walter Burnett, Jr.
- Ward 28: Jason Ervin
- Ward 29: Chris Taliaferro
- Ward 30: Ariel E. Reboyras
- Ward 31: Felix Cardona, Jr.
- Ward 32: Scott Waguespack
- Ward 33: Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez
- Ward 34: Carrie Austin
- Ward 35: Carlos Ramirez-Rosa
- Ward 36: Gilbert Villegas
- Ward 37: Emma Mitts
- Ward 38: Nicholas Sposato
- Ward 39: Samantha Nugent
- Ward 40: Andre Vasquez, Jr.
- Ward 41: Anthony Napolitano
- Ward 42: Brendan Reilly
- Ward 43: Timmy Knudsen
- Ward 44: Thomas M. Tunney
- Ward 45: James M. Gardiner
- Ward 46: James Cappleman
- Ward 47: Matthew J. Martin
- Ward 48: Harry Osterman
- Ward 49: Maria E. Hadden
- Ward 50: Debra Silverstein
City Council Caucuses:
- Aldermanic Black Caucus — 20 members
- Progressive Reform Caucus — 18 members
- Women's Caucus — 15 members
- Latino Caucus — 13 members
- Democratic Socialist Caucus — 5 members
- LGBT Caucus — 5 members
Committees of the City Council:
- Committee on Aviation
- Committee on Budget and Government Operations
- Committee on Committees and Rules
- Committee on Contracting Oversight and Equity
- Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development
- Committee on Education and Child Development
- Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy
- Committee on Ethics & Government Oversight
- Committee on Finance
- Committee on Housing and Real Estate
- Committee on Health and Human Relations
- Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights
- Committee on License and Consumer Protection
- Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety
- Committee on Public Safety
- Committee on Transportation and Public Way
- Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation
- Committee on Workforce Development
- Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards
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