Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27) grew up in the Cabrini-Green public housing complex and in his late teens served two years in prison for bank robbery, though he was pardoned in 1998 by then-Gov. Jim Edgar. Burnett pursued an education in political science from prison, earning an associate’s degree and a certificate in drafting. His father having worked in party politics under 42nd Ward Committeeman and Cook County Democratic Chairman George Dunne, Burnett got his start with the county’s Young Democrats in 1989. Burnett, who has served as alderman since 1995, previously worked in the office of then-Recorder of Deeds Jesse White and later ran White’s successful campaign for Secretary of State in 1998. While on the council, Burnett guided the creation of the 2007 Affordable Requirements Ordinance and was a main driver for revisions to the ordinance in 2015, 2017 and 2021.

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