Oak Park State Rep. Deborah Graham (78th) is among more than a dozen hopefuls looking to join Chicago’s City Council representing one of its neighborhoods as an alderman.
Graham, who was elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 2002, said on Monday that she is interested in becoming alderman of Chicago’s 29th Ward, which encompasses the Austin community. Austin, which neighbors Oak Park just to the east, is the city’s most populated neighborhood with more than 100,000 residents. She’s submitted a letter to the Democratic Ward Committee to be considered for the appointment, which will be made by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. Former 29th Ward Alderman Isaac Carothers pled guilty to corruption charges on Feb. 1 and resigned his post. Since his departure, more than a dozen hopefuls from the West Side of Chicago have expressed interest in receiving the appointment.
Graham said she believes she’d make a great alderman but stressed that the appointment is out of her control. If appointed to the city council, Graham said she would resign from the state legislature.
In a somewhat unusual move for Chicago, along with receiving recommendations to Mayor Daley, the city is also accepting applications for both the 29th Ward alderman and for the city’s 1st ward, which is also currently vacant. The deadline for the applications was Feb. 19.
