Yo wants to know: who gets your vote in the 2007 aldermanic elections and why?

Well, election day has finally arrived and we want to hear Yo thoughts on the aldermanic candidates in a number of key wards where development issues are shaping up as battlegrounds.

Will South Loopers stick with Ald. Madeline Haithcock (2nd) or opt for one of several candidates who say that shoddy construction work is a hot election issue in the neighborhood?

How about you folks over in the 19th ward – are you going to stick with Ald. Ginger Rugai, who touts the arrival of a Borders store as a crowning achivement? Or will you cast a ballot in favor of one of two challengers, both of whom accuse Rugai of shunning development in the Beverly, Mount Greenwood and Morgan Park neighborhoods.
Up in West Rogers Park and surrounding neighborhoods, will a challenger force Ald. Bernie Stone (50th) to finally remove that pinup of Farrah Fawcett from his office wall and depart after more than 30 years in the job? (Is it a good or bad thing that your alderman has been in office since Richard Nixon was president?)

Is anyone in the 7th Ward putting their money where their mouth is and placing a bet on whether incumbent Darcel Beavers can rack up more votes than her challengers, who include high-profile candidate Sandi Jackson?

In Uptown, will locals stick with Ald. Helen Shiller (46th), who was won praise for advocating for low-income residents and has been accused by detractors of scaring away developers? Or has rival James Cappleman amassed enough support to push Shiller out of the job?

Over in the 42nd ward, Ald. Burt Natarus is under fire from rival Brendan Reilly for taking donations from developers, although Natarus says he caps such donations. In a column today, architecture critic Lynn Becker takes aim at Natarus for supporting the demolition of the old Farwell Building on Michigan Avenue.

But we saved our favorite for last: ChiKat, over at our Woodlawn journal, is urging locals to get to the polls in the 20th ward, where scandal-plagued Ald. Arenda Troutman is fighting for her political life. ChiKat notes that Troutman recently appeared on Chicago Tonight, and links to The Beachwood Reporter’s account of the interview. Troutman was apparently asked her views on plans to build an Olympic stadium in Washington Park: “I’m for what the people are for,” Troutman reportedly said. “Well, do you think the people are for it?” the interviewer asked. Troutman: “I don’t know.”

In other news, Troutman recently poured water on the proposed Columbia Pointe development, a stance that seems to have won some support for her challenger, Willie B. Cochran.

(Visited 54 times, 1 visits today)