Community Members Vying for 17th Aldermanic Ward Vacancy

Lee Edwards | As of Thursday, December 4, 2014

Community activist, Glenda Franklin, and David Moore, assistant to Cook County Board of Review, Commissioner, Larry Rogers Jr., announced their candidacy to fill the vacancy left by Ald. Latasha Thomas (17th Ward) who will not seek re-election after serving four terms and nearly 15 years following her July 2000 appointment by former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.

A native of Englewood, Franklin, former staff assistant to Ald. Thomas for the last seven years and founder and executive director of W.A.T.C.H. (What About The Children Here), a nonprofit dedicated to transforming youth into productive citizens throughout the Englewood & Auburn Gresham communities, has 3,000 petition signatures in support of her candidacy in the 2015 Chicago Mayoral Election.

“This ward is more than just lines on a map to me; this is my home. I am excited to start sharing my ideas to give families more economic opportunities, the best schools for our children and safe streets that residents can be proud to call home,” Franklin said.

Franklin told the Chicago Citizen Newspaper that she and Ald. Thomas have had a “tremendous personal and professional relationship over the years” and that she has always shared her desire to serve the community with Thomas who has lent her support to Franklin.

Moore, an Auburn-Gresham native who made a 2011 run for the 17th Ward seat, has collected more than 4,700 petition signatures. Moore told the Chicago Citizen Newspaper that his relationship with the ward is why he has continued to run for alderman as he’s lived in the ward since he was 11-years-old.

“I want to make sure young people in the 17th Ward have an equal opportunity to attend quality public schools,” said Moore. “I also want to make sure residents have the police resources to adequately address crime along with the appropriate government and private resources to create and support a self-sufficient economy, based on locally-owned businesses.”

Moore added that comments he has received from the community, places high emphasis on accessibility to and transparency from the alderman, continued economic development and job creation within the community, and the ability to send youth to neighborhood schools.

A third candidate vying for the 17th ward is Bishop James E. Dukes of Liberation Christian Center (LCC), 7400 S. Michigan, who announced his candidacy on Nov. 20. Dukes founded LCC in 2003 which according to his website, has over 750 members in attendance.

Dukes made news headlines during the 2014 Midterm Election when he, along with several other African American faith-based leaders from the Chicagoland area, lent their political support to GOP Senate candidate, Jim Oberweis.

Nov. 17 was the first day aldermanic candidates could file their petitions, according to the Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago (BECCC).

In order to appear on the 2015 election ballot, a prospective candidate must have submitted to the BECCC, a minimum 473 signatures by the Nov. 24 deadline.

In contrast, mayoral candidates must submit a minimum of 12,500 signatures.

To qualify as an aldermanic candidate for the City of Chicago, a person must be a registered Chicago voter who has resided in the ward he or she is seeking to represent for at least a year, cannot be in debt to the City of Chicago, and have no conviction of an infamous crime, bribery, perjury, or any other felony, and cannot hold any other civic office whether it be federal, state, or city.

Chicago aldermen serve four-year terms beginning on the third Monday in May following an election.

The 17th Ward boundaries extends east to west from the Dan Ryan Expressway to Central Park Ave., and north to south from 63rd to 83rd Streets as outlined by the City of Chicago.

The City of Chicago 2015 Mayoral Election takes place Feb. 24, 2015.

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