After months of rumors, the candidates for Evanston city council are set.
The final day of the election filing period Monday drew three more candidates, who will join the 18 who already have entered the race since filing began Jan. 18. The Third Ward will be the only uncontested race in the April 5 election. This year’s number approaches the total of 23 candidates who filed for alderman in the last city election in 2001.
Community activist Betty Ester was the last candidate to file, turning in her petition at the Evanston City Clerk’s Office minutes before the 5 p.m. deadline. Ester will run in the Fifth Ward — the most contested one with five candidates.
The other candidates are Delores Holmes, Furman Sizemore, Charles Sheridan and Patricia Brown. The Fifth Ward has generated considerable interest since residents began picking up packets in October, and it is one of three open seats on the council. Current Alds. Joseph Kent (5th), Arthur Newman (1st) and Gene Feldman (9th) have announced they will not run again.
All Fifth Ward candidates said they wanted to improve relations with Northwestern. The western part of the city, which is in the Fifth Ward, includes some off-campus students.
Junad Rizki filed his petition Monday for Seventh Ward alderman, entering the race against incumbent Ald. Elizabeth Tisdahl. The ward includes the dormitories east of Sheridan Road, Jones Residential College, 1835 Hinman and northeast Evanston.
But Tisdahl said she doesn’t mind the competition.
“We have different positions so it’s good for the ward to have two clear choices,” Tisdahl said.
A major part of Rizki’s platform involves fighting for elm tree injections to save the city’s trees.
No residents filed for the First Ward after Judy Fiske and Cheryl Wollin filed last week. The ward includes much of downtown and the part of campus west of Sheridan Road, except for Jones and 1835 Hinman.
Several candidates were working until the last minute to collect petition signatures.
“It doesn’t get any more grassroots than this,” said Second Ward candidate Christopher Stewart, who is running against incumbent Ald. Lionel Jean-Baptiste. “It’s been a great process meeting people.”
Sixth Ward candidate Virginia Mann went door to door in the snowstorm Friday, visiting several families to obtain signatures.
Mann, another elm tree preservationist, filed her petition Monday. She said she wants to resolve disputes between NU and the city and focus on community development. Mann is one of three candidates running against incumbent Ald. Edmund Moran.
“The fact that there are so many people running speaks directly to the fact that the people in the Sixth Ward aren’t satisfied,” Mann said.
Moran, who has served as alderman for 14 years, said the large turnout in the Sixth Ward symbolizes democracy in action.
“It’s good because it promotes discussion and interesting debates,” he said.
Despite the criticism from his opponents, Moran said he will focus on avoiding major tax increases and improving city infrastructure.
Fourth Ward candidate Ryan Garton also filed Tuesday. He said he wants to create a long- range strategic plan for development, roads and relations with NU.
“With Newman leaving and a new city manager, it’s a chance for Evanston to have some change,” Garton said.
Reach Stephanie Chen at [email protected].
