The Chicago City Council unanimously confirmed on Monday Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s pick to fill the vacant 11th Ward seat.

A Chinatown native whose family has deep roots in the Daley political machine, Nicole Lee is the first Chinese American, the second Asian American and the first Asian American woman to serve as an alderperson. Former Ald. Ameya Pawar was the first Asian American to be elected to the Chicago City Council, representing the North Side’s 47th Ward for two terms from 2011 to 2019.

Lee said she would focus on reducing the backlog of work left by the 42-day vacancy and increasing public safety.

Accompanied by her two sons, Lee was immediately sworn into office.

Ald. Emma Mitts (34th Ward) asked Lee whether she would represent all residents of the 11th Ward, or just Asian American residents. The 11th Ward was heart of the Irish political empire that elected former Mayors Richard J. Daley and Richard M. Daley and ruled the city for decades.

Lee said she would represent all residents of the ward, “whether they eat rice at night or not.”

Several alderpeople used their remarks during Lee’s confirmation hearing to offer her tongue-in-cheek condolences, lamenting how hard they work as members of the Chicago City Council.

“Enjoy your day. This will be the last day that you're going to be happy on this floor,” said Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26th Ward).

After being appointed in 2009 by Richard M. Daley, Maldonado was elected to full terms in 2011, 2015 and 2019.

Lee replaces former Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson, who was convicted Feb. 14 on seven counts of lying to federal bank regulators and filing false tax returns, removing him from the Chicago City Council.

After being tapped by Lightfoot, Lee said Thursday she was inspired to enter public service by her father, Gene Lee. Gene Lee served as a deputy chief of staff for Mayor Richard M. Daley. In 2014, Gene Lee was convicted of stealing more than $90,000 from a charity that worked to help children and teens in Chinatown. The charges he faced did not involve his duties as one of Daley’s top aides.

Nicole Lee was not questioned by alderpeople about her father.

After the brief City Council meeting, Lee said she learned the “importance of taking responsibility for one’s actions.”

Lee has declined to say whether she plans to run for a full term in February 2023. If Lee does run, she will have a leg up on the competition to represent what is likely to be a very different 11th Ward once a new ward map is adopted.

All of the alderpeople appointed to the City Council by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel won a full term.

Before joining the City Council, Lee worked as the director of social impact and community engagement at Chicago-based United Airlines. A graduate of Whitney Young High School and the University of Chicago, Lee has served on the Chinese Mutual Aid Association, Haines Elementary School Local School Council and is a member of Chicago chapter of the Organization of Chinese Americans.

Lee will earn $120,000 annually as an alderperson, and can hold outside employment. Lee acknowledged Thursday that she would have to take a pay cut to serve on the Chicago City Council.

It is likely that the 11th Ward will be significantly different in less than a year. Both proposed ward maps backed by the Black Caucus and the Latino Caucus would redraw the 11th Ward to include a majority of Asian voters, which would be the first of its kind in Chicago, and comes as Chicago’s Asian population surged by 31%, according to the 2020 census.

During the meeting of the City Council’s Rules Committee to consider her selection, Lee declined to endorse either of the proposed ward maps backed by the Black Caucus and the Latino Caucus. Both proposals would redraw the 11th Ward to include a majority of Asian voters, which would be the first of its kind in Chicago, and comes as Chicago’s Asian population surged by 31%, according to the 2020 census.

Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]