Politics

Want to Represent the 27th Ward on the Chicago City Council? Here’s How to Apply

A three-member committee of 27th Ward residents will advise Mayor Brandon Johnson on who should replace former Ald. Walter Burnett on the Chicago City Council.

Burnett, who represented parts of the West Side and the West Loop for 30 years on the Chicago City Council, retired July 31. Burnett is a candidate to lead the Chicago Housing Authority.

“The 27th Ward deserves to be represented by a leader who has deep ties to the community and reflects the values of the residents in the 27th Ward,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement. “I trust that these community leaders will find a suitable candidate to represent the hardworking people of the 27th Ward.”

Burnett told WTTW News that he hopes his 29-year-old son, Walter “Red” Burnett, will replace him on the City Council.

That would give the younger Burnett a leg up in the next election — and ensure the continuation of a political dynasty that includes Burnett’s older son, state Rep. Jawaharial “Omar” Williams (D-Chicago).

Whoever Johnson picks and is confirmed by the Chicago City Council will potentially get a leg up if they choose to run for a full term in February 2027.

Whoever leads the 27th Ward after Burnett will oversee the construction and planned opening of the city’s new casino, sandwiched between the Cabrini-Green complex and the gentrifying West Loop in River West.

On the other side of the ward, the next 27th Ward alderperson will be in charge of shepherding a $7 billion plan that promises to transform the 55 acres of parking lots and vacant land surrounding the United Center into 9,500 new homes, 1,309 hotel rooms, a music hall and public space.

The search committee will be led by Rules Committee Chair Ald. Michelle Harris (8th Ward) and include John Bosca, of the Neighbors of River West, Keith D. Muhammad, of the Greater West Town Project, and Armando Chacon, of the West Central Association.

Applicants to serve as 27th Ward alderperson must have lived in the ward for at least a year and “be a valued, public servant who has demonstrated their commitment to their community” and “must be able to passionately advocate on behalf of 27th Ward residents, according to the mayor’s office.

When Johnson solicited applications from those interested in replacing former Ald. Carlos Ramirez Rosa (35th Ward), his office required aspiring alderpeople to have five years of experience in “government or public service, with a strong understanding of city departments, municipal operations and the City Council process.”

Red Burnett told Block Club Chicago that he moved back to Chicago in 2022 after living in New York for a decade.

The mayor’s office offered no explanation for the different evaluation criteria.

“Mayor Johnson is committed to a fair, transparent process that centers the voice of the 27th Ward community,” Johnson’s office said in a statement.

Applicants have until Aug. 15 to apply.

The selection committee will make a recommendation to Johnson, whose pick must be confirmed by the City Council before Sept. 30.

More information is available online.

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

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