NW Side aldermen Sposato (38th), Gardiner (45th) face crowded fields as they seek to retain their aldermanic seats; runoff election will occur if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of vote on Feb. 28

by BRIAN NADIG

Aldermen James Gardiner (45th) and Nicholas Sposato (38th) will each face five challengers in their efforts to retain their aldermanic seats if none of them get kicked off the ballot following possible petition challenges.

That many challengers could make it difficult for any of the candidates to avoid an April 4 runoff by hitting the 50 percent plus one vote plateau in the Feb. 28 municipal election.

“A lot of (voters) are happy several people are running,” 45th Ward candidate Marija Tomic said when asked about the prospect of Gardiner facing a potential runoff against his top challenger. Traditionally incumbents struggle in runoff elections.

In 2019 Gardiner pulled off one of the bigger upsets when he received just over 50 percent of the vote in the February election, defeating two-term incumbent John Arena, who won in runoff elections in 2011 and 2015.

Sposato said that in 2015 he had six challengers and won without a runoff and hopes that he can do the same in 2023 against five opponents. “My record speaks for itself,” Sposato said, adding that he feels he has widespread support in the ward. “I work 60, 70 hours a week.”

Sposato’s challengers are former Water Reclamation District commissioner Cynthia Santos, 38th Ward Democratic Organization vice president Ed Bannon, Franco Reyes, Bruce Randazzo and Greg Schorsch.

Some of the candidates already have been promoting their pro-choice stance, in contrast Sposato’s stance on the issue. “It has nothing to do with my job,” Sposato said, arguing that it is a state and national issue.

In the 45th Ward, Tomic, Ana Santoyo and James Suh, filed their nominating petitions on Monday, November. 28, the filing deadline. The others, Susanna Ernst, Megan Mathias and Gardiner, filed on the Nov. 21, when the filing period opened.

Tomic said that her campaign collected close to 1,200 signatures and that public safety and transparency are the top issues being disused by voters while she is knocking on doors.

Suh, who is a plaintiff in two lawsuits against Gardiner, said that his campaign collected close to 1,400 signatures in just under three weeks, as he was the last to announce his candidacy, and that public safety and economic development are the top issues on voters’ minds, “especially all the empty storefronts on Milwaukee Avenue.”

In one of the lawsuits, Suh claims that Gardiner told a staff member to dig up Suh’s old arrest record so it can possibly be leaked. Suh had organized a protest against Gardiner’s opposition at the time to a zoning development at Six Corners.

Santoyo posted on Twitter that her campaign collected 2,154 signatures and that she promises to bring socialist solutions to the 45th Ward.

“I’ve hit almost 1,000 homes personally,” said Ernst, whose campaign collected about 1,750 signatures. “People want to know what is going on (in their community) and at City Council.”

“They want their voices heard” and expect transparency, said Mathias, whose campaign collected about 1,700 signatures. “I think people want someone who is around and responsive.”

Gardiner reported that he had about 3,200 signatures.

“My desire to serve as alderman has grown stronger over the past four years due to our community’s unprecedented success. With over $475 million in new developments, $14 million towards infrastructure projects, and residents renewed confidence, the 45th Ward has emerged from the pandemic better than ever,” Gardiner said.

Candidates are required to have at least 473 valid signatures, as those signing must live in the ward and be a registered voter. In aldermanic races, voters can only sign one petition, and this restriction can become an issue in petition challenges, which can be filed through Monday, Dec. 5.

In the 39th Ward, incumbent Samantha Nugent and North Mayfair resident Denali Dasgupta have filed, and in the 41st Ward incumbent Anthony Napolitano and Edison Park Community Council vice president Paul Struebing have filed.