The Chicago City Council assumed its modern form on April 16, 1923, with fifty wards each electing one alderperson.
Since its incorporation as a city in 1837 Chicago had been divided into wards whose number varied but which were almost always entitled to two alderpersons. In the early 20th century it was decided that reducing the number of alderpersons to a ward to one would be a cost-saving measure, and an ordinance to that effect was passed in 1920, taking effect in 1923.
City council elections in Chicago have been formally nonpartisan since 1920. Nevertheless, many alderpersons have had, and continue to have, de facto partisan affiliations that are reflected in this list.
This list is organized by which side of the Chicago River the wards were on as of 1923. Numbering the wards such that those on the South Side received the first numbers, followed by in order the West and North sides was a tradition that had dated to the City's founding and division into wards in 1837. Incumbent alderpersons who started a new term in 1923 are reckoned as having started their term in 1923 regardless of whenever they actually started holding office, which is noted in the "Notes" column.
History Chicago was incorporated in 1837 and initially comprised six wards.
South Side (Wards 1–19) 1st Ward
Originally covering the Loop, Near South Side, and the northern part of Armour Square, this ward was significantly moved to its current location in 1993 to help stymie corruption.
AlderpersonTerm in officePartyNotes1 John Coughlin–November 11, 1938DemocraticFremon p. 25Had been serving since 1892 Died in office2 Michael Kenna–April 9, 1943DemocraticHad previously served from 1897 to 19233 John Budinger–1951DemocraticHad previously served (previous iteration of) the 4th ward from 1910 to 19124 John D'Arco Sr.–1963Democratic5 Michael Fiorito–May 6, 1963DemocraticResigned6 Donald Parrillo–1968Democratic7 Fred Roti–1991Democratic8 Ted Mazola–1995Democratic 9 Jesse Granato–May 19, 2003Democratic10 Manuel Flores–January 4, 2010DemocraticAppointed to be Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission11 Proco Joe Moreno–May 20, 2019Democratic12 Daniel La Spata–presentDemocratic
2nd Ward
Originally covering Douglas and its immediate surroundings, this ward has drastically moved northward to its current location across the Near North Side and West Town.
AlderpersonTerm in officePartyNotes1 Louis B. Anderson–1933RepublicanHad been serving since 19172 William L. Dawson–April 12, 1939Republican3 Earl B. Dickerson–April 9, 1943Democratic4William H. Harvey–December 20, 1968Became a County Commissioner5Fred D. Hubbard–March 16, 19726 William Barnett–1983Democratic7 Bobby Rush–1993Democratic8 Madeline Haithcock–May 21, 2007Democratic9 Robert Fioretti–May 2015Democratic10 Brian K. Hopkins–presentDemocratic
3rd Ward
AlderpersonTerm in officePartyNotes1 Robert R. Jackson–April 12, 1939RepublicanHad been serving then-2nd ward since 19182 Benjaim A. Grant–April 9, 19433 Oscar Stanton De Priest–1947RepublicanHad previously served then-2nd ward from 1915 to 19174 Archibald Carey Jr.–1955Republican5 Ralph Metcalfe–December 1970DemocraticBecame a Congressman6Tyrone T. Kenner–February 11, 19857 Dorothy Tillman–April 27, 2007Democratic8 Pat Dowell–PresentDemocratic
4th Ward
AlderpersonTerm in officePartyNotes1 Ulysses S. Schwartz–1925Had been serving then-3rd ward since 19162 Berthold A. Cronson–December 23, 1937RepublicanDied in office3 Abraham H. Cohen–19554Claude Holman–June 1, 1973Died in office5 Timothy C. Evans–19916 Toni Preckwinkle–2010Democratic7 Shirley Newsome–May 20118 William D. Burns–February 2016Democratic9 Sophia King–presentDemocratic
5th Ward
Charles S. Eaton (Republican) Leonard J. Grossman Charles S. Eaton (Republican) Irving J. Schreiber James J. Cusack Jr. (Democratic) Paul Howard Douglas Bertram B. Moss Robert E. Merriam Leon Despres Ross Lathrop Lawrence Bloom Barbara Holt Leslie Hairston
6th Ward
Guy Guernsey John F. Healy (Democratic) Patrick Sheridan Smith Francis J. Hogan David R. Muir Sydney A. Jones Jr. Robert H. Miller A. A. Rayner Jr. Eugene Sawyer John O. Steele Freddrenna Lyle Roderick Sawyer
William E. Hall
7th Ward
Ross A. Woodhull Clement A. Nance Barnet Hodes Thomas J. Daley (Democratic) Nicholas J. Bohling (Republican) Robert S. Wilinski Gerald E. Jones Robert S. Wilinski Joseph G. Bertrand William Beavers Darcel Beavers Sandi Jackson Natashia Holmes Gregory Mitchell
8th Ward
William D. Meyering (Democratic) David L. Sutton (Democratic) Michael F. Mulcahy Roy E. Olin Einar Johnson James A. Condon William Cousins Jr. Marian Humes Keith Caldwell Lorraine L. Dixon Todd Stroger Michelle A. Harris
9th Ward
Sheldon M. Govier Arthur G. Lindell (Republican) Reginald DuBois Dominic J. Lupo Alexander A. Adduci Robert Shaw Perry H. Hutchinson Robert Shaw Melvin Powell Sr. Anthony Beale
10th Ward
Ernest M. Cross (Republican) William A. Rowan (Democratic) William J. Pieczynski Emil V. Pacini John J. Buchanan Edward Vrdolyak Victor Vrdolyak John J. Buchanan John Pope Susan Sadlowski Garza Peter Chico (2023-present)
11th Ward
Timothy A. Hogan John P. Wilson Thomas A. Doyle (Democratic) Hugh B. Connelly John F. Wall Stanley J. Nowakowski Matthew J. Danaher Michael Anthony Bilandic Patrick M. Huels James Balcer Patrick Daley Thompson Nicole Lee
12th Ward
Ernest J. Kunstmann (Republican) Bryan Hartnett (Democratic) Benjamin J. Zintak Bryan Hartnett Edmund J. Kucharski Arthur V. Zelezinski Donald T. Swinarski George A. Kwak Aloysius Majerczyk Mark Fary Ray Frias George Cardenas Anabel Abarca Julia Ramirez
13th Ward
Joseph B. McDonough Thomas A. Doyle John E. Egan (Democratic) Michael P. Hogan John E. Egan David W. Healy Casamir J. Staszcuk John S. Madrzyk Frank Olivo Marty Quinn
14th Ward
AlderpersonTerm in officePartyNotes1 William R. O'Toole–1931DemocraticHad been serving then-30th ward since 19142Thomas J. O'Grady–19333 James J. McDermott–December 3, 1942DemocraticElected to Cook County Board of Appeals4Clarence P. Wagner–July 10, 1953Died in office5 Joseph P. Burke– May 11, 1968DemocraticDied in office6 Edward M. Burke–May 15, 2023Democratic7 Jeylú GutiérrezMay 15, 2023 - PresentDemocratic
15th Ward
Thomas F. Byrne James F. Kovarik (Democratic) Edward F. Vyzral Frank Micek Joseph J. Krska Francis X. Lawlor Kenneth B. Jaksy Frank J. Brady Marlene C. Carter Virgil E. Jones Theodore Thomas Toni Foulkes Raymond Lopez
16th Ward
Terence Moran (Democratic) John S. Boyle Paul M. Sheridan Sr. Paul M. Sheridan Jr. Anna Langford Eloise Barden Anna Langford Shirley Coleman JoAnn Thompson Toni Foulkes Stephanie Coleman (2019–present)
17th Ward John H. Lyle (Republican) Robert E. Barbee James G. Coyle Frank J. Corr (Democratic) William T. Murphy Arthur A. Slight Charles Chew William H. Shannon Tyrone McFolling Allan Streeter Terry Peterson Latasha Thomas David H. Moore
18th Ward
Patrick F. Ryan Walter W. Morris Harry E. Perry (Democratic) Bernard J. O'Hallaren Thomas J. Corcoran Frank J. McGrath James C. Murray Edward J. Hines Robert T. Kellam Thomas W. Murphy Lona Lane Derrick Curtis
19th Ward AlderpersonTerm in officePartyNotes1 Donald S. McKinlay–1928DemocraticResigned to become a judge2 O.E. Northrup–1935Republican3John J. Duffy–December 1, 1950Elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners4David T. McKiernan–May 25, 1957Died in office5Thomas F. Fitzpatrick–April 1, 19756 Jeremiah E. Joyce–February 1, 1979DemocraticElected to the Illinois General Assembly for the 28th district7 Michael F. Sheahan–1991Democratic8 Virginia Rugai–2011Democratic9 Matthew O'Shea–presentDemocratic
West Side (Wards 20–41) 20th Ward Henry L. Fick A.J. Prignano William V. Pacelli (Republican) Anthony Pistilli Kenneth E. Campbell Clifford P. Kelley Ernest Jones Arenda Troutman Willie Cochran Jeanette Taylor
21st Ward Dennis A. Horan John J. Lagodney (Democratic) Joseph F. Ropa Charles S. Bonk Samuel Yaksic Wilson Frost, Democratic Bennett Stewart, Democratic Niles Sherman Jesse J. Evans Leonard DeVille Howard Brookins Jr. Ronnie Mosley (2023-present)
22nd Ward Joseph Cepak Henry Sonnenschein (Democratic) Otto F. Janousek Frank D. Stemberk Jesús "Chuy" García Ricardo Muñoz Michael D. Rodriguez
23rd Ward Joseph O. Kostner John Toman (Democratic) Joseph Kacena Jr. George J. Tourek Frank J. Kuta Joseph Potempa Bill Lipinski William F. Krystyniak James Laski Michael R. Zalewski Silvana Tabares
24th Ward Jacob Arvey (Democratic) Fred Fischman Louis London Sidney D. Deutsch Benjamin F. Lewis George W. Collins David Rhodes Walter Shumpert William C. Henry Jesse L. Miller Jr. Michael Chandler Sharon Denise Dixon Michael Chandler Michael Scott Jr. Monique Scott (2022-present)
25th Ward AlderpersonTerm in officePartyNotes1 John Powers–1927DemocraticHad been serving then-19th ward since 1905 and previously from 1888 to 19042 James Bowler–June 7, 1934 February 26, 1935 – July 11, 1953DemocraticHad previously served then-19th ward between 1906 and 1923 Briefly vacated office to become a Public Vehicle License Commissioner Became a Congressman representing IL-73 Vito Marzullo–1985Democratic4Juan Soliz–19915Ambrosio Medrano1991–19966 Daniel Solis–2019Democratic7 Byron Sigcho-Lopez–presentDemocratic
26th Ward AlderpersonTerm in officePartyNotes1 Joseph A. Mendel–19272 Frank A. Sloan–19333 Frank E. Konkowski–1939RepublicanRedistricted from the 31st wardDied in office4Alexander J. Sobota–June 23, 1944Died in office5Mathew William Bieszczat–November 8, 1960Elected bailiff of Municipal Court of Chicago6 Stanley M. Zydlo–April 16, 19797Michael Nardulli–19868Luis Gutiérrez–December 12, 1992Democratic9Billy Ocasio–2009Democratic10Roberto Maldonado–2023Democratic11Jessie Fuentes–PresentDemocratic
27th Ward
AlderpersonTerm in officePartyNotes1 John J. Touhy–December 1, 1926DemocraticHad been serving then-18th ward since 1917Resigned to take office as a Sanitary District Trustee2 Harry C. Van Norman–October 11, 1929DemocraticDied in office3 Jeremiah P. Leahy–1933Democratic4 Harry L. Sain–February 23, 1971DemocraticFremon p. 1805 Eugene Ray–1983Democratic6 Wallace Davis Jr. - 1987Democratic7 Sheneather Y. Butler1987 - 1991Democratic8 Rickey R. Hendon–January 13, 1993DemocraticElected to the Illinois Senate for the 5th district9 Dexter G. Watson–May 1995Democratic10 Walter Burnett Jr.–August 2025Democratic11 Walter Redmond "Red" Burnett IIIhttps://blockclubchicago.org/2025/09/05/walter-redmond-burnett-picked-by-mayor-to-replace-his-father-as-27th-ward-alderman/–presentDemocratic
28th Ward George M. Maypole George D. Kells (Democratic) Patrick P. Petrone Anthony G. Girolami Alphonse Tomaso Angelo C. Provenzano Joseph Jambrone Jimmy L. Washington William Carothers Ed Smith Jason Ervin
29th Ward Albert J. Horan Thomas J. Terrell (Democratic) Joseph S. Gillespie George R. Pigott Thomas F. Burke Robert Biggs Leroy Cross Danny K. Davis Sam Burrell Isaac Carothers Deborah L. Graham Chris Taliaferro
30th Ward John S. Clark Jr. (Democratic) Edward J. Upton Edmund J. Hughes Daniel J. Ronan Edwin H. McMahon Elmer R. Filippini George A. Hagopian George J. Hagopian Carole Bialczak Michael Wojcik Ariel Reboyras
31st Ward AlderpersonTerm in officePartyNotes1 Stanley Adamkiewicz–1929DemocraticHad previously served then-17th ward from 1917 to 19212 Frank E. Konkowski–1933RepublicanRedistricted to the 26th ward3 Thomas Patrick Keane–July 13, 1945DemocraticRedistricted from the 34th ward Died in office4 Thomas E. Keane–October 9, 1974Convicted of mail fraud and conspiracy5Adeline Keane–19796Chester Kuta–November 30, 1981Resigned7Joseph A. Martinez–19838Miguel Santiago1983 -
19879Raymond Figueroa1987 -
199110Ray Suarez–May 201511Milly Santiago–May 20, 201912Felix Cardona Jr.–Present
32nd Ward