The Results are IN: James Cappleman Elected Alderman with Heavy Majority

Bluechristian was for Molly. Well too bad, Trott! Eat it and like it! With 100% of precincts reporting, the results say it:

MARY ANNE ''MOLLY'' PHELAN	4,422	44.56 %
JAMES CAPPLEMAN	5,502	55.44 %

James Cappleman is the new Alderman of the 46th Ward. Period.

VOTE for 46th Ward Alderman.... today?!

VOTE: Tuesday April 5!
Hey... is that TODAY?!?

Helen Shiller Announces Change of Heart, Is Running as Write-In Candidate!

Photo (c) 2011 Tom Wray

Helen Shiller, current Alderwoman of Chicago's 46th Ward, announced today that she is not retiring after all. "I made a mistake." Asked if it was a bit late to get into the race, she responded, "I can't disappoint my fans on Uptown Update, can I?"

She is asking people to write her name in. Curious, as well as eager to show off my knowledge of arcane political facts, I asked her how people could write her in on a run-off ballot. "You mean because write ins on a run-off ballot aren't allowed?" I nodded.

"I hadn't thought of that," she said, reflecting for a moment.

Trying to be helpful, I paused, then said: "Perhaps they could print it instead?"

April Fool's! ;-)

And Some Good History (along with an endorsement?)...

The Chicago Reader offers background to this year's 46th Ward Aldermanic run-off (plus a couple other Ward races in Chicago)... and gives Molly Phelan a thumbs-up:

"As for Phelan, whose specialty is real estate law, she says she inherited a strong belief in social justice from her mother, who was a social worker, and her father, who was a federal prosecutor. "A lot of people thought the Wilson Yard lawsuit was about affordable housing—but it wasn't," says Phelan. "We filed to correct a continuation of an injustice in the TIF law."

Amen to that.

If I lived in the ward, I'd probably go with Phelan."