Chicago Board of Education candidates file to run in historic election

CHICAGO - More than 50 candidates filed their paperwork to run for seats on the Chicago Board of Education in November’s general election, after which the city will have a fully-elected school board for the first time.

The full board will be made up of 21 total members. The district is divided up into 20 "subdistricts," each represented by one member, and the president of the Board of Education is elected district-wide.

What does the board do?

The Chicago Board of Education is tasked with establishing goals and direction for Chicago Public Schools, approving its budget, hiring and evaluating the district's CEO, approving purchases, contracts, improvement plans, and disciplinary actions for teachers, administrators, and staff.

The key decisions deal with a nearly $9 billion budget to fund operations at 634 schools serving more than 325,000 students in the city, nearly three-quarters of whom come from low-income households, according to state data.

A historic election

This election will mark a significant transition after years of board members being appointed by the mayor. State lawmakers passed bills in 2021 and 2024 to lay the groundwork for a fully elected board by next year. 

The new law also expanded the board from seven members to 21. Board members are not paid, per CPS documents.

A spokesperson for the Chicago Teachers Union said they were a driving force to convince lawmakers to establish an elected school board to "expand democracy and parent and community voice in the school district."

The election is already garnering controversy as CTU President Stacy Davis Gates, who also heads the Illinois Federation of Teachers, called out Michael Sacks, a wealthy businessman, in a letter for his attempt to fund candidates and "tip the scales" in races. 

"Voters should listen for candidates who will fight for them vs candidates who try to lower expectations for what the children of this city deserve," a CTU spokesperson said in a statement. "We deserve public school champions who will provide quality public schools in every neighborhood, not candidates who try to convince us why that's not possible."

The CTU has not yet made endorsements in the races.

Sacks responded to the CTU, calling the claims in it "farcical" and called out the union's attempts to increase its members' dues, which failed. He criticized the union's support for Hilario Dominguez for president, calling him "entirely unqualified" to lead the district. 

Sacks said he intends "to continue supporting Democratic and progressive candidates and causes and engaging along with the large percentage of Chicagoans and CPS families who want a truly independent student-centered school board."

The candidates' paperwork to run can still be challenged through June 2. A successful challenge would knock a candidate's name off the ballot.

Election Day is Nov. 3.

The new terms begin on Jan. 15, 2027.

Who is running?

Here is a rundown of the names of candidates who filed their paperwork to run in this year’s election by district, as they are listed on the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners website.

You can look up your district and current member representing you at this link.

President:

• Victor P. Henderson
• Sendhi Revuluri
• Jessica Biggs
• Jennifer Custer
• Hilario Dominguez

Subdistrict 1A:

• Margie B. Luczak
• Ed Bannon

Subdistrict 1B:

• Claudia Peralta
• Michelle N. Pierre

Subdistrict 2A:

• Ebony DeBerry
• Bruce Leon
• Hector Morales

Subdistrict 2B:

• Deborah "Debby" Pope
• Kyna Lenhof
• Daniel Basco

Subdistrict 3A:

• Norma Rios Sierra
• Peter Gonzales

Subdistrict 3B:

• Carlos A. Rivas Jr.
• Jason Dones

Subdistrict 4A:

• Karen Zaccor
• Ellen Sherratt
• Angel Alvarez

Subdistrict 4B:

• Ellen Rosenfeld

Subdistrict 5A:

• Aaron "Jitu" Brown
• LaPamela Williams

Subdistrict 5B:

• Michilla "Kyla" Blaise
• Anthony Hargrove

Subdistrict 6A:

• Anusha Thotakura
• Brenda Lee Anderson
• Isaiah White

Subdistrict 6B:

• Michael L. Neal
• Brittany B. Kimble

Subdistrict 7A:

• Emma Lozano
• Jesus Ayala Jr.

Subdistrict 7B:

• Yesenia Lopez
• Erika E. Diaz-Chavez

Subdistrict 8A:

• Angel Gutierrez

Subdistrict 8B:

• Juan Ignacio Gonzalez
• Cydney Wallace

Subdistrict 9A:

• Angel Luis Velez Rodriguez
• Brittany R. Bailey Preston

Subdistrict 9B:

• Therese Boyle
• Katherine S. Dunneback

Subdistrict 10A:

• Che "Rhymefest" Smith
• Tameka Walton
• Krista Nichols Alston

Subdistrict 10B:

• Connie Anderson
• Patrick C. Watson
• Rosita Chatonda

Candidates who filed without a specified district:

• Marlo Barnett
• Kernetha Jones