NBC Chicago and Ward Room bring you profiles on the 18 wards heading into a runoff election April 7. In this profile, learn all about the 24th Ward.
24th Ward – Michael Scott, Jr. vs. Vetress Boyce
Issues at Stake in Runoff: Tracie Worthy, director of the new communities program at the Lawndale Christian Development Corporation, says that jobs, education, public safety and access to city services are issues the community are most concerned with. Worthy says that North Lawndale has difficulty accessing city services such as street cleaning and sanitation, citing how it took a while for snow removal to occur during the blizzard in early February. Worthy thinks that voter turnout will increase not only due to warmer weather, but also because there is a focus on only two candidates for the mayoral and aldermanic races.
Local
Michael Scott, Jr. (campaign website)
Education: Morehouse College (bachelors in political science)
Occupation: Area manager, Chicago Park District
Endorsements: Planned Parenthood Illinois Action, Chicago Defender
Key Issues: Quality affordable housing, economic development, education and quality of life
Vetress Boyce (campaign website)
Education: Chicago State University, First Business College, Coldwell Bankers School of Real Estate, John Marshall High School
Occupation: President/CEO of The Boyce Group, LLC
Endorsements: Cook County Democratic Women
Key Issues: Jobs, promote entrepreneurship for minority businesses
General information:
Voter Turnout on Feb. 24: 27 percent
How did they vote in the mayor’s race?
- Rahm Emanuel: 36 percent
- Willie Wilson: 30 percent
- Jesus “Chuy” Garcia: 23 percent
Demographics
- Total population: 54,909
- White: 3.98 percent
- Black: 85.72 percent
- Hispanic: 9.55 percent
- Asian: 0.23 percent (Source: WBEZ)
Neighborhoods: North Lawndale, Douglas Park and Little Village
Adjectives that Describe the Ward: Violent, poor, struggling
How Ward Typically Votes: Michael Chandler was alderman of the 24th Ward from 1995 until he lost to Sharon Denise Dixon in 2007. Chandler won the election against in 2011. Dixon won 52 percent of the vote in 2007, defeating Chandler in a runoff. In 2011, Chandler won 60 percent of the vote, defeating Dixon in a runoff.
