PILSEN — Byron Sigcho Lopez and Alex Acevedo — the two candidates who made the runoff and are vying to replace disgraced Ald. Danny Solis in the 25th Ward — are set to face off in a forum at Benito Juarez High School Wednesday night.
Doors open at 6 p.m. Wednesday and the forum is set to begin at 7 p.m. It’s free and attendees are asked to use Door #15 to enter the school, 2150 S. Laflin St.
Forum sponsors include Pilsen Neighbors Community Council, Eighteen Street Development Corporation and Frida Community Organization.
In the Feb. 26 election, Sigcho Lopez won 29 percent of the vote, while Acevedo received 22 percent of the vote in the five way-race, according to the Chicago Board of Elections.
Hilario Dominguez won about 21 percent of the vote, Aida Flores received about 19 percent and Troy Hernandez received about 8.5 percent.
Because neither Sigcho Lopez or Acevedo — the top two vote getters — received more than 50 percent of the vote, the race now heads to an April 2 runoff.
Sigcho Lopez, Acevedo Head To Runoff In 25th Ward Race To Replace Danny Solis
Sigcho Lopez, the former executive director of Pilsen Alliance and a UIC educator, looks to tackle the displacement of working class families in the ward, improve public education and economic justice in the ward. If elected, he aims to install a community driven zoning process and increase the ward’s affordable housing requirement to 30 percent.
Sigcho Lopez is a second-time aldermanic candidate — he previously ran against Solis in 2015.
Acevedo, a former pediatric nurse who also worked as a community relations manager at Oak Street Health, looks to bring responsive city services to the 25th Ward, tackle environmental concerns and improve neighborhood schools by “tackling inequalities” and addressing achievement gaps.
In 2014, Acevedo previously ran for his father State Rep. Eddie Acevedo’s 2nd Illinois House District seat, but lost the close primary race to Theresa Mah.
Solis, then-chair of City Council’s powerful Committee on Zoning, announced he wouldn’t run for re-election in November after 23 years in office.
In January, a bombshell Sun-Times report revealed Solis wore a wire, secretly recording Ald. Ed Burke (14th) for the feds. He’s been missing from City Hall since.
Before cooperating with investigators, Solis was the target of a federal investigation for receiving sex acts at massage parlors, the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra and campaign contributions in exchange for ushering deals through City Council, the Sun-Times revealed.
Solis was appointed to the 25th Ward seat in 1996 and formerly chaired City Council’s Hispanic Caucus.
In 2015, Solis narrowly avoided a runoff, capturing 51 percent of the vote. His closest challenger, Sigcho Lopez, garnered 18.6 percent of the vote.
The 25th Ward includes all or parts of Pilsen, Chinatown, the West Loop, University Village, Little Italy, Heart of Chicago and the South Loop.
Related 25th Ward coverage
State Officials Investigating Alleged Vote Buying In 25th Ward Race
State Rep Alleges Chinatown Votes Are Being Stolen To Help Candidate Trying To Replace Danny Solis
Would 25th Ward Candidates Support A New Near West Side High School? Aldermanic Hopefuls Weigh In
After Veteran Solis Bows Out, 25th Ward’s Next Alderman Will Be A Millennial
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