Aldermanic Election: Chris Lawrence (48th) files suit for right to run

A former alderman candidate filed federal and county suits against the Illinois Attorney General and the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners this week saying that he should be allowed to run in the 48th Ward elections despite failing to properly file his Statement of Economic Interest receipt.

Chris Lawrence has asked for a special election so he can campaign against incumbent Mary Ann Smith. Smith was the only candidate who appeared on the early voting ballot distributed Monday.

Smith successfully challenged the paperwork of both her opponents, Lawrence and Christopher Persons, in January. Persons had filed his paperwork with the wrong office and withdrew from the race.

“It is infuriating that four felons can run for alderman but I can’t,” he said. “I have a fundamental right to run in the election if I can show a modicum of support, and I have.”

Lawrence described Smith as “cowardly” for not withdrawing her objections to allow for a democratic public debate.

The election board heard 192 objections against alderman candidates in this election. Lawrence was one of seven candidates disqualified for not filing the Statement of Economic Interest.

But Lawrence did file it; he failed to take the receipt proving he filed back to the election board. After realizing this, Lawrence returned to file the receipt but was told it was too late.

Lawrence argued in his suit that the error was “inadvertent.” Election rules allow inadvertent errors, like failing to write a home address, on filed petitions.

Ald. Danny Solis (25th) is one of several candidates who made such an error on his forms, but was allowed to continue campaigning in the race.

“The bar is not set very high [on filing regulations],” said John Wyman, campaign manager for Ald. Mary Ann Smith. “The courts are biased in favor of ballot access.”

“Every candidate checks the petition of any other candidate in the race,” he said. Wyman denied that Smith’s office played a role in disqualifying Lawrence.

Lawrence is a former support of Smith, and said he decided to run after being disappointed with her performance. He said Smith had failed to increase affordable housing or properly address public safety in the ward.

“She was dismissive to people’s concerns,” Lawrence said. “It’s their tax dollars. It’s not her money, it’s their money.”

After returning from a deployment in Iraq, Lawrence said he took a pay cut to become a community organizer. He was involved with the Clark Street Transportation Access Program (TAP), and served on the Edgewater Community Council Board.

“The lack of leadership and petty corruption, the lack of accountability I saw in Iraq is the same here,” he said.

It was that frustration, and not an expectation to win, that Lawrence said pushed him to run. He said he wanted to encourage public debate about holding officials accountable.

“The incumbents have enormous advantage,” he said. “The irony is if she had just conducted herself in a half-decent way, she would have walked away with this election.”

ALDERMANIC ELECTION STORIES: Catherine Zaryczny (32nd) Scott Waguespack (32nd) Mell Monroe (3rd) Pat Dowell (3rd) 48th Ward Challenger Sues Incumbent.