Matt Martin (Chicago politician) facts for kids

Matt Martin was born on March 5, 1984. He is an American politician who serves on the Chicago City Council. He represents the city's 47th ward. An alderman is like a city council member. They help make decisions for their part of the city. Matt Martin was first elected as alderman in 2019. He was re-elected in 2023. The 47th ward includes parts of the North Center, Lincoln Square, Lakeview, and Uptown neighborhoods.

Early Life and Education

Matt Martin was born in Arizona. He went to Northwestern University on a music scholarship. There, he studied jazz and political science. After that, he went to Harvard Law School.

After law school, Martin worked as a civil rights lawyer. He helped people protect their rights in the Illinois Attorney General's office. He also helped start a neighborhood group called the Heart of Lincoln Square Neighbors Association.

Becoming an Alderman

Matt Martin ran for alderman in 2019. His campaign focused on important issues for his community. He wanted to make sure public schools had enough money. He also worked to keep housing affordable in the ward. Another goal was to help homeowners with property taxes. He also wanted to make sure the police were fair and responsible.

Many groups supported him. The Chicago Tribune newspaper thought he would be a strong, independent voice. He also received support from other politicians and groups. These included the Chicago Teachers Union and SEIU Healthcare Illinois.

In the first election on February 26, 2019, Matt Martin received the most votes. He then went to a second election, called a runoff, on April 2, 2019. He won this election with 62.6% of the votes.

Soon after winning, Matt Martin joined other new aldermen. They spoke out against plans for large real estate projects. These projects were called Lincoln Yards and The 78. They were concerned about how these projects would affect the city.

Working in the City Council

Since 2019, Matt Martin has been an active member of the Chicago City Council.

City Budget Decisions

One of the most important jobs of the City Council is to approve the city's budget. The budget is a plan for how the city will spend its money. In 2020, Matt Martin voted against Mayor Lori Lightfoot's proposed budget. He was one of 11 aldermen who did this.

He explained that he wanted the city to find more fair ways to get money. He also believed the city should spend more on social services. He held many public meetings to talk about the budget with people in his ward.

Working with Other Aldermen

When he started his term in 2019, Matt Martin joined two important groups in the City Council. He became a member of the Progressive Caucus. He also joined the Black Caucus. These groups work together on issues they care about.

Electoral History Summary

Matt Martin has run for alderman three times.

• In the 2019 general election, he received 39.31% of the votes. This was the most among nine candidates.
• In the 2019 runoff election, he won with 62.50% of the votes.
• In the 2023 general election, he was re-elected with 100% of the votes. He ran unopposed, meaning no one else ran against him.

See Also

• List of Chicago aldermen since 1923