Alders once ruled like mini kings in Chicago. Sometimes, they still do thanks to “aldermanic prerogative.” (And occasional seat-passing to kin.)
Living here, I’ve long heard the term but never really knew what it meant.
At the last City Council meeting, aldermanic prerogative was front and center as some alders delayed a vote on “granny flats.” A final decision to legalize those accessory dwelling units will likely come in fall.
In the meantime, let’s review what the heck aldermanic prerogative means.
Aldermanic Prerogative
Aldermanic prerogative, sometimes called aldermanic privilege, is the idea that an alder has final say over decisions in their ward — basically, veto power. However, that idea is unwritten. Chicago is the largest U.S. city without a charter, or constitution, laying out these rules.
Up through the mid-20th century, that power was reinforced by alders who had the backing of — or were — their ward’s committeemen. (Committeepeople are another conversation.) Even today, alders still have major say in what does, or doesn't, get built as zoning changes remain up to City Council.
Upholding Segregation?
In 2023, a probe by the Department of Housing and Urban Development found that aldermanic prerogative has led to a “hyper-segregated city rife with racism and gentrification.” The report calls the practice “a blunt tool” to deter integrated, affordable housing.
In the investigation, alders said they weighed local ward opinion to determine their vetoes. This concern about local considerations is part of the granny flat debate.
The measure would allow for building more of these units citywide in hopes of increasing housing stock. But it was blocked in City Council over concerns that alders wouldn’t have enough say. As 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn put it, these units would affect “the uniqueness of each and every neighborhood."
Ninth Ward Ald. Anthony Beale put it more directly. "I don't know what alderman in their right mind wants to give up that authority,” he said, referring to aldermanic preference on zoning policy.
The Hemp Debate
Aldermanic prerogative can influence wards beyond construction zoning, too. In April, hemp sales were banned in the 9th and 10th wards, which include the Roseland, Pullman, East Side and South Chicago neighborhoods, thanks to a push from those alders. They met no pushback from colleagues.
Before that, Quinn and Ald. Silvana Tabares (23rd) successfully banned hemp sales in their wards by prohibiting new licenses for “retail tobacco stores” around Midway. Despite no broader ban, these changes occur ward by ward. And that’s no accident.
“The design of the legislature is one that chops up our city into 50 districts and gets people to pay attention to their local wards,” William Howell, now dean of the School of Government and Policy at Johns Hopkins University, once told City Cast Chicago. “Then it's hard to attend citywide issues.”
