Waguespack announces candidacy for 32nd Ward Committeeman

Scott Waguespack, second term alderman for the 32nd Ward, announced his candidacy for the Democratic Ward Committeeman of the 32nd Ward at a fund raising event in Schubas Tavern, 3159 N. Southport Ave.,Wednesday evening.

What is a ward committeeman?

Each political party has a ward structure headed by a committeeman. In Cook County, the political structure is a combination of ward and township committeemen. That body of fifty from the city and thirty from the townships form the County Central Committee.

Each committeeman is elected into the unpaid position and serves for four years. Unpaid, they handle such tasks as slating and appointing replacements for vacated positions, recommending polling places, managing elections and making endorsements for positions such as judges.

In Chicago, thirty-two of the fifty aldermen currently serve as the committeeman in their ward. Petitions must be submitted between Nov. 28 and Dec. 5, to be on the March 2012 ballot,

"Who sent you?" was the normal question posed to people who asked a Ward Committeeman for a particular service or assistance. That was in the days when there was strong control of the rank and file from a mayor down to the grassroots. Today, that practice is generally not as prevalent.

Cook County Commissioner John Fritchey, 12th District, is the current 32nd Committeeman and has declared for re-election.

Update: an error was made by stating that the Fritchey link above was his Commissioner's site, where it would not be legal to post a donate button. In fact the link is to his personal site which houses the county logo.

To be fair to both candidates, here is Waguespack's personal site.