CHICAGO — Stacey Pfingsten, a former aide to Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd), is joining the mix of contenders seeking to lead the city's most sprawling ward, it was announced Monday.
"I have the passion and energy to be the hands on, dedicated Alderman that the new 2nd Ward deserves,” Pfingsten said in a news release issued by her campaign on Monday.
The 2nd Ward alderman seat will have no incumbent in February because Fioretti will no longer live in the ward after the city's new ward map boundaries take effect.
Confirming what was suspected a few weeks ago, Pfingsten's news comes just a couple days after Fioretti announced that he will be running for mayor in the Feb. 24 municipal election.
Pfingsten will join five other candidates vying to lead the sprawling ward with boundaries dipping in and out of several neighborhoods — so much so that even its own alderman has called the map "worthy of a joke."
The new 2nd Ward, which looks like a horseshoe as it cuts through portions of the lakefront, covers parts of the Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Ukrainian Village, Wicker Park and Bucktown, specifically on North Avenue from the Milwaukee, Damen and North avenues intersection west to Leavitt Street.
Since 2012, Pfingsten has served 2nd Ward constituents as part of Fioretti’s staff.
Earlier this month, Pfingsten resigned from her job as Fioretti's Director of Community Outreach to launch her campaign, which has raised about $11,000, according to documents filed with the the city's Board of Election Commissioners.
“While working on behalf of the 2nd Ward, I pursued my passion and commitment to public service,” Pfingsten said. “Now, I’m focusing resources and energy on becoming the next 2nd Ward Alderman so that I can continue serving the residents of the 2nd Ward and improving their collective quality of life.”
Prior to her role as 2nd Ward Director of Community Outreach and Constituent Services, Pfingsten devoted seven years professionally toward grassroots efforts to maintain the character of Chicago’s neighborhoods as Preservation Chicago’s Communications Manager, the release said.
In 2009, Pfingsten founded the grassroots group, “No Foam Chicago" after discovering that the Chicago Public Schools system used and disposed of 250,000 lunch trays daily.
In addition to her experience in Chicago’s 2nd ward, Pfingsten previously served as Ald. Scott Waguespack’s (32nd) political coordinator and fundraiser.
Pfingsten will be officially kicking off her campaign with a fundraiser at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 29 at Sono Wood Fired, 1582 N. Clybourn Avenue.
2nd Ward candidate websites, as of Monday:
Bita Buenrostro; bitanow.com
Brian Hopkins; brianhopkinsforchicago.com
Steve Niketopoulos; stevefor2ndward.com
Alyx Pattison; alyxpattison.org
Stacey Pfingsten; staceyfor2ndward.com
Cornell Wilson; CornellWilson.com
The general election is Feb. 24. The runoff election, if necessary, would be April 7.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here: