LINCOLN PARK — Six candidates have filed petitions to run for alderman of the 43rd Ward in February.
The crowded and diverse field of candidates trying to unseat incumbent Ald. Michele Smith (43rd) are all first-time candidates for alderman.
The candidates who officially filed are Smith, Jennifer "Jen" Kramer, Caroline Vickrey, Steven McClellan, Andrew "Andy" Challenger and Jerry Quandt.
Smith, Kramer and Vickrey all filed at 9 a.m. on the first day allowed, Nov. 17, while McClellan, Challenger and Quandt all filed Monday, the last day to file.
Smith, who is seeking her second term, beat out Tim Egan in 2011, a year when the two were the only candidates in the race.
Candidates were required to file at least 473 signatures to run for alderman.
Objections to those signatures are due by 5 p.m. Dec. 3.
Smith, the incumbent, has Mayor Rahm Emanuel's backing, as the mayor headlined a fundraiser for her re-election campaign in late October.
Smith raised close to $100,000 at the reception, which was hosted by private equity executive Don Edwards.
"In one term, Ald. Smith and I have already been through a lot of battles together and made the tough decisions that Chicago needs," Emanuel said in a statement released before the fundraiser. "We have more to do and I look forward to conquering those challenges with her at my side. She is an ally and a friend, and I'm proud to support her."
Vickrey, an attorney and former member of the Lincoln Elementary Local School Council, Oz Park Advisory Council and Mid North Association Board joined the race at the urging of neighborhood residents who claimed their voices were not heard during the debates over the Children's Memorial Hospital redevelopment and Lincoln annex decision.
Vickrey collected more than 2,000 petition signatures, opened a campaign office and has raised close to $50,000 in her campaign.
Kramer, who announced her campaign this summer, is calling on Smith and her opponent to not challenge petition signatures and move forward to discuss issues in the ward.
Kramer's campaign gathered approximately 1,700 signatures.
“The democratic process is important and the voices of all candidates should be heard by the voters," she said. "I will not be challenging any petitions as a result, and I encourage all other candidates, including the current alderman, in this race to do the same.”
Quandt, a former member of the Lincoln local school council, sees himself as the independent candidate in the race.
Quandt was active in the push to solve overcrowding issues at Lincoln and was involved in the community meeting process behind the hospital redevelopment.
McClellan and Challenger both filed their petitions Monday.
McClellan has a Facebook page for his campaign.
"Now the real work begins," he posted Monday along with a photo of himself filing signatures.
Challenger could not be reached for comment.
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