Two Challenge Ald. Quezada in 35th Ward Race
Daniel Tobón and Omari Bektemba have filed petitions to run against Ald. Anthony Quezada in the 2027 election.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in City Hall
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Two Logan Square community members, Daniel Tobón and Omari Bektemba, submitted petitions to the Chicago Board of Elections by the Oct. 26 deadline to challenge Ald. Anthony Quezada. Quezada was appointed 35th Ward alderperson by Mayor Brandon Johnson after Carlos Ramirez-Rosa took over as head of the Chicago Park District.
Why it matters
Quezada faces his first election after gaining the seat through appointment rather than voter selection. The challenge tests whether he can win the 35th Ward's voters on his own record.
The Chicago Board of Elections received petitions from Tobón and Bektemba by the Oct. 26, 2026 deadline. Whether the petitions will be validated and both candidates will appear on the 2027 ballot has not yet been determined.
The players
Anthony Quezada
Quezada is the appointed alderperson of Chicago's 35th Ward and previously served as 8th district Cook County commissioner.
Brandon Johnson
Johnson is the mayor of Chicago who appointed Quezada to the 35th Ward seat.
Chicago Board of Elections
The Chicago Board of Elections is the body that received the candidate petitions and oversees ballot access for city races.
The details
Tobón is an Army veteran, attorney and businessman, and Bektemba is a teacher who now works for Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation. Tobón was one of six applicants for the vacancy left when Ramirez-Rosa departed, and Quezada previously served two years as 8th district Cook County commissioner.
Timeline
2025: Ramirez-Rosa leaves the 35th Ward and Quezada is appointed.
Oct. 26, 2026: Deadline to submit petitions to make the ballot.
2027: Election in which Quezada faces challengers.
Political Context
Quezada's race is his first electoral test after being appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson to fill a vacancy, a pattern that puts appointed aldermen before voters without the advantage of a prior campaign. Challengers entering the race signal whether the ward's electorate accepts the appointment or wants a contested choice.
Residents of Logan Square, Avondale, Hermosa and Belmont Cragin will decide in 2027 who represents them on the City Council. The outcome determines whether the appointed alderperson keeps the ward seat through voter approval.
The takeaway
The 2027 race will show whether voters in the 35th Ward confirm an appointed alderperson or choose a challenger.
Further reading
For more on the city's governing bodies, see City Hall.
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