Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot announced that Timmy Knudsena resident of the Lincoln Park and Old Town community for nearly a decade, as well as the chairman of the Zoning Board of Appealswill serve as the new alderperson representing the 43rd Ward.
Knudsen's selection comes at the conclusion of a selection process led by community members of that ward.
In a statement, Lightfoot said that Knudsen "has singled himself out as an exceptional leader in the 43rd ward community. His passion for connecting with his neighbors and encouraging hope, energy, and opportunity for Chicago residents makes him uniquely situated to serve as [alderperson]."
In his legal career, Knudsen provides counsel to innovative start-up companies, founders and their investors. In his role, he has helped some of the nation's premier business leaders reach creative solutions that help their businesses grow. In addition, Knudsen is deeply passionate about social causes and founded the pro-bono practice of his law firm which represents LGBTQ+ applicants for asylum in Chicago and Tijuana, Mexico. He has provided legal services to over 40 asylum seekers through this pro bono work.
As a member of the community, Knudsen has worked as a grassroots organizer. He organized a large food drive during the pandemic and serves as a local voter protection officer on election days. Knudsen also serves as Chairman of the 43rd Ward Judicial Candidate Review Panel, which was created by Committeeperson Lucy Moog to champion independent and merit-based endorsement processes.
In his own statement, Knudsen said, "Since we launched this campaign six weeks ago, I've joined a team of dozens of volunteers to collect hundreds of signatures to get on the ballot and hear from voters directly. Whether it's meeting residents at Oz Park, sitting down with community leaders over coffee, or knocking on doors across the ward, I'm confident this wave of grassroots support will power our team to victory in 2023."
Knudsen would replace Ald. Michele Smith, who recently resigned.