Monday was the last day to file candidate petitions to appear on the ballot for the April 6 municipal elections, and several previously unannounced candidates joined the race. City Clerk Chuck Redpath held his cellphone out in anticipation of the time reaching the 5 o’clock hour, the deadline for filing candidate petitions.
No candidate filed to challenge incumbent Ward 7 Ald. Brad Carlson. Sontae Massey, who previously announced his intention to seek to represent Ward 4, didn’t file candidate petitions, leaving Brian Baskett as the only candidate who will appear on the ballot for the ward. Treasurer Colleen Redpath-Feger, Redpath’s daughter, also won’t face a challenger.
The current list of candidates still isn’t finalized. Beginning Tuesday and until Nov. 2, campaigns will have the opportunity to scrutinize the candidate petitions of their competitors in an effort to disqualify them and knock them off the ballot. People can also still seek to run as write-in candidates.
As Illinois Times previously reported, Josh Langfelder filed Monday to run for city clerk and Bill McCarty joined the race for mayor.
Here are candidates for city council who filed on Monday and have kept a low profile about their intention to seek office leading up to the filing deadline. They were not profiled in IT’s previous roundup of city council races.
Ward 5
Sangamon County Dist. 18 Board Member Sam Cahnman filed to represent Ward 5, setting up a rematch between himself and incumbent Ward 5 Ald. Lakeisha Purchase.
He ran against Purchase in 2023 and lost in a three-way race.
In another three-way race, Cahnman will also face Colin Philips, a state employee with the Department of Human Services.
Cahnman, 72, a lawyer, lost the Democratic primary for his County Board seat to political newcomer Miguel Valente in March. Cahnman’s term on the County Board will end in December when the new board is seated following the November election.
He said Ward 5 needs new representation.
“I have common sense solutions like not having the county board and the city council meet at exactly the same time,” Cahnman said, noting that he introduced a resolution at the Sangamon County Board calling for a change in the scheduled meetings so that it doesn’t overlap with city council’s meetings. The board decided to have the ad hoc rules committee review the proposal, which was co-sponsored by two other Democrats.
“If they don’t move it, then I’ll work on the city council to move the city council meetings to a different date,” he said.
Cahnman said the overlapping times of the two meetings is a problem as 58% of the people living in Sangamon County reside in Springfield, making it difficult for residents to follow both governing bodies.
In addition, Cahnman said he’d seek to “either eliminate the Flock cameras or put strict regulations on them to ensure that the law enforcement officers are not using them for personal use,” referring to the Springfield Police Department’s license plate reader cameras that have become increasingly controversial following several high-profile national incidents of misuse.
Cahnman said he would also advocate for people with disabilities like himself, noting that he was diagnosed with kyphosis, which causes forward bending of the back at the waist.
Ward 8
Tony Mares, 62, marketing manager for the Sangamon Mass Transit District (SMTD), served on the board of Springfield Public School District 186 from 2017 to 2025, including terms as vice president and president.
Mares said he’s motivated to pursue the position because it’s an extension of his commitment to his community, and Ward 8 Ald. Erin Conley decided not to seek reelection. He’ll face Teresa Tran, an account manager at a nonprofit, and Kate Smith, a state employee.
“Me and my wife have lived in the same house since 1994 in the 8th Ward,” Mares said. “We’re both dedicated to service.”
He said his wife is the president of the homeowners association where they reside.
“And, that’s where our community involvement began.”
Mares said he doesn’t have campaign issues he’s running on but rather is open to learning about the issues that matter to Ward 8 voters.
“I learned in my service with District 186 that what your agenda might be, might not be the will of your constituents,” he said.
“As this campaign season begins, feedback from the public is going to be essential. I plan on engaging with the constituents of Ward 8 — many of them I’ve known for 32 years — and find out what their concerns are, then be a voice for them on the city council.”
Ward 9
Rosanna Pulido added her name to the race for Ward 9 council member, joining Andrew Spiro, a union organizer, and C.J. Metcalf, a state employee, on the list. Ward 9 Ald. Jim Donelan is term limited.
Illinois Times contacted Pulido for an interview, but wasn’t able to reach her.
Pulido frequently speaks during the public comment portion of city council meetings and has been outspoken in the community on several key issues. She initially became known in Springfield for her 2018 opposition to the city council’s Welcoming City ordinance, which failed to pass. Pulido expressed her support for President Donald Trump, saying at the time, “I love Donald Trump. He’s with me on immigration.” Pulido, who was born in Chicago, often refers to her Mexican heritage and describes herself as a “proud, conservative Latina.”
More recently, Pulido was part of a group of residents calling for improvements at Meadow View Landing, a senior housing complex on Springfield’s west side. She and a handful of other residents shared a list of complaints about the management with Illinois Times. In turn, management told IT that the staff was being harassed, calling some of the pushback against employees “blatant racism.”
Pulido has since moved and is now involved in organizing efforts for residents in the mobile home park where she currently lives. She recently hosted a public “know your rights” forum for mobile home residents.
Ward 10
Chris Walcher, 47, a branch president of American Bank of Freedom, is seeking to be Ward 10 alderman and will face Mark Ziegler, a real estate appraiser, for the seat. Incumbent Ward 10 Ald. Ralph Hanauer is term limited.
“I want to run to be more transparent to try to bring people together on the city council,” Walcher said. “I think there needs to be a bit of a change to have all the council work together a little bit better.”
He added, “I’ve been in banking 25-plus years. I think I can help out on the budget side of stuff.”
Walcher, who describes himself as a moderate Republican, touts his ability to work with people from varying political backgrounds. He said he would also like to establish more lines of communication with constituents.
For example, “potentially once or twice a year, having a place where we have an open dialogue where people can come and talk to me and maybe be able to bring other city officials,” he said.
Walcher is married with two children.
