Newly appointed Cook County Commissioner Jessica Vasquez embraces her predecessor, Anthony Joel Quezada. (Photo by Igor Studenkov/for Chronicle Media)

Cook County Democratic Party officials picked Jessica Vasquez, former chief of staff for the then-35^th Ward Ald. Carlos Ramirez Rosa, to succeed Anthony Joel Quezada as Cook County Commissioner for Chicago Northwest Side’s 8^th District on Sunday. This means that, for the first time in history, women make up the majority of the County Board.

The seat became vacant after Ramirez Rosa was appointed CEO of Chicago Park District and Mayor Brandon Johnson appointed Quezada in his place. In keeping with County Board procedures, the vacancy was filled by ward committeepersons from Quezada’s party, with their votes weighted based on how many votes he got in their ward when he was elected in 2022. The Selection Committee met on May 4 at Avondale Logandale Elementary School to cast their vote.

The process has been unusually transparent. The committeepersons who collectively held the majority of the weighted vote agreed to follow the endorsements of their local political organizations. Those organizations held public candidate forums before voting for Vasquez on April 26. And while the selection committee usually makes the final decision in a closed session, it was public this time around.

Out of the five candidates, Vasquez and political scientist and artist Enrique Morales quickly emerged as the only contenders. While two committeepersons voted for Morales, the rest voted for Vasquez. Morales told Chronicle Media that he wasn’t sure whether he would run for the seat once the current term expires in 2026, saying that he wanted to see how Vasquez does. Vasquez said that her priority will be to hold hearings on how property taxes are assessed, arguing that the current process disproportionately burdens homeowners.

The 8^th District includes the entirety of the 30^th and 31^st wards, most of the 26^th and 36^th wards, about two-thirds of the 35^th Ward, a third of the 1^st ward, smaller portions of the 29^th, 37^th, 38^th and 45^th wards and a tiny section of the 27^th ward. Most, but not all, aldermen in those wards double as Democratic committeepersons. Ramirez-Rosa remained the 35^th Ward committeeperson and, because Quezada got the highest number of votes in his ward, he served as selection committee chair.

Several committeepersons who had small shares of the vote sent proxies in their stead. While Quezada, who endorsed Vasquez, normally wouldn’t have any formal role in picking his successor, Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29^th Ward) and Ald. Emma Mitts (37^th) chose him as their proxy, which meant he controlled 1,950 votes, or 3.6 percent of 53,400 possible votes.

Ramirez-Rosa told Chronicle Media that, while multiple candidates applied, only six submitted the required paperwork by the April 25, 5 p.m. deadline. One candidate withdrew, leaving only five to go before the selection committee — Vaquez, Morales, Joanne Fehn, a bureau chief from the office of Illinois Attorney General, Logan Laurie, head of Logan Skate nonprofit organization, and Ray Doeksen, commander at Logan-Avondale Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2978.

Independent Political Organizations are a loose network of left-leaning political organizations that were created as an alternative to the traditional Democratic Party machine. IPOs backed several elected officials on the committee, including Quezada and Ramires-Rosa. On April 26, members of IPOs in the 1^st, 26^th, 33^rd, 35^th and 39^th wards voted to support Vasquez.

Vasquez told the selection committee that, if appointed, her priorities would be to reform the property assessment system, improve access to the county health system by expanding eligibility for the CountyCare Medicaid expansion program and Carelink financial aid, and support Cook County remaining a sanctuary county. Vasquez touted her work on helping pass the One Fair Wage ordinance, which is phasing out tipped minimum wage in Chicago, as well as her work as a development associate at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

“I want to thank you for listening to me,” Vasquez said. “it’s important to me, because this is the community that raised me.”

Morales said that he would lobby to have the county support arts and culture, actively work with officials in other levels of government and listen to residents. He said he wanted the county to invest in public housing and affordable housing and support small businesses.  Morales agreed that the county property assessment system was overdue for reforms.

Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26^th Ward) nominated Vasquez, while Ald. Felix Cardona (31^st) nominated Morales. While Cardona didn’t comment on his reasoning, 1^st Ward committeeperson Laura Yepez said she would vote for Morales as well because she appreciated his advocacy for small businesses and public art.

But the rest of the speakers voiced support for Vasquez. Quezada described her as an heir to the progressive politics that brought him into office and led to the selection process for his replacement.

“I’ve seen Jessica’s leadership in this ward, in this community,” he said. “Right now, we need grassroots leadership to challenge everything, everything, to not only defend our democracy, but to rebuild our republic.”

Ramirez-Rosa said that, as his chief of staff, Vasquez not only handled the constituents’ needs, but helped him get legislation passed.

“She has gained their trust and confidence because she is so wise and so smart and so dedicated to her work,” he said.

Fuentes pushed back on the criticism that Vasquez’s connections to elected officials made her appointment an example of “nepotism,” saying that she was chosen purely because of her professional experience.

“Today, we’re not going to appoint a daughter, or a son,” Fuentes said. “We are appointing someone who is qualified.”

While Morales got 15,781 votes from Yepez, Cardona and the proxy for Gilbert Villegas (36^th Ward), Vasquez got 37,619 — well above the 26,701-vote threshold needed to win.

I will fight for you and with you every day,” she told the supporters.

Quazada said that he was happy with how the “people-led” process turned out.

“I’m extremely excited,” he said. “I know that (Vasquez) will serve this district with distinction, and with honor, and commitment to advancing people-centered policies.”