Battle of the Scotts: Rivals share last name, some ideas in West Side’s 24th Ward runoff

No matter who wins next week, the West Side’s 24th Ward will be represented by a City Council member named Scott.

But voters must decide if it will be incumbent Ald. Monique Scott, who was appointed to the role less than a year ago after her brother stepped down, or Creative Scott, a small- business owner and political outsider.

Both Scotts — who are not related to one another — were born and raised in the ward.

Monique Scott, 51, grew up in the world of Chicago politics. Her father, the late Michael Scott Sr., served as president of the Park District Board and president of the Chicago Board of Education.

She followed in her father’s footsteps, working for the Park District until last spring when Mayor Lori Lightfoot appointed her to fill the office held by her brother, Michael Scott Jr., who left elective politics to become director of industry and community relations at Cinespace Studios.

Creative Scott, 50, followed a different path. At 19, he obtained his barber’s license and has owned and operated Creative Salons on 16th Street for almost 30 years.

But Creative Scott is not a total stranger to Chicago politics. He ran for the same office in 2019.

Back in February, seven candidates ran to unseat the incumbent.

Monique Scott received 45.30% of the ward’s votes, and Creative Scott came in a distant second with 14.82%. With no candidate winning a majority, the two Scotts were thrown into the April runoff.

“A lot of people really thought that I’d won,” Monique Scott told the Sun-Times. “So now it’s [about] getting out the word again that we must get out to vote. That’s the hard part — making sure people come back out and vote again, because I need those same numbers and more this next election.”

Though disappointed in overall turnout, the alderperson said she was pleased with the overwhelming support she received for her first time on the ballot.

“To receive [nearly] 46% of the vote was kind of impressive,” she said, contending that it “just speaks to who I am and what I’m trying to build and create in the 24th Ward.”

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times-file

Creative Scott has more voters to win over — but he has, at the very least, received the endorsement of one of his fellow candidates, community activist Edward Ward, in the runoff election.

While their histories differ, the two Scotts share more than the same last name. They have similar ideas when it comes to revitalizing the 24th Ward.

In addition to running his barbershop, Creative Scott works as a security guard and firearm instructor and has relied heavily on his background in public safety while campaigning.

He has developed his own prevention program — Guns, Problems and Solutions — teaching young people, primarily those already involved in the criminal legal system, how to employ deescalation techniques.

The 24th Ward comprises mostly the North and South Lawndale neighborhoods, two of the city’s community areas with higher incidences of violence. But the North Lawndale neighborhood, in particular, has seen a dramatic decrease in homicides and shootings in the last year, which many attribute to the influx of funding for anti-violence programs in the area.

To keep the ward on this positive trajectory, Monique Scott said she plans to continue working with a coalition of groups calling themselves the North Lawndale Employment Networks — which includes Create Real Economic Destiny; Rapid Employment and Development Initiative; and UCAN.

Both candidates said they believe that more employment opportunities can help combat violence within the ward.

“To stop violence, you must stop poverty,” Creative Scott told the Sun-Times. “We have to put our people to work.”

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times file

Creative Scott said he wants to see more development north of Ogden Avenue and advocates for the creation of a community bank.

Redevelopment has been the focus of Monique Scott’s first months in office. The alderperson has worked closely with Lightfoot’s Invest South/West program.

Regardless of who is elected mayor next week, Monique Scott said she believes that person will continue implementation of the Invest South/West projects — and she says she will fight to ensure the winner does.

Ongoing projects include the construction of Grace Manor Apartments, set to become 65 new units of affordable housing, and a redevelopment program with the Chicago Department of Transportation to make Independence Boulevard more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.

“I’m excited for all things Lawndale,” the incumbent said. “We’re rebuilding and reshaping our community just at the time when we really need it.”

Early voting began Monday in all 50 wards and two downtown locations, including the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners’ Supersite at 191 N. Clark St. For more information, go to chicagoelections.gov or cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections.