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Gilbert Villegas, 36th Ward: the record

Ald. Gil Villegas's votes, legislation, attendance, committees and campaign money this term, as he runs unopposed so far for a fourth term.

By Chicago PoliticsUpdated Oct 22, 2026

Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th Ward), his official City Council photoCity of Chicago

Ald. Gilbert "Gil" Villegas (36th Ward) filed for a fourth term on Oct. 19, and as of Oct. 21 no one had filed to run against him (who's running). Filing closes at 5 p.m. Oct. 26. This is his record in the term that ends May 17, 2027, from the City Clerk's roll calls and legislation, the Illinois State Board of Elections and the City's Board of Ethics, as our 36th Ward page compiles them.

In short: he filed more legislation than all but one colleague, now chairs one of the Council's most powerful committees, missed more roll calls than all but one colleague and raised more than twice the median member's campaign money.

How long has he been in office, and what does he chair?

Villegas was first elected in 2015 and won his third term in a 2023 runoff, 58% to 42%, CBS Chicago reported. In 2022 he lost the Democratic primary for the new 3rd Congressional District to Delia Ramirez, 66% to 24%, according to the Sun-Times.

He chaired the Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development from May 24, 2023, until April 15, 2026, when he became chair of the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards, according to the Clerk's committee records. His appointment ended a political deadlock that had left up to 100 projects on hold, WBEZ reported, and he told WBEZ he would "cut red tape and embrace technology" to get housing and large projects built faster. He also sits on six other committees, among them Finance and Budget and Government Operations.

How does he vote?

On the 86 divided roll calls this term on which he voted, Villegas sided with the majority 89.5% of the time; the Council median is 87.4%. He cast 12 nay votes on key legislation, equal to the median.

His no votes cluster on taxes and borrowing. He voted no on the $1.25 billion affordable housing and community development bond ordinance, which passed 32-17 on April 19, 2024.

How each ward voted

30 yea, 17 nay, 1 not voting · Apr 19, 2024 · Passed

Yea Nay Not voting

SO2024-0007838: the roll call, the timeline and the documents

He voted no on the 2025 revenue ordinance, which passed 27-23 on Dec. 16, 2024.

How each ward voted

25 yea, 23 nay · Dec 16, 2024 · Passed

Yea Nay

SO2024-0013671: the roll call, the timeline and the documents

And he voted no on the $830 million general obligation bond issue for streets and infrastructure, which passed 26-23 on Feb. 26, 2025.

How each ward voted

24 yea, 23 nay, 1 not voting · Feb 26, 2025 · Passed

Yea Nay Not voting

SO2025-0014841: the roll call, the timeline and the documents

He also voted no on putting a real estate transfer tax increase, set aside for housing for people experiencing homelessness, on the ballot (32-17, Nov. 7, 2023) and on the small-box retailers ordinance (42-7, Feb. 21, 2024). He voted yes on the arbitration option in some police discipline cases, which failed 18-32.

What did he pass, and what stalled?

Villegas filed 193 pieces of legislation as lead sponsor this term, not counting routine items like permits, the second-most on the Council and more than three times the median of 58; 93 passed. Among them:

A daily fine for not clearing snow and ice from sidewalks, paired with a Plow the Sidewalks pilot in which the City clears sidewalks in selected neighborhoods, passed 48-1 on July 19, 2023.
Towing fee and post-towing service rules, 50-0 on April 16, 2025.
Work experience in place of a college degree for many City jobs, passed May 21, 2025.
Veteran-owned business bid incentives, 50-0 on June 18, 2025, and a wheel tax renewal pilot for veterans, passed Feb. 18, 2026.
Stop-work protections for homes next to excavation, 50-0 on May 20, 2026.

Fewer than half of his filings have passed. Still in committee since 2023: a Guaranteed Basic Income Program ordinance and a Chicago Administrative Procedure Ordinance, both filed July 19, 2023. Also pending: guidelines for City artificial intelligence programs (April 2024), a Chicago Social Housing Corporation (January 2025) and licensing of video gaming terminals (July 2025).

Does he show up?

Less than his colleagues. Our records show him absent for 108 of 1,222 key roll calls this term, an attendance rate of 91.2%, the second-lowest on the Council; the median member has no absences. He was recorded absent on every roll call in our records at four Council meetings: Oct. 22, 2024 (12 roll calls), Oct. 16, 2025 (49), Nov. 14, 2025 (18) and June 17, 2026 (25). We found no public explanation for those absences.

Who funds his campaigns?

His committee, Friends of Gilbert Villegas for Alderman, reported $893,468 in itemized contributions ($150 or more) this term, about two and a half times the Council median of $358,915, and $267,333 on hand on Sept. 30, according to State Board of Elections reports. It raised $170,150 in the quarter that ended Sept. 30, 2026.

Since 2019 it has raised $2,242,382: $1,384,520 reported as individual contributions, $787,540 in transfers from other political committees and $58,693 in in-kind contributions. The largest organizational givers since 2019 are the 36th Ward Democrats ($155,000), the Chicago Land Operators Joint Labor-Management PAC ($130,958), the 36th Ward PAC ($96,000), the IBEW Illinois PAC ($51,000) and his own former congressional committee, Gilbert Villegas for Congress ($42,455). Fifty-nine percent of his itemized dollars since 2019 came from Chicago addresses, against a Council median of 72%.

Registered City lobbyists reported $139,748 in contributions to him, in 201 gifts, to the Board of Ethics, nearly three times the Council median of $49,779. We report these figures next to his votes; they are not evidence that any contribution affected a vote.

Who lobbied on his legislation?

The Board of Ethics filings name the department lobbied, such as "City Council," not the individual alderperson, so we can't say whom a lobbyist met. Lobbyists also reported 15 small gifts or hosted events for him, worth $419 in all, from clients including Apple, Motorola Solutions and Peoples Gas. On legislation he sponsored or co-sponsored, the most lobbying filings were nine, by The Invert Chicago LLC, on Ald. Peter Chico's ordinance requiring planned-development approval for mining and excavation in M3 districts, still in committee, and nine on the City's paid leave ordinance, which passed in 2023.

The good

The most prolific filer but one. 193 lead-sponsored items, more than three times the median, and 93 passed (36th Ward page).
Laws that passed without opposition. The towing rules, veteran-owned business incentives and excavation protections each passed 50-0.
A stalled committee moving again. His appointment as zoning chair ended the deadlock that had held up to 100 projects, WBEZ reported.

The bad

Missed votes. 108 absences, an attendance rate of 91.2% against a median of 100%, including every roll call at four Council meetings (36th Ward page).
Most of his filings haven't passed. 93 of 193. His Guaranteed Basic Income and administrative procedure ordinances have sat in committee since July 2023.

His full record is on his 36th Ward page. Filing for the seat closes Oct. 26 at 5 p.m.; see who's running.