Andre Vasquez Jr.

Andre Vasquez Jr. is the alderperson for Chicago's 40th Ward.

Contact

Email: Ward40@cityofchicago.org
Ward office: 5620 North Western Avenue, Chicago 60659, (773) 654-1867
City Hall: 121 North LaSalle Street, Room 200, (312) 744-6858/7248/3511
Website: http://www.40thward.org
Updates: RSS feed of votes and legislation

Voting record this term

Attendance: 98.4% of 1163 key roll calls (19 absent)
Nay votes: 11
Voted with the majority on 87.8% of 90 divided votes
Legislation filed as lead sponsor: 109 (57 passed)
Most-filed topics: Municipal Code Amendments (29), Alley (23), Committee/Public Hearings (23), Budget & Appropriations (10), City Council (8)

Committees

AI profile

AI-written synthesis from this member's votes, legislation, and words in 78 meetings. Each claim cites its source; estimates, not statements of intent.

Andre Vasquez Jr. voted yes on numerous redevelopment and tax increment financing agreements, such as the Foundry Park project V1 and multiple park improvement TIF deals V16 V19 V20. He supported housing policy changes, including waiving debts for certain buildings V2 and requiring landlord notice before evictions V14. He opposed the installation of sweepstakes machines V6 and a gratuity-allowance amendment V23. He filed legislation on bond-vote transparency L1, ranked-choice voting L6, and expressed support for DACA protections L19.

Priorities

Immigrant and Refugee Rights: Filed a public-question supporting DACA protections L19 and opened the Immigrant and Refugee Rights committee meeting as chair S18.
Economic Development – Tax Increment Financing: Consistently voted yes on TIF redevelopment agreements for projects such as Foundry Park and several park improvements V1 V3 V5 V16 V19 V20.
Housing Policy: Supported measures to waive debts for housing units V2 and to require landlord notice before rental-agreement termination V14.
Police Reform: Approved an ordinance prohibiting Chicago Police Department members from certain political activities V10.
Transportation Oversight: As Vice Chair, asked nominees about transit-riding frequency S3 and potential conflicts of interest with transit contracts S4.
Government Transparency & Election Reform: Filed a Bond Vote Transparency ordinance L1 and a referendum to adopt ranked-choice voting L6.

Positions

Tax Increment Financing: Supports TIF redevelopment agreements, voting yes on multiple proposals V1 V3 V5.
Sweepstakes Machines: Opposes authorizing sweepstakes machines, voting no on the amendment V6.
Social Media Amusement Tax: Supports the tax, voting yes on the amendment V7.
Gratuity Allowance for Hourly Workers: Opposes expanding gratuity allowances, voting no on the amendment V23.
Police Political Activity Restriction: Supports limiting police participation in political activities, voting yes on the ordinance V10.
Mass Gatherings and Curfew: Opposes the curfew measure, voting no V37.
General Obligation Bonds: Opposes new general-obligation borrowing, voting no V30.
DACA Protections: Supports preserving DACA, filing an expression of support L19.

Approach: Vasquez frequently opens committee meetings as chair S18, moves motions to adopt reports and resolutions S5 S7 S14 S17, and asks detailed questions on policy matters such as transit usage and conflicts of interest S3 S4. He also engages in procedural actions like requesting remote participation S27 and supporting virtual attendance S17.

What to watch: Given his filings supporting DACA L19 and ranked-choice voting L6 and his active role in the Immigrant and Refugee Rights committee (S18-S26), he is likely to continue focusing on immigrant-rights legislation and electoral-reform initiatives.

Nay votes on key legislation

Jun 17, 2026: Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 4-156 by defining and prohibiting the installation or use of sweepstakes machines, Failed to Pass 15 yea, 33 nay, 1 absent
Mar 18, 2026: Amendment of Municipal Code Section 6-105-030 entitling employers of occupations where gratuities are customary to an allowance for gratuities as part of hourly wage rate not to exceed 24 percent of minimum wage rate, Passed 30 yea, 18 nay
Dec 20, 2025: Amendment of Municipal Code Titles 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14A, 15, 17 regarding management, structure, powers and functions of various departments and agencies (2026 Municipal Code Management Ordinance), Passed 29 yea, 20 nay, 1 absent
Dec 19, 2025: Issuance of general obligation bonds for capital projects and other purposes (2026-2027 General Obligation Borrowing Ordinance), Passed 39 yea, 11 nay
Jun 18, 2025: Mass Gatherings and Curfew, Passed 27 yea, 22 nay
Dec 16, 2024: Amendment of Municipal Code Titles 3, 4, 9 and 10 (2025 Municipal Code Revenue Ordinance) and Property Tax Levy for Year 2025, as amended, Passed 27 yea, 23 nay
Oct 30, 2024: Jarixon Medina as member of Regional Trnsportation Authority Board of Directors, Failed to Pass 18 yea, 25 nay
Sep 18, 2024: Superintendent of Police directed to enter into and execute new contract or contract extension or renewal for acoustic gunshot detection technology services, Passed 33 yea, 14 nay, 2 absent
May 22, 2024: Call on Mayor Brandon Johnson to remedy by Ward choice whether to remove Sound Thinking/ShotSpotter surveillance technology with other assurances and advance notifications to affected Ward Council members choosing to retain such technology, Passed 34 yea, 14 nay, 2 absent
Feb 15, 2024: Adoption of arbitration option in certain police disciplinary cases, Failed to Pass 18 yea, 32 nay
Dec 13, 2023: Amended collective bargaining agreement with Chicago John Dineen Lodge No. 7 (f.k.a. Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge No. 7), Passed 42 yea, 7 nay

Key legislation sponsored

Call for hearing(s) on amending Chicago restoration and landscaping practices in creation of sustainable parkways (SR2025-0016566), Adopted Jul 15, 2026
Amendment of Municipal Code Section 7-38-117 establishing mobile food vehicle stand on 2400 W Gunnison St (SO2026-0026272), Passed Jul 15, 2026
Expression of support for preservation and expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program protections (R2026-0025433), Adopted Jun 17, 2026
Call on Illinois Congressional delegation to investigate every instance of potential misconduct by United States Department of Homeland Security and other deputized agents operating in Chicago (R2025-0019961), Adopted Oct 16, 2025
Amendment of Municipal Code Section 4-60-022 (40.7 (bbb)) to allow additional alcoholic liquor licenses on portion(s) of N Lincoln Ave (O2025-0018166), Passed Jul 16, 2025
Amendment of Municipal Code Sections 9-76-100, 9-92-030 and 9-100-020 regarding fines and penalties for unattended vehicles on public way without registration plate or other registration material (SO2025-0017559), Passed Jun 18, 2025
Call on Illinois General Assembly to pass transit management reform and revenue omnibus package (R2025-0016638), Adopted May 21, 2025
Amendment of Municipal Code Section 2-8-090 by requiring Committee on Education and Child Development to hold quarterly hearings regarding operation and performance of Chicago Public Schools (O2024-0008387), Passed Apr 16, 2025
Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 9-80 clarifying definition and expansion of circumstances of vehicles parked for sale on public way (SO2024-0010137), Passed Feb 19, 2025
5515 N Lincoln Liquor Moratorium Repeal (O2024-0013337), Passed Jan 15, 2025
Recognition of Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 241 and 308 for transportation services during 2024 Democratic National Convention (R2024-0013147), Adopted Oct 30, 2024
Call for hearing(s) on examination and improvement of extreme weather response plans (R2024-0010357), Adopted Oct 9, 2024
Amendment of Municipal Code Sections 4-60-022 (40.5(a)) to allow additional alcoholic liquor licenses on portion(s) of N Lincoln Ave and 4-60-023 (40.5(a)) to disallow additional package goods licenses on portion(s) of N Lincoln Ave (SO2023-0005315), Passed Nov 15, 2023
Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-8 by deleting and replacing Section 2-8-080 requiring Committee on Transportation and Public Way to hold quarterly hearing concerning Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) service levels, operations, and security (SO2023-0004078), Passed Oct 4, 2023
Call for hearing(s) each month on City's plans and processes in response to migrant and refugee arrivals to Chicago (R2023-0001022), Adopted Jul 21, 2023
Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-80 by modifying Section 2-80-070 regarding elections for Police District Councils (SO2023-0002879), Passed Jul 19, 2023

In their own words

Moments from meeting recordings, summarized by AI from the transcript. Each links to the video at that point.

Sep 29, 2026, City Council: Supported the deal and credited reporting on Stonepeak's affiliate with creating leverage for negotiations. (watch at 2:05:43)
Sep 23, 2026, City Council: Thanked Corporation Counsel Lowry for guidance on defending the city and on the parking meter renegotiation. (watch at 3:25:32)
Sep 23, 2026, City Council: Described neighbors organizing rapid response, including 750 people attending a ward training. (watch at 2:08:01)
Sep 23, 2026, City Council: Thanked immigrant rights volunteers and described the Latino Caucus confronting federal enforcement. (watch at 1:42:22)
Jul 22, 2026, City Council: Supported the independent counsel question, citing the corporation counsel being unable to advise members on the parking meter deal. (watch at 1:23:39)
Jul 22, 2026, City Council: Objected to framing the independent counsel question as invalid because state action would be needed. (watch at 1:16:08)
Jul 22, 2026, City Council: Clarified that blocking a referendum question is not blocking a millionaire's tax, and suggested pausing to consider ranked-choice voting for the ballot. (watch at 1:07:28)
Jul 15, 2026, City Council: Raised a point of order on whether the Barclay appointment received the required majority; the chair said appointments need a majority of members present. (watch at 4:21:43)
Jul 15, 2026, City Council: Supported the resolution calling on U.S. Attorney Boutros to resign, citing the handling of the Broadview Six prosecution. (watch at 3:24:41)
Jul 15, 2026, City Council: Supported The 78 agreements while raising concerns about project completion, cost growth and consistent standards for large TIF requests. (watch at 2:41:28)
Jul 15, 2026, City Council: Supported the disability resolution and asked advocates to specify what city-level changes they want. (watch at 1:53:55)
Jul 14, 2026, Committee on Transportation and Public Way: Moved to recommend approval of Michael Eady’s appointment. (watch at 2:18:23)