The aldermanic ballot in Chicago’s 26th Ward showcases one familiar face and one young unknown.  Devon Reid is an 18-year-old freshman at Wilbur Wright College, and has taken the spring semester off to complete his campaign for alderman.  

A 3-year Humboldt Park resident, Reid said he’ll put an honest, community face behind the politics of the ward.  

Reid grew up in Evanston but moved to Chicago as a teen and attended Sullivan and Clemente high schools, graduating in May 2010.  He has lived in Chicago for five years.  

The decision to run for alderman, Reid said, was made on a whim in August while visiting with friends.  

“I had no clue that it was an election year,” he said.  “I did some research and I decided to run with it.”

Reid’s focal issues include increasing transparency, fiscal responsibility and crime prevention.  

Bruce Barnes, 58, said he has come out in support of Reid, donating $100 to his campaign and working on Reid’s website.  

“We’ve had myriad problems in the ward over the last 25 years,” Barnes said.  “Devon has a gift of understanding what is going on around him better than most adults I’ve seen.”

Luis Padilla, 30, has lived in the 26th Ward for 20 years.  He said that community preservation is a key issue that ward residents will consider on Feb. 22.

“In this particular community you would need to support affordable housing and preservation,” Padilla said.  He said incumbent Ald. Roberto Maldonado will have the upper hand in the election.

Barnes said Reid’s campaign might cause a stir on the political landscape.

“At the very least, he will give Maldonado a scare and force him to pay attention to what is actually going on in the neighborhood,” he said.