Theodore Matlak
{{Short description|American alderman (born 1965)}}
{{BLP sources|date=March 2010}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ted Matlak
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Theodore Anthony Matlak
| birth_date = May 16, 1965
| birth_place = {{nowrap|Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois}}
| death_date =
| death_place =
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| birthname =
| nationality =
| office = Member of the Chicago City Council from the 32nd ward
| term_start = May 20, 1998
| term_end = May 21, 2007
| predecessor = Terry Gabinski
| successor = Scott Waguespack
| party = Democratic
| otherparty =
| spouse = Gail Matlak (m.1991)
| partner =
| relations =
| children = Two daughters
| residence = Bucktown, Chicago, Illinois
| alma_mater = DePaul University (BA)
| occupation =
| profession = Politician
Real Estate Broker
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Ted Matlak was the alderman of the 32nd ward in Chicago from 1998 until 2007. On April 17, 2007, Matlak lost to challenger Scott Waguespack in a close aldermanic race.
Background
Matlak was born in Chicago near the 2500 block of Marshfield in a tavern to Priscilla Gordon and the son of Polish immigrants, Theodore Matlak Sr. His younger sister now resides there with her children and his parents. Matlak was appointed alderman by former alderman Theris Gabinski and was an intern to ex-Congressman Dan Rostenkowski while attending page school in Washington D.C. He graduated from Gordon College Prep, and originally intended on joining the U.S. army. Unfortunately, health issues relating to his kidneys prevented such a career, and he instead proceeded to attend DePaul University in Chicago, where he received an accounting degree. In 1991, he married Gail and later he had 2 daughters: Emily and Aubrey Matlak.{{cite news|first1=Kogan|last1=Rick|title=A Tavern Kid|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|location=Chicago, Illinois|date=July 9, 2006|access-date=May 23, 2017|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2006/07/09/a-tavern-kid/}}
Matlak has received two kidney transplants: one in 1993 and one in 2004.
Politics
=Early career=
He had interned with Dan Rostenkowski and worked in the ward office of former alderman Terry Gabinski.
=Aldermanic career=
Matlak served as 32nd ward alderman in Chicago for nine years, from 1998 to 2007.
He was appointed in 1998 by Mayor Richard M. Daley to finish the term of Theris Gabinski, and was elected outright in 1999. He subsequently was again reelected in 2003. In 2003, his challenger was Jay Stone, son of 50th ward alderman Bernard Stone. Bernard Stone not only supported Matlak, but publicly criticized his son for running.{{cite news|last=Joravsky|first=Ben|title=Stone Rocks the Boat; Somebody's Gonna Be Mad|date=May 20, 2004|newspaper=Chicago Reader|accessdate=April 13, 2018|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/stone-rocks-the-boat-somebodys-gonna-be-mad/Content?oid=915549}} In 2007 opponent was newcomer Scott Waguespack, who beat him in a tight race by only 121 votes in 2007."Illinois 2010 Elections: Alderman Scott Waguespack Abandons Neutrality in Race to Succeed Rep John Fritchey to Back Ed Mullen." Illinoisobserver.net, www.illinoisobserver.net/2010/02/01/illinois-2010-elections-alderman-scott-waguespack-abandons-neutrality-in-race-to-succeed-rep-john-fritchey-to-back-ed-mullen/. Among some of his accomplishments during his aldermanic career were having several Chicago Public Parks built and having a new Chicago Public Library built.
=Subsequent political endeavors=
Matlak lost the February 2, 2010 Democratic Primary Election for Commissioner of the 12th District of the Cook County Board to politician John Fritchey.{{cite web|title =List of Democratic Candidates|url =http://www.cookcountyclerk.com/elections/2010elections/Pages/candidates.aspx|accessdate =2010-01-15|url-status =dead|archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20100209021239/http://www.cookcountyclerk.com/elections/2010elections/Pages/candidates.aspx|archivedate =2010-02-09}}
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change| title=1999 Chicago 32nd Ward aldermanic election{{cite web| url=http://chicagodemocracy.org/ElectionResults.jsp?election=crdd_general%2Cgis_entity_crdd_1999_General_Election%2Cil_chi_ald_32 |website=chicagodemocracy.org |publisher=Chicago Democracy Project | title=Election Results for 1999 General Election, Alderman, Ward 32, Chicago, IL |accessdate=20 February 2019}} }}
{{Election box winning candidate no change
|party = Nonpartisan
|candidate = Theodore A. Matlak (incumbent)
|votes = 6,725
|percentage = 54.34
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
|party = Nonpartisan
|candidate = Lorna Brett
|votes = 4,019
|percentage = 32.47
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
|party = Nonpartisan
|candidate = Peter Donoghue
|votes = 1,512
|percentage = 12.22
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
|party = Nonpartisan
|candidate = Richard T. Eilenberger
|votes = 121
|percentage = 0.98
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 12,377
|percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change| title=2003 Chicago 32nd Ward aldermanic election{{cite web |title=2003 Municipal General - 2/25/03 |url=https://chicagoelections.gov/en/election-results.asp?election=110&race=37 |website=chicagoelections.gov |publisher=Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago |accessdate=20 February 2020}} }}
{{Election box winning candidate no change
|party = Nonpartisan
|candidate = Ted Matlak (incumbent)
|votes = 5,518
|percentage = 73.80
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
|party = Nonpartisan
|candidate = Jay Stone
|votes = 1,959
|percentage = 26.20
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 7,477
|percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
| class=wikitable
!colspan=5|2007 Chicago 32nd Ward aldermanic election |
| colspan=1 |Candidates
!colspan=2 |General Election{{cite web |title=2007 Municipal General - 2/27/07 |url=https://chicagoelections.gov/en/election-results.asp?election=65 |website=chicagoelections.gov |publisher=Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago |accessdate=20 February 2020}} |
|---|
| !Votes
!% !Votes !% |
| Scott Waguespack
| align="right" | 3,186 | align="right" | 39.30 | align="right" | 4,179 | align="right" | 50.73 |
| Ted Matlak (incumbent)
| align="right" | 3,799 | align="right" | 46.86 | align="right" | 4,058 | align="right" | 49.27 |
| Catherine A. Zaryczny
| align="right" | 1,122 | align="right" | 13.84 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Total
| align="right" | 8,107 | align="right" | 100 | align="right" | 8,237 | align="right" | 100 |
{{Election box begin no change| title=2007 Cook County Board 12th district Democratic primary{{cite web |title=2010 Primary - DEM - 2/2/10 |url=https://chicagoelections.gov/en/election-results.asp?election=27&race=99 |website=chicagoelections.gov |publisher=Board of Election Commissioners for the City of Chicago |accessdate=20 February 2020}} }}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = John A. Fritchey
|votes = 19,878
|percentage = 75.32
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Ted Matlak
|votes = 6,512
|percentage = 24.68
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 26,390
|percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Matlak, Theodore}}
Category:Chicago City Council members
Category:DePaul University alumni
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