Roberto Maldonado

Roberto Maldonado is an American politician who served as the alderman of the 26th Ward of the City of Chicago, Illinois from 2009 to 2023.

Early life, education, career and family

Maldonado earned both his undergraduate degree and master's degree from the University of Puerto Rico. After moving to Chicago, he continued his studies at Loyola University Chicago, where he pursued doctoral studies in clinical psychology.

Maldonado worked as a school psychologist and later as a research analyst for the Mayor's Commission on Latino Affairs. He was also involved in the 1986 aldermanic campaign of Luis Gutiérrez and in Gutiérrez's 1987 re-election campaign.

In 1988, Maldonado served as Director of Management Services for the Mayor's Office of Employment Training. In that role, he was the agency's chief purchasing official and oversaw an annual purchasing budget of about $1 million. According to reporting by the Chicago Sun-Times, contracts from the office were awarded to companies owned by people connected to Gutiérrez's Puerto Rican political circle, and Maldonado later sought campaign contributions for Gutiérrez from some of those vendors. Maldonado resigned from the city position days after the publication of the report.

Chicago alderman On July 28, 2009, Maldonado was appointed by Chicago Mayor Daley as the alderman for Chicago's 26th Ward.

As of 2009, Maldonado owned more real estate than any other alderman, owning 16 properties (including ten in the 26th Ward) according to financial disclosure statements.

In 2015, despite majority local support of the Riot Fest music festival, Maldonado vocally opposed allowing the event to continue using Humboldt Park. The festival ultimately relocated to North Lawndale.

In 2017, a video surfaced of Maldonado confronting police officers at a crime scene in his neighborhood, and attempting to use his status as an alderman to have police allow him to drive through an active crime scene. In the video, the alderman's response to the officers not allowing him to drive through the crime scene was “You know what? This why the Police Department in such bad shape with the citizens.” Maldonado later filed a complaint accusing the officers of "rude and discourteous" behavior towards him.

In 2019, he was selected as the chairman of the Council's Latino Caucus by his fellow caucus members.

In January 2023, the month before the first round of the 2023 Chicago aldermanic election, Maldonado withdrew his candidacy for reelection.

Electoral history Cook County Board of Commissioners elections

Aldermanic elections