Roderick Sawyer

Roderick Terrance Sawyer (born April 12, 1963) is an American politician and the former alderman of the 6th ward located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. During part of his tenure on the council, Sawyer was chairman of the Health and Human Relations Committee. Sawyer was a member of the Progressive Reform Caucus, and was the chairman of the African American Caucus.

Sawyer forwent reelection to the city council in 2023 to make an unsuccessful run for mayor of Chicago in the 2023 Chicago mayoral election, receiving 0.43% of the vote and is one of three children of Eugene and Eleanor Sawyer . He grew up in the 6th ward on the South Side of the city. His father served as mayor of Chicago, being appointed to the office after the sudden death of Harold Washington and serving from December 1987 until April 1989. His was the second African-American to hold the office (the first being Washington).

Sawyer attended high school at St. Ignatius College Prep, graduating in 1981. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Finance from DePaul University, and a Juris Doctor from the Chicago Kent College of Law. Sawyer has worked as a lawyer, realtor, and stock broker. and served three terms, being re-elected in 2015 and 2019. During part of his tenure on the council, Sawyer was chairman of the Health and Human Relations Committee. Sawyer was a member of the Progressive Reform Caucus, and was the chairman of the African American Caucus. While an alderman, he continued to work as a lawyer. Sawyer faced two opponents in his 2015 campaign for re-electio: Richard Wooten and Brian Garner. Wooten had been the third-place finisher of the 2011 race. In 2019, Sawyer won re-election in a runoff.

In 2013, Sawyer and nine other council members founded the council's Progressive Reform Caucus. In 2022, he supported the proposed GoodKids MadCity’s Peacebook Ordinance to create an Office of Neighborhood Safety tasked with long-term solutions to combat gun violence. He also supported the creation of local police district councils. in his second candidacy for the position (having previously run unsuccessfully in 1996). He was re-elected to additional four-year stints in the position in 2016 and 2020.

2023 Chicago mayoral candidacy

In June 2022, Sawyer announced his candidacy for mayor in the 2023 election, challenging incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Before running, Sawyer had been critical of incumbent mayor Lori Lightfoot on several issues. These include her late September 2022 removal of a $42.7 million property tax increase that would have taken effect prior to the 2023 election. The tax increase would have gone through on an automatic escalator basis had Lightfoot not revoked it. Sawyer said, "If you thought it was responsible to have a modest tax increase, you should stand by that. And if you feel it's not, you should stand by that. If you're not gonna do that, you're just blowing with the wind." When he announced his run for mayor, Sawyer said that crime was the first issue on his mind, and that if elected, he would fire Chicago Police Supt. David Brown.

Personal Sawyer is married to Cheryll Aikens Sawyer. They have two children, Sydni Celeste Sawyer and Roderick T. Sawyer Jr.

Votes % Votes % Roderick T. Sawyer

Freddrenna M. Lyle

Richard A. Wooten

Cassandra Goodrum-Burton

Sekum Walker

Brian E. Sleet

Total

2019 Chicago 6th ward aldermanic election Candidate General election Runoff election Votes % Votes % Roderick T. Sawyer (incumbent) 5,053 49.94 5,966 53.67 Deborah A. Foster-Bonner 3,159 31.22 5,151 46.33 Richard A. Wooten 1,900 18.78 Write-ins 7 0.07 Total 10,119 100.00 11,117 100.00

Mayoral 2023 Chicago mayoral election Candidate General election Runoff election Votes % Votes % Brandon Johnson 122,093 21.63 319,481 52.16 Paul Vallas 185,743 32.90 293,033 47.84 Lori Lightfoot (incumbent) 94,890 16.81 Chuy García 77,222 13.68 Willie Wilson 51,567 9.13 Ja'Mal Green 12,257 2.17 Kam Buckner 11,092 1.96 Sophia King 7,191 1.27 Roderick Sawyer 2,440 0.43 Write-ins 29 0.01 Total 564,524 100.00 612,514 100.00