34th Ward · 2027 Aldermanic Race

Nathan Bean Enters the Race for 34th Ward Alderman

A Cook County public defender's office paralegal is challenging Ald. Bill Conway for the 34th Ward seat, betting that door-knocking can do what a smaller campaign account can't.

34th Ward News · Election 2027 · Published September 7, 2026

Nathan Bean, a certified paralegal at the Cook County Public Defender's Office, has entered the race for 34th Ward alderman, challenging incumbent Bill Conway ahead of the February 23, 2027 municipal election. In written responses to questions from this outlet, Bean laid out why he's running, what he'd prioritize in a ward that stretches across the Loop, West Loop, South Loop, Greektown and Little Italy, and how a first-time officeholder plans to beat an incumbent with far greater financial resources.

Bean's Background

Bean's path to this race runs through retail management rather than law school, he's worked customer-facing jobs, including as a shift manager at Starbucks, before returning to school and becoming a certified paralegal. He said that work taught him to “manage people, solve problems under pressure, listen to people from very different backgrounds, and understand how large institutions affect people in their everyday lives,” skills he argues translate directly to constituent services.

At the Public Defender's Office, Bean described handling complicated cases, large volumes of information and frequent interactions with government agencies, often on behalf of clients facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

“It requires preparation, attention to detail, careful listening, and persistence in navigating government systems,” Bean said of that work. “Those are skills I would bring directly to the alderman's office.”

This isn't Bean's first run for City Council. In 2023, he sought the 44th Ward seat but was removed from the ballot after the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners ruled he hadn't properly filed a Statement of Economic Interests with his nominating petitions. He ran instead as an openly queer write-in candidate and finished with roughly 1 percent of the vote in a race Ald. Bennett Lawson won outright. He has since moved into the 34th Ward.

“No elected official should be entitled to a seat simply because they have more money, a well-known name, or the advantages of incumbency,” Bean said. “Competition makes government more accountable.”

Bean's Priorities

Housing tops Bean's platform. He wants the ward to approve “thousands of new homes” over the coming years, apartments, condos, three- and four-flats, mid-rises and high-rises, concentrated near transit and commercial corridors, paired with parks, schools, libraries and childcare so growth doesn't outrun the infrastructure to support it. He also backs expanded protected bike lanes and more reliable, accessible CTA service.

On public safety, he described a both/and approach, targeted enforcement where problems persist, alongside investment in mental health services, violence prevention and lighting. And he wants a ward office residents don't need to understand City Hall to use.

“I don't think we have to choose between taking crime seriously and ensuring that our public-safety strategies are targeted, effective, and accountable,” Bean said.

The Path to Victory

Bean doesn't dispute that he's outmatched financially. A Statement of Organization his campaign filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections, received August 6, 2026, shows his committee, Friends of Nathan Bean, reported $0 in available funds when it was reactivated two days earlier. His plan is to out-organize rather than outspend, thousands of direct voter conversations, door-knocking and a volunteer network built around renters, homeowners, small-business owners, transit riders and young professionals.

“Money can buy mailers, advertising, and consultants. It cannot substitute for a candidate personally asking someone what they want from their neighborhood and then actually listening to the answer,” Bean said. “I am not running because I think the 34th Ward is failing. I am running because I think that it has extraordinary potential. I do not need to match my opponent dollar for dollar. I need one more vote.”

His Pitch to Voters

Asked what he wants residents to know about him, Bean pointed to the everyday functions of the alderman's office, whether the train runs on time, whether a dangerous intersection gets fixed, whether someone picks up the phone at the ward office.

“I would bring energy, preparation, independence, and a willingness to listen to that job,” Bean said. “I am not interested in treating the office as a stepping stone or simply maintaining the status quo.”