Sean Flynn (Illinois)

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Sean Flynn

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

February 28, 2023

Education

Associates

City Colleges of Chicago, 2018

Bachelor's

University of Illinois, Chicago, 2020

Graduate

University of Illinois, Chicago, 2021

Personal

Religion

Christian

Sean Flynn ran for election to the Chicago City Council to represent Ward 8 in Illinois. He lost in the general election on February 28, 2023.

Flynn completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Sean Flynn earned an associate degree from the City Colleges of Chicago in 2018, a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois, Chicago in 2020, and a graduate degree from the University of Illinois, Chicago in 2021.

Elections

2023

See also: City elections in Chicago, Illinois (2023)

General election

General election for Chicago City Council Ward 8

Incumbent Michelle Harris defeated Linda Hudson and Sean Flynn in the general election for Chicago City Council Ward 8 on February 28, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michelle Harris (Nonpartisan)	70.6	8,675
	Submit photo	Linda Hudson (Nonpartisan)	18.0	2,214
		Sean Flynn (Nonpartisan)	11.4	1,396

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 12,285
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Geno Young (Nonpartisan)

Campaign themes

2023

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released October 6, 2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Sean Flynn completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Flynn's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am the youngest of four boys from a single-parent home on the south side of Chicago. I was a high school dropout and a father to three children. For most of my adult life, I worked a lot of low-skill jobs. I became a licensed barber and professionally cut hair for 8 years.

I became sensitive to the crime and violence I saw in my community, especially involving teens. As a father, I felt compelled to give back to my community by being a positive role model to youth in disenfranchised neighborhoods. I switched career paths and began working in the community mentoring at-risk youth.

I am a nontraditional student who returned to education, first at Olive Harvey City College, and later at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where I became an honors student. In four and a half years, I went from a GED to a master's degree while earning several fellowships, internships, and jobs.

In 2020 I began working in city government, first for Alderman David Moore and then for Alderman Leslie Hairston. These experiences have brought me to this point in my life where I became an effective servant leader in the community.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Qualified - I earned my bachelor's degree in public policy and my master's degree in public administration as a result of my education. My experience serving two Aldermen allowed me to gain insight into what it takes to serve constituents at the ward level. Taken together, I believe these two experiences make me fully competent to function as a public servant.
• Relatable - Because of my own life experiences I can understand and show empathy for constituents based on similar experiences I have gone through.
• Responsive - As a former aldermanic ward representative I have gained experience responding with interest to constituents in need.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about Public Policy Development. Taking part in creating, implementing, or reviewing a law, regulation, funding priority, or other government action on a particular public issue excites me.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first job was working in the lumber dept. Courtesy Home Center. I think I was there for a few months.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Note: Flynn submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on January 12, 2023.

Show past responsesHide past responses

December 23 submission

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m a south side based public servant, and youth mentor. My purpose in life is to help people who need assistance accessing resources or representation when feeling unheard. I know that I am making a difference in their lives when I listen, collaborate, and problem-solve with them. I possess a Bachelors in Public Policy and Masters in Public Administration. I have experience in city government working as an aldermanic assistant for Alderman Leslie Hairston and the Chief of Staff for Alderman David Moore.

The community service experience that I've gained as a youth worker opened my eyes to the realities of the people who live in underserved neighborhoods. My educational background provided me insight into government processes and networks that can help a community run efficiently. The work experience I acquired in city government gave me the practical tools needed to service the constituents of a Ward, and allowed me to collaborate with other city service departments to solve complex problems residents may face.

I plan to listen to the concerns and ideas of the community residents. It's important to be a voice of the community by communicating the needs and wants of the constituency which I would represent. It's necessary to collaborate with community residents to achieve positive results. If the city and its people are going to succeed, we have to get there together.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I plan to increase community engagement through reinstating block clubs and community based activities that include programs for the youth and support for senior residents.
• Crime is a problem anytime and anywhere it happens. Safety is a basic necessity that we cannot live without. My strategy will be to prioritize our resources, address concerns around mental health and invest in more mentoring and community programs to better combat the issues at hand.
• Over the years the vibrancy of the 8th Ward business district has decreased. There is a noticeable number of retail vacancies, void of big businesses employing community residents. This is a major gap in our neighborhood. Bringing in new sustainable businesses that are heavily frequented and employ a significant number of community residents is a top priority for my 8th Ward office.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Outside of my work for the city, my experience includes mentoring at-risk teens in working-class South Side neighborhoods like Altgeld Gardens, Englewood, and Morgan Park, pouring into teens who needed love and support, meeting families in need where they were, and finding solutions. I developed a deep understanding of the systematic barriers that prevent them and their families from accessing resources and would carry that knowledge with me into the Aldermanic office of the 8th Ward.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Note: Flynn submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on December 23, 2022.

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