Chicago District 10a Ballot Lists Only One Name
Voters in District 10a will choose between Che Rhymefest Smith on the printed ballot and Tameka Walton's write-in campaign.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Administration
Live Poll
Do you trust local school board members to make decisions without union influence?
Che Rhymefest Smith is the only name printed on the ballot for Chicago School Board District 10a, after Tameka Walton's name was removed and she began running as a write-in candidate. Voters in the district's schools will choose between the printed candidate and a write-in effort.
Why it matters
For Chicago families in District 10a, the school board seat shapes decisions about the neighborhood schools their children attend, including Kenwood Academy High School and Murray Language Academy Elementary School. With a single name on the printed ballot, the race puts the write-in process and the district's voter turnout in sharper focus for households across South Shore, Woodlawn, Hyde Park and nearby neighborhoods.
Smith won his first school board seat as an independent two years before the 2026 election and has raised more than $100,000 in campaign donations. District 10a covers 33 schools, where more than 88% of students are Black and nearly 7% are Hispanic.
The players
Che Rhymefest Smith
Chicago School Board member for District 10a, known for consistent votes against Chicago Teachers Union priorities and backing from groups opposed to the union.
Tameka Walton
Write-in candidate for Chicago School Board District 10a, endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union and backed by its PAC and Our Schools PAC.
Chicago Teachers Union
Major Chicago labor union that endorses school board candidates and funds campaigns through its PAC and affiliated Our Schools PAC.
The details
Walton's name was removed from the District 10a ballot, leaving Smith as the only name printed. Walton is seeking election as a write-in candidate and has the Chicago Teachers Union endorsement along with donations from the CTU PAC and the CTU-affiliated Our Schools PAC. Smith has consistently voted against items pushed by the union and has received endorsements and donations from groups that oppose it.
Timeline
Two years before the 2026 election, Smith won his first school board seat as an independent.
In 2024, Smith faced CTU-backed candidates in his first school board election.
The District 10a race was reported on November 3, 2026.
The Home Front
Smith's 2024 win as an independent against CTU-backed candidates set the stage for the 2026 District 10a contest, which now has a single printed name on the ballot. The race reflects a continuing divide over union influence on Chicago's school board that shapes how the board's neighborhood-level seats are contested.
If your household is in District 10a, check your voter registration and polling location with the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners before election day. Because Walton is running as a write-in candidate, confirm the exact spelling and procedure for writing in a name on your ballot.
The takeaway
A single printed name on a school board ballot means the write-in process will decide how District 10a residents are represented, so families with children at Kenwood Academy or Murray Language Academy should understand how that process works. Keep your voter registration current and plan your visit to the polls early.
Further reading
For more background on how local school governance works, explore Administration coverage on Chicago's education leadership.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Chicago Sun-Times.
Live Poll
Do you trust local school board members to make decisions without union influence?
