ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½

For instance, two years ago, Sharon Tyus emerged from the primary like Zombie Woman. She had represented the old 20th Ward — loudly — for more than a decade until her fellow alderpeople voted her off the island in a remapping of the city’s 28 wards in 2001. It was during that bitter remapping fight that Irene Smith, a Tyus supporter who then represented the 1st Ward, allegedly urinated in a trash can rather than give up the floor during a filibuster.

Smith later unsuccessfully ran for mayor.

In March 2013, Tyus stunned her former colleagues by winning Smith’s old seat. (Actually, she won the Democratic primary, which is the same thing.) It was as if Tyus had returned from the dead. “You can’t throw enough dirt on that woman to keep her under,� a colleague said with grudging admiration.

Will anything that dramatic happen March 3? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some interesting races.

The even-numbered wards are in play this time. Also, the 7th and 15th wards are having primaries because of resignations. In addition, aldermanic president is up.

Aldermanic President Lewis Reed faces perennial candidate Jimmie Matthews. There was a time, not so long ago, when City Hall observers figured Mayor Francis Slay would run a candidate against Reed. But no. Either he’s happy with Reed as a foil, or he had no viable candidate.

Still, the Reed-Slay push-pull continues in a number of races. Three black aldermen who supported Slay against Reed in the mayoral primary two years ago are facing challengers. The aldermen are Dionne Flowers of the 2nd Ward, Jeffrey Boyd of the 22nd Ward and Frank Williamson of the 26th Ward. The mayor is supporting the three incumbents. Reed has taken no official position in the 2nd or 22nd, but he is supporting the challenger in the 26th Ward.

In the 15th Ward, Reed supports incumbent Megan Green; the mayor supports challenger Elizabeth Braznell.

Let’s pause for a moment to consider the 15th Ward. Jennifer Florida used to represent it. She married the 14th Ward alderman, Stephen Gregali. (In medieval times, the wards would have merged.) Both Gregali and Florida were loyal soldiers of the mayor. Gregali resigned from the board and took a position on the mayor’s staff. (He has since been transferred to the Supply Division.) Florida, who was once rumored to be a potential candidate against Reed, was appointed recorder of deeds last July after longtime recorder Sharon Carpenter was forced to step down because of charges of nepotism.

Carpenter stepped aside but remained in the August primary and won easily. Florida had been appointed to the position too late to get into the primary, so she had to run as an independent in November. She had the mayor’s support but was crushed by Carpenter.

Meanwhile, the 15th had a special election to fill Florida’s seat. The Democratic Party selected the ward’s committeewoman as its candidate, but Megan Green, young and a political unknown, won as an independent. She had Reed’s support. Now she’s running in the Democratic primary. Again, she has Reed’s support. Slay supports her opponent.

Green is not the only young, progressive candidate whom Reed is supporting against the establishment. Cara Spencer fits the bill in the 20th Ward. She is running against incumbent Craig Schmid, who is supported by the mayor. David Gaither also is a candidate. Spencer is the director of business development for Nebula, a startup business center on Cherokee Street — which is, by the way, filled with her signs.

Maybe that is the underlying question to be answered in March: Is this the time of the millennials?

In the 7th Ward, three young people are competing for the position vacated by Phyllis Young. In the 24th Ward, incumbent Scott Ogilvie is trying to retain his seat against former alderman Tom Bauer.

Don’t think the establishment isn’t watching. And remembering. Once it was the boomers who were trying to break through. Vince Schoemehl was a political unknown when he was elected to the Board of Aldermen in 1975. Six years later, he was the mayor.

Incidentally, the incumbent mayor he beat was Jim Conway, whose son is Alderman Stephen Conway in the 8th Ward.

In ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ politics, the past never goes away. Or if it does, it comes back. Just ask Sharon Tyus.

Editor's note: The last name of Jennifer Florida of incorrect in an earlier version of this column.