Evanston set for competitive municipal election season
Race begins for open mayoral seat, aldermanic posts
Only one aldermanic race is uncontested going into Evanston’s 2021 local elections, and three people are vying for mayor after incumbent Steve Hagerty declined to run again.
Meanwhile a former alderman is running for city clerk, and the sitting city clerk is running for alderman.
That’s the state of the race as of Nov. 23, the filing deadline for those running for Evanston public office in the 2021 election, according to the Evanston city clerk’s office.
With Hagerty declining to run for reelection, former Illinois state Sen. Daniel Biss, local activist Lori Keenan and Purdue University student Sebastian Nalls will compete to fill his seat, according to the clerk’s office finalized list of 2021 candidates.
City Clerk Devon Reid will not seek reelection. Resident Stephanie Mendoza and former alderman for the 7th Ward Jane Grover will compete for his job.
In the 1st Ward, local political activist ClareKelly is challenging incumbent Judy Fiske, according to the clerk’s office. Fiske was first elected in 2009.
In the 2nd Ward, local political activist Darlene Murray Cannon is challenging incumbent Peter Braithwaite, according to the clerk’s office. Braithwaite has held the seat since he was appointed in 2011 to replace Lionel JeanBaptiste, who resigned to become a Cook County Judge.
In the 3rd Ward, residents Eric Young and Nicholas Korzeniowski are challenging incumbent Melissa Wynne, according to the clerk’s office. Wynne
was first elected in 1998.
In the 4th Ward, residents Jonathan Nieuwsma and Diane Goldring will face off against incumbent Don Wilson, according to the clerk’s office. Wilson has held the seat since 2009.
In the 5th Ward, sitting Ald. Robin Rue Simmons did not file for reelection. Four residents will compete to replace her, according to the clerk’s office. Those include Carolyn Murray, Bobby Burns, Tina Foster and Rebecca Mendoza.
In the 6thWard, resident Katherine Trippi will run against incumbent Tom Suffredin, according to the clerk’s office. Suffredin has held the seat since 2017.
In the 7thWard, resident local political activistMary Rosinski will challenge incumbent Eleanor Revelle, according to the clerk’s office. Revelle has held the seat since she was appointed in 2016 to replace Grover, who stepped down to take a job with Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
In the 8th Ward, Reid and resident Matthew Matchell will challenge incumbent Ann Rainey for her seat, according to the clerk’s office. Rainey is the longest serving alderman and was first elected in 1983.
In the 9thWard, incumbent Cicely Fleming is running uncontested, according to the clerk’s office. Flemingwas first elected in 2017.
Nov. 30 is the last day to file objections to candidates’ nomination papers, according to the clerk’s office.
Dec. 17 is the last day for candidates to withdraw their candidacy, and the last day for the clerk to certify candidates, officers and referenda questions, according to the clerk’s office. The final day to file a notarized Declaration of Intent to be a Write-In candidate is Dec. 24.
The consolidated primary election will be Feb. 23, according to the Cook County Clerk’s office. The consolidated election will be April 6.
The primary election will include the mayoral race if it has more than two candidates, and the clerk’s race and aldermanic races if they have four or more candidates, Reid said.
A candidate can win the mayoral seat outright in the primary by earning 50% plus 1 of the vote, Reid said.
In the clerk and aldermanic races, the top two vote-getters in a primary race will go to a runoff in April, regardless of the vote totals, Reid said.