Six Candidates Set for Evanston Mayoral Primary
A ballot lottery fixed candidate order after no objections were filed against the six petitions for the special mayoral election.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Six candidates are locked in for the Feb. 23 primary in Evanston's special mayoral election after no objections were filed before the window closed Monday afternoon. A ballot lottery held Wednesday at City Hall set the order in which candidates will appear.
Why it matters
The special election will fill the final two years of the unexpired term left open when former Mayor Daniel Biss resigned Oct. 18 before winning the 9th Congressional District seat. The winner will take office in May 2027, succeeding Acting Mayor Jonathan Nieuwsma.
Six candidates qualified for the Feb. 23 primary with no objections filed against their petitions, and the top two vote-getters will advance to an April 6 runoff. The field remains open to change only if a candidate withdraws before the Dec. 17 certification deadline.
The players
Daniel Biss
Former Evanston mayor who resigned Oct. 18 after winning the 9th Congressional District seat in the midterm election.
Jonathan Nieuwsma
Acting Evanston mayor who will be succeeded by the winner of the special election when that candidate takes office in May 2027.
The details
Ballot order was determined by drawing numbered Ping-Pong balls from a bucket at City Hall, as state law requires when candidates file at the same point in the filing period. Candidates filed between Oct. 19 and Oct. 26, and Boarini and Mendoza drew the top spots while Logan and Smith were placed at the bottom.
Timeline
Oct. 18: Biss resigns as mayor before winning the 9th Congressional District seat.
Oct. 19 to Oct. 26: Candidates file petitions to run for mayor.
Monday: The objection window closes with no objections filed.
Wednesday: The ballot lottery is held at City Hall.
Feb. 23: The mayoral primary election takes place.
Political Context
The special election is a direct consequence of Biss leaving City Hall for Congress, which left the mayoralty to an acting mayor until voters choose a successor. Opposition and scrutiny will center on whether a six-candidate field and an April runoff can produce a clear mandate before the May 2027 swearing-in.
Evanston voters will choose from six names on the Feb. 23 ballot, and the top two finishers will face each other again on April 6 if no candidate clears the threshold. Residents who want to weigh in on candidates should plan to attend early forums, the first of which is scheduled for Nov. 14 on climate and transportation.
The takeaway
Because the ballot order and field can only change through withdrawal before Dec. 17, voters who want to compare candidates have a fixed set of six to research ahead of the February primary.
What happens next
The ballot will be final unless a candidate withdraws before the Dec. 17 certification deadline, and the primary is set for Feb. 23 with a runoff on April 6 if no one wins outright.
Further reading
Track the full field in our coverage of Elections in Evanston as the Feb. 23 primary approaches.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Evanston RoundTable.
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