Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss announced he will seek a second term in the 2025 consolidated election, pledging to continue progressive policies like guaranteed income for poor families and to make the community a more eco-friendly and affordable place to live.
Biss said he was proud to have been mayor when Evanston became the first municipality in the nation to pay reparations to Black residents.
“I see the next four years as an opportunity to make even more progress,” Biss said.
In his first term, the city has helped make it easier for low-income residents to access housing, including approving shelter for those experiencing homelessness, providing rental assistance and developing new affordable units.
“I came in promising to do a lot on affordable housing,” Biss said. “We’ve done a lot of it.”
Biss said he plans to do more, including working on the Envision Evanston 2045 strategic plan, a communitywide project to overhaul the city’s comprehensive Planning and Zoning code to allow denser housing construction.
He has argued that denser housing is better for the climate because multi-family housing uses less energy and residents will need to drive less.
Biss won in 2021 after capturing nearly 73% of votes cast in the three-way contest for
mayor. He had received more than 100 endorsements, including from nine Evanston aldermen and then-incumbent Mayor Stephen Hagerty.
Another factor in his victory the first time around was a significant advantage in campaign cash.
In the first three months after announcing his candidacy, Biss had received more than $100,000
in contributions, far more than his two opponents, according to campaign documents. According to the most recent campaign disclosure report, his campaign committee has just under $140,000 on hand.
Biss served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013 and in the state Senate
from 2013 through 2019. He unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for governor in
2018, finishing second to JB Pritzker and just ahead of Chris Kennedy, a son of Robert F.
Kennedy.
Biss said he does not know of anyone else who intends to run for mayor.
The deadline to file campaign paperwork for the April 1, 2025 election is October 28.
Doug T. Graham is a freelancer.
