As Illinois’ 2025 consolidated general election approaches, mayoral, City Council and school board hopefuls have one month remaining before the deadline to file nomination petitions. In the 7th Ward, the race for an open seat has already begun.
Three candidates are currently vying to fill an empty 7th Ward City Council position following Ald. Eleanor Revelle’s decision not to seek a third term.
Public Safety Civil Service Commission Acting Chair Kerry Mundy, real estate broker and community activist Mary Rosinski and attorney Parielle Davis have announced their candidacy to be the 7th Ward’s alderperson.
The city’s consolidated election will take place on April 1. A primary to narrow the field would only occur if five or more candidates qualify for a councilmember race, and would take place Feb. 25.
Evanston’s 7th Ward covers Northwestern and Ryan Field, the University’s controversial new football stadium which is currently under construction. Of the three candidates, Mundy is alone in his support of the Rebuild Ryan Field project, which has faced criticism from residents due to noise, traffic and environmental concerns.
“The reason I support the stadium is because it has good benefits for Evanston, as long as the needs of the residents are met,” Mundy said.
Rosinski, a member of the city’s Parks and Recreation Board, opposes the commercial rezoning of Ryan Field for its potential to decrease nearby property values, she said. In an interview with The Daily, Rosinski called the plan to host concerts and the zoning negotiation process “a disservice to all the residents.”
She proposed changing the city’s spending rules, which currently allows city officials to spend up to $25,000 without Council approval, so that the city can only spend that money on necessary purchases.
Davis, meanwhile, opposes aspects of the Ryan Field plan due to local disruptions such as increased noise levels, she said. Davis is the former vice president of the Most Livable City Association, which sued Evanston for approving Ryan Field concerts in a tie-breaking vote. Davis is also the chair of the “Better Than Biss” political committee.
Davis said she advocated for the community benefits agreement between NU and Evanston, which committed $100 million to fund city initiatives over the next 10 years.
If elected, Davis aims to build more affordable housing, collaborate with other councilmembers to improve city services and increase transparency in city government, she said.
Mundy, a former U.S. naval officer and Director of Threat and Vulnerability for Chicago, hopes to promote small businesses and “develop mutual respect between community members and the university,” he said.
“My goal is to hope to reset the tone of the conversation with Northwestern largely to one that’s productive for the community,” Mundy said.
In June, City Council approved a resolution to establish ranked choice voting in all future municipal elections, beginning in 2025. The resolution says Evanston’s home rule authority allows the city to move forward without changes to state election laws. In a June statement to the Chicago Tribune, the Cook County Clerk’s Office disagreed, leaving the voting method uncertain for the upcoming municipal elections.
With ballot nomination petitions due Oct. 28, time remains for new candidates to emerge in the race for the 7th Ward Council seat.
Update: This story was changed to include a comment from Mary Rosinski.
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