Incumbent Clare Kelly leads the 1st Ward City Council race, according to unofficial election results from the Cook County Clerk’s office.
As of 8:30 p.m., Kelly has received 668 votes, ahead of challenger Stephen Hackney with 612 votes with all precincts reporting. Mail-in ballots postmarked before April 1 must be counted.
“I’m happy,” Kelly said. “I’m honored by the trust the residents of the 1st Ward have placed in me after having served one term. It just really reaffirms all of our vision that we want in Evanston that’s really committed and responsive to the needs of the residents and our local businesses.”
If reelected, this will be Kelly’s second term. She initially took office by a tight margin in 2021.
Both Kelly and Hackney campaigned to increase affordable housing and direct the economic revitalization of the downtown area, but with differing methods in mind. Kelly, for instance, critiqued the city’s revised Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, diverging from Hackney’s support of the initiative. Kelly told The Daily she was looking to reinclude on-site mandates for affordable units in a second term.
Kelly, a retired Evanston Township High School teacher, has been a vocal critic of Mayor Daniel Biss. She frequently advocates for increased transparency in City Council’s deliberating process.
On Tuesday, Kelly pivoted to target Northwestern students. She set up a table outside Allison Dining Complex with signs reading “Save Chili’s.” The Church Street restaurant is set to be demolished and replaced by residential units and retail space.
Hackney, a former trial lawyer, retired to focus on community service and serves on the board of Connections for the Homeless and LINK Unlimited Scholars. He told The Daily in February that he was motivated to run by Kelly’s purported tendency to stand as the dissenting voice on City Council.
Hackney said that while it seemed unlikely that he would overcome the deficit with the remaining ballots, he enjoyed running his campaign and meeting Evanston residents. He said he believed the rollout of Envision Evanston 2045, the city’s comprehensive plan and rezoning overhaul, complicated his run for office.
Kelly, meanwhile, applauded Hackney’s dedication to public service.
“There’s really more that unites us than that divides us, so I look forward to working with him,” Kelly said.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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