Matt Rodgers is leading in the election for 8th Ward councilmember according to preliminary results from the Cook County Clerk’s office. As of 9:10 p.m., Rodgers has 810 votes to incumbent Ald. Devon Reid’s 452, with five out of five precincts reporting.
Results will be finalized at a later date, as mail-in ballots postmarked before April 1 must be counted.
“I’m just looking forward to working with the council that’s elected in order to get things accomplished for the people in the 8th Ward and in the city of Evanston,” Rodgers said. “We’ve got big things coming up with the Envision Evanston stuff that’s on the table and just dealing with figuring out what’s going on with our budget moving forward.”
Rodgers said he hopes to see the number of votes from the ward increase tonight to reflect higher engagement.
Looking forward, he said he will be working on balancing the budget as he predicts the federal government will provide less funding for local government.
Rodgers said he wants to use Envision Evanston 2045 to reflect what the town wants to see in the next 20 years, not just the council.
“I’ve been working with (Envision Evanston) for many, many months now, from Land Use Commission and as I’ve always said, it’s not what my vision of the city is,” Rodgers said. “I really want to make sure that everybody’s voices are heard and that people are out there making sure that their vision is being heard.”
Rodgers said Reid called him to congratulate him. The Daily contacted Reid but he did not immediately respond.
Rodgers currently works as the operations and communications director at the Episcopal Church of the Atonement and is self-employed as a graphic artist. He previously served as commissioner and chair of the Land Use Commission as well as a previous member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, Plan Commission and Economic Development Committee.
Reid was running for his second term representing the 8th Ward and previously served as city clerk. In a candidate profile submitted to the Evanston Roundtable, he said his top priorities are improving affordable housing, supporting local businesses and expanding community-based safety solutions.
Reid and Rodgers disagreed on Envision Evanston’s plan to allow current single-family home neighborhoods to have up to four dwelling units, with Reid saying this will promote diverse, mixed-income neighborhoods and Rodgers saying this will drive residents to other nearby communities.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Email: kaavyabutaney2026@u.northwestern.edu
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