Evanston Voter GuideSpecial election · 2026–27
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Explainer · Published Fri Oct 16, 2026

What does the mayor do?

Short answer

Evanston’s mayor leads City Council meetings, and votes only to break a tie or on hiring or firing the city manager. [1]

The basics

  • Evanston is a home-rule city with a council–manager form of government. The City Council is the mayor plus nine councilmembers, one per ward. [2]
  • The mayor votes only to break a tie, such as 4–4, and on hiring or firing the city manager. In June 2025 the council’s Rules Committee voted unanimously to keep it that way. [1]
  • The mayor, councilmembers and clerk serve four-year terms. [2] The mayor elected in 2027 serves the rest of the current term, through May 2029. [3]

Until a new mayor takes office

The City Council chooses an acting mayor from its own members. [4]

Related

Sources

  1. Evanston RoundTable — Council nixes expanding mayor’s voting power (June 3, 2025) — https://evanstonroundtable.com/2025/06/03/council-nixes-expanding-mayors-voting-power-raises-bar-for-acting-mayor-in-new-rules/ · accessed 2026-10-06
  2. City of Evanston — City Council — https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/city_council/index.php · accessed 2026-10-06
  3. City of Evanston, City Clerk — 2027 Special Mayoral Election — https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/city_clerks_office/2025_consolidated_elections/index.php · accessed 2026-10-06
  4. 65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-50, municipal vacancies (as amended by P.A. 104-434) — https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=006500050K3.1-10-50 · accessed 2026-10-06