--- title: Elliot Oats — Mayor of Evanston url: https://evanstonvoterguide.com/mayor/elliot-oats/ updated: 2026-10-06 source_policy: every fact carries a numbered source; [n] markers refer to the Sources list --- [Home](https://evanstonvoterguide.com/) / [Mayor of Evanston](https://evanstonvoterguide.com/mayor/) / Elliot Oats Photo: Oats campaign Mayor of Evanston · Announced · not yet filed # Elliot Oats Teamsters Local 705 union steward at UPS. Bike-infrastructure activist with the Evanston Transit Alliance. [1][2] ## At a glance - Declared — July 2026. His campaign committee was formed July 8.[2][3] - Campaign committee — Friends of Elliot Oats (ISBE ID 41268).[3] - Occupation — Teamsters Local 705 union steward at UPS’s Skokie facility. First elected steward at 19, and reelected in 2026.[1] - Public office — None found. - In Evanston — 18 years, per his campaign. Lives in the 6th Ward and has also lived in the 3rd, 7th and 9th.[4][1] - Age — 22 (July 2026)[1] - Education — ETHS, class of 2021; associate’s degree, Oakton College.[1] - Prior runs — None found. - Endorsements — None announced as of Oct 6, 2026. ## Background Oats has worked at UPS for five years. [5] He is a bike-infrastructure activist with the Evanston Transit Alliance. [2] His campaign site says he would bring his experience as a union steward to making sure Evanston gets “what we deserve from companies building housing and colleges building stadiums.” [4] ## Stated priorities From the campaign’s website or announcement release. Listed, not evaluated. - “Increase Owner Occupied Housing” [4] - “Pro Local Climate Measures” [4] - “Increase Multi-Family Zoning to Allow Increased Affordability” [4] - “Pro restaurants and third spaces” [4] - “Pro Bike lane” [4] - “Investment in the 5th and 8th wards” [4] - “Support Local Unions and Library Staff” [4] - “Expanding Green Spaces” [4] - “Severely Limit Renting of Single Family Houses” [4] - “New Yellow Line Stop in Evanston” [4] - “Stand by Evanston Diversity” [4] - “Pro Mixed Use Zoning” [4] - “Pro Affordable Housing” [4] - “Evanston Youth in Need Should Get Free Public Transit” [4] - “Make up for Years of Relying on One Time Funds” [4] ## Record Facts from public records, campaign filings and published news reports, each checked against its primary source. Same categories and the same review for every candidate. Listed, not evaluated. Last reviewed Tue Oct 6, 2026. ### Campaign finance - Jul 2026: On July 8, 2026, Oats formed the candidate committee Friends of Elliot Oats (ISBE ID 41268), with himself as both chair and treasurer, which the Election Code permits (10 ILCS 5/9-2).[6][7][8] ### Public office Nothing found in the records reviewed. ### Property and taxes Nothing found in the records reviewed. ### Legal and regulatory Nothing found in the records reviewed. ### Statements and conduct - Jun 2026: At the June 8, 2026 City Council meeting, Oats spoke during public comment in favor of stronger physical protection for bike lanes on busy downtown streets.[9][10] - Jul 2026: A written comment from Oats submitted for the Land Use Commission's July 8, 2026 meeting opposed the lot-coverage and rear-yard coverage variations requested for a 10-unit townhome project at 3233–3249 Central St., stated that the buildings' height "should be considered highly permissible," and said "Green is a strong part of this neighborhood"; the commission approved the project 7-1 on July 22, 2026.[11][12] - Jul 2026: The Evanston RoundTable reported on July 10, 2026 that Oats said he was partly motivated to run by Jeff Boarini's decision to run again, and quoted him as saying he "strongly disagree[s] with" Boarini.[13] - Jul 2026: At the July 13, 2026 City Council meeting, Oats spoke during public comment in support of reducing the speed limit on Emerson Street and called for an eventual protected bike lane there.[14][15] - Jul 2026: At the July 27, 2026 City Council meeting, Oats spoke during public comment in support of approving the Code Studio zoning-rewrite contract (Resolution 136-R-26), which the Council approved as amended, 8-1, on Aug. 24, 2026.[16][17][18] - Oct 2026: As of Oct. 6, 2026, his campaign website's issues page, under the heading "Severely Limit Renting of Single Family Houses," states: "Houses should be as affordable as possible to purchase, and allowing landlords to purchase them and push up rents decreases their affordablitiy [sic]. I will push to Severely limit or ban renting of single family housing."[19] - Oct 2026: As of Oct. 6, 2026, his campaign website states: "At this rate, we will enter a deficit, and while it is important to also reduce expenses where possible, to keep our great city government we will need to make up for 5 years of putting off tax increases."[19] - Oct 2026: As of Oct. 6, 2026, under the heading "Evanston Youth in Need Should Get Free Public Transit," his campaign website states: "I will make sure that children can get on CTA, Pace, and Metra trains and buses without paying."[19] - Oct 2026: As of Oct. 6, 2026, his ActBlue fundraising page is headlined "Donate to Elliot Oats to support the agenda of Envision Evanston 2045."[20] - Oct 2026: As of Oct. 6, 2026, his campaign website's home page states: "As a union steward I've shown how I can fight back against workplace issues, and I want to bring that same gumption to Evanston, assuring that we get what we deserve from companies building housing and colleges building stadiums."[21] Records reviewed for every candidate Illinois State Board of Elections campaign-finance filings; City of Evanston, District 65 and park-district meeting records and payments; Cook County Assessor property and exemption records; Cook County recorded documents; federal and state court databases; Illinois professional-license and attorney-registration records; the candidate’s own websites and public social media; and Evanston RoundTable, Evanston Now, Daily Northwestern and other news archives. Property-tax exemption records are not yet shown for any candidate; they will be added for all candidates at the same time, once each can be confirmed from the same public tax-bill records. Campaign links - [elliotoats.com ↗](https://elliotoats.com/) - [Instagram ↗](https://www.instagram.com/elliotoatsforevanston/) - [Bluesky ↗](https://bsky.app/profile/elliotoatsformayor.bsky.social) Also running · Mayor - [Jeff Boarini](https://evanstonvoterguide.com/mayor/jeff-boarini/) - [Jane Grover](https://evanstonvoterguide.com/mayor/jane-grover/) - [Gilo Kwesi Logan](https://evanstonvoterguide.com/mayor/gilo-logan/) - [Stephanie Mendoza](https://evanstonvoterguide.com/mayor/stephanie-mendoza/) - [Elliot Oats](https://evanstonvoterguide.com/mayor/elliot-oats/) - [Ann Rainey](https://evanstonvoterguide.com/mayor/ann-rainey/) How this profile is made Profiles use the same sections, in the same order, for every candidate. Facts come from the candidate’s own campaign materials, official records and published news reports, and each one is footnoted. Positions on specific city plans and votes — such as Envision Evanston 2045 — will be covered for every candidate together in “On the issues.” Candidates can submit information or corrections through the [About page](https://evanstonvoterguide.com/about/#candidates). ## Sources 1. Evanston Now — 22-year-old union steward joins mayoral race (July 10, 2026) — https://evanstonnow.com/22-year-old-union-steward-joins-mayoral-race/ 2. Evanston RoundTable — Elliot Oats launches mayoral campaign (July 10, 2026) — https://evanstonroundtable.com/2026/07/10/elliot-oats-launches-mayoral-campaign/ 3. Illinois State Board of Elections — Friends of Elliot Oats (committee 41268) — https://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/CommitteeDetail.aspx?ID=3f5oVNhoNdY5nYFHtBhs8w%3d%3d 4. Elliot Oats campaign website — https://elliotoats.com/ 5. Daily Northwestern — Union steward, bike safety advocate announces mayoral campaign (July 14, 2026) — https://dailynorthwestern.com/2026/07/14/city/union-steward-bike-safety-advocate-announces-mayoral-campaign-in-special-election/ 6. Illinois State Board of Elections — Committee Detail, Friends of Elliot Oats, ID 41268 (accessed Oct 6, 2026) — https://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/CommitteeDetail.aspx?ID=3f5oVNhoNdY5nYFHtBhs8w%3d%3d 7. Illinois State Board of Elections — Statement of Organization (Form D-1), Friends of Elliot Oats (Jul 8, 2026) — https://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/CDPDFViewer.aspx?FiledDocID=sdD9k5wvKh0qqBnpgcDKwQ%3d%3d&DocType=y4%2bQAKnRNtkuIDOSztTByg%3d%3d 8. Illinois General Assembly — 10 ILCS 5/9-2, Election Code (current text) — https://ilga.gov/Documents/legislation/ilcs/documents/001000050K9-2.htm 9. City of Evanston — City Council meeting video, public comment at about 28:22 (Jun 8, 2026) — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s99Y45DoXs 10. Evanston RoundTable — City Council decides five votes is enough to pick temporary mayor when Biss heads to Washington (Jun 8, 2026) — https://evanstonroundtable.com/2026/06/08/city-council-decides-five-votes-is-enough-to-pick-temporary-mayor-when-biss-heads-to-washington/ 11. City of Evanston — Land Use Commission public comments, 3233–3249 Central St. (#26ZMJV-0026), p. 113 (Jul 2026) — https://cityofevanston.civicweb.net/document/457252/ 12. Evanston RoundTable — Central Street townhomes get land use approval after extra votes are tallied (Jul 22, 2026) — https://evanstonroundtable.com/2026/07/22/central-street-townhomes-get-land-use-approval-after-extra-votes-are-tallied/ 13. Evanston RoundTable — 22-year-old union steward, bike activist launches mayoral campaign (Jul 10, 2026) — https://evanstonroundtable.com/2026/07/10/elliot-oats-launches-mayoral-campaign/ 14. City of Evanston — City Council meeting video, public comment at about 1:17:25 (Jul 13, 2026) — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGUsNzGQAA4 15. The Daily Northwestern — Union steward, bike safety advocate announces mayoral campaign in special election (Jul 14, 2026) — https://dailynorthwestern.com/2026/07/14/city/union-steward-bike-safety-advocate-announces-mayoral-campaign-in-special-election/ 16. City of Evanston — City Council meeting video, public comment at about 53:46 (Jul 27, 2026) — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD-ldQ1x7BI 17. The Daily Northwestern — 'Evanston's been blackballed': City Council delays action on zoning code rewrite proposals (Jul 29, 2026) — https://dailynorthwestern.com/2026/07/29/city/evanstons-been-blackballed-city-council-delays-action-on-zoning-code-rewrite-proposals/ 18. City of Evanston — City Council minutes (Aug 24, 2026) — https://cityofevanston.civicweb.net/document/463479/ 19. Friends of Elliot Oats — Issues page, elliotoats.com (accessed Oct 6, 2026) — https://elliotoats.com/issues/ 20. ActBlue — Elliot Oats donation page (accessed Oct 6, 2026) — https://secure.actblue.com/donate/elliot-oats-1 21. elliotoats.com — Home page (accessed Oct. 6, 2026) — https://elliotoats.com/