Ald. Jonathan Nieuwsma was appointed Evanston’s new acting mayor following Mayor Daniel Biss’ resignation from office ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm election, when he is heavily favored to win the 9th District Congressional seat.
Nieuwsma, who has served as the 4th Ward alderman since 2021, was chosen in a split vote by the Evanston City Council Monday and will hold the interim position until April 2027, when voters will select a new mayor to complete Biss’ term ending in May 2029.
Nieuwsma is not one of the six confirmed candidates running for mayor in the Feb. 23 primary and will remain the 4th Ward alderman once the general election to fill the two-year term is decided April 6.
His appointment came after numerous unsuccessful attempts by council members to nominate another alderman to the job.
“I want to be clear. I don’t want to be mayor either, which is why I’m not running for mayor,” Nieuwsma told council members at the Oct. 26 meeting. “But I am willing to step in and serve the city of Evanston and perform the role of acting mayor to the best of my ability for the next six months.”
Nieuwsma added that he looks forward to working with council members, staff and residents to advance the goals Evanston has “already all unanimously agreed on,” citing the city’s commitment to housing affordability, climate action, economic development, public health and safety, and parks and infrastructure.
“I don’t think it would be in any way appropriate for an acting mayor who’s just keeping the seat warm for a few months to launch any major new policy initiatives. And I certainly don’t intend, would not intend to do that,” he said.
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“But I will commit to continuing the work that’s already underway … so I’m hoping we can put this decision behind us and keep working.”
Council members selected Nieuwsma as acting mayor in a 5-4 vote that split along typical bloc lines.
Ald. Krissie Harris, 2nd; Shawn Iles, 3rd; Bobby Burns, 5th; and Juan Geracaris, 9th, voted in favor of the appointment, while Ald. Clare Kelly, 1st; Tom Suffredin, 6th; Parielle Davis, 7th; and Matt Rodgers, 8th, voted against.
Davis kicked off the discussion by suggesting either Harris or Burns for the role, both of whom declined consideration.
“Anything I do, I commit fully,” Harris said following the nomination. “I think as mayor I would not, I couldn’t be the places I need to be. I couldn’t do the things that I need to do.
“I appreciate it, we’ve got to figure this out, but at this time it is not me,” she said.
When Kelly proposed an amendment to appoint the most senior council member, Suffredin, he quickly rebuffed the offer as well.
“Why don’t we ask who wants to be mayor and then go from there,” Suffredin said.
“I think it’s an extremely bad idea to have someone who doesn’t want the job to be stuck with this very tough job,” Geracaris said. “I will just say it for myself, I do not want to be mayor, so please do not nominate me.”
Burns then nominated Nieuwsma, describing him as someone who’s “well organized” and has “good communication skills.”
“When I’ve had meetings with him where we’ve disagreed on a particular agenda item and we’re trying to work it out, he has a PowerPoint at those meetings, (he’s) very organized. I think that’s important,” Burns said. “Somebody that’s even tempered. Somebody that has never been openly hostile to anyone up here, and there’s very few people that probably can say that.”
Following the vote, Nieuwsma was sworn in by Cook County Circuit Judge Lionel Jean-Baptiste, who administered his oath of office.
After assuming the mayor’s seat on the dais, Evanston corporation counsel Alex Ruggie informed council members that they had not yet voted on Nieuwsma’s appointment, only his nomination.
Kelly then led a vote resulting in the same bloc lines.
“By a vote of 5-4 the resolution passes, which is good because I already signed the papers,” Nieuwsma joked at the conclusion of the meeting.