Aurora Mayor Election 2025: Incumbent Richard Irvin faces challenger John Laesch in April

AURORA, Ill. (WLS) — Incumbent Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin and challenger John Laesch will face off in the April election.

One of the five candidates needed 50% of the vote to win the primary outright.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

No one reached that number, so the two top performers, Irvin and Laesch, will be on the April 1 ballot, according to results from the DuPage, Kane and Kendall county clerks.

Irvin’s supporters gathered on Tuesday night for a watch party at his campaign headquarters.

Ted Mesiacos, Judd Lofchie and Karina Garcia were the other three candidates challenging him.

Illinois’ second largest city, Aurora, is divided between Kane, DuPage, Will, and Kendall counties.

Alderman-at-large John Laesch is a Navy veteran and former school board member who has run for mayor before. Wednesday morning, he was knocking on doors, keenly cognizant that every vote counts.

“We’re getting a great response at the doors,” Laesch said. “You can see we are showing people where they can early vote. I think we’re the only campaign that’s doing that. So I think we have an advantage in the turnout race.”

In office since 2017, Irvin has pointed to Aurora’s growing downtown as one reason why he deserves a third term.

“Now they’re full will market rate apartments. They’re full with retail and commercial,” Irvin said. “Every building in the core of our downtown that was empty when I took office, and they were many, they are all full.”

Cicero election

In Cicero, longtime Town President Larry Dominick is facing a challenge from Esteban Rodriguez on Tuesday.

With all precincts reporting, Dominick, is projected to win his race with 57% of the vote, according to the Cook County Clerk’s Office.

Dominick is Cicero’s longest-serving town president.

Other elections

With all precincts reporting, Sam Cunningham is expected to defeat Miguel A. Rivera Sr. with 74.82% of the vote in the Democratic primary for Waukegan mayor, according to results from the Lake County Clerk’s Office.

With all precincts reporting, Leon Rockingham Jr. is expected to defeat Kenneth Smith with 57.22% of the vote in the Democratic primary for North Chicago mayor, according to results from the Lake County Clerk’s Office.

With all precincts reporting, Lawrence L. Jackson is projected to defeat Michael Airhart with 58.97% of the vote in the Democratic primary for Riverdale president, according to results from the Cook County Clerk’s Office.