Kelly Burke First Woman To Be Elected Evergreen Park Mayor

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — Evergreen Park residents appear to have elected their first female mayor Tuesday night. Kelly Burke garnered 2,152 votes to Shawn Good’s 371, according to unofficial results.

Mayor James Sexton announced his retirement last fall, opening the field for the two women. He backed Burke in the election.

Election results were not posted on the Cook County Clerk’s website for three hours after the polls closed in suburban Cook County. A spokesperson attributed the delay to 30 suburban precincts remaining open an hour after the polls closed for unspecified reasons.

Kelly Burke - 2,152
Shawn Good - 371

14 of 15 precincts reporting. All results are unofficial.

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Burke has represented the 36th District in the Illinois House since 2010. She successfully ran for Evergreen Park village trustee in 2019. If elected mayor, she plans to hold dual offices, which is allowed under the Illinois Constitution. Burke says she will give up her private law practice.

Burke is a 28-year resident of Evergreen Park. She is an attorney has served as an elected trustee on the Evergreen Park library board.

“There are so many facets to the Mayor's job that one single accomplishment can't define a successful term,” Burke said in her candidate profile. “I have outlined my priorities and the feedback I've had from residents in the prior sections. I will keep Evergreen Park a place where people want to live, have a business, raise their families, and age gracefully with the support of the community.”

Burke headed the Good Government slate, with the three incumbent slate mates — Carol Kyle, Norm Anderson and Mark Phelan — handily winning their races over independents Cesar Salazar and Darryl Johnson.

Election results are unofficial until the votes are certified in the coming weeks by the Cook County Clerk.

Mail-in ballots received after Tuesday’s election will be counted in the next two weeks, provided they are postmarked by April 6, but it is unlikely that Good can overcome the deficit.

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