Aurora Ald. Ted Mesiacos announced Thursday he will run for mayor of Aurora in the April 2025 city election.
Mesiacos is in his third term as 3rd Ward alderman. He made his announcement through an email, but said he will hold a formal announcement with an in-person event at 6 p.m., Sept. 18, at 1 E. Benton St. in downtown Aurora.
“It’s an honor of a lifetime to run for mayor of Aurora,” he said. “Here in Aurora, we have neighbors of every race, religion, ideology and country of origin. We may each have our own unique story, but together, we are Aurora.”
Mesiacos is the fourth candidate to announce for the 2025 mayoral race. Incumbent Mayor Richard Irvin announced his intention to run for a third term. Ald. John Laesch, at large, and Karina Garcia, Aurora Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce president, have also announced runs for mayor.
If all four do file nominating petitions in December, when they are due, four candidates would trigger a primary election in February 2025. The general city election would be April 1, 2025.
Mesiacos was born in Aurora to two working-class parents who immigrated to Aurora from Greece. His mother was a member of the seamstress union and his father was a machinist who still found time to volunteer to help other immigrants find housing and work, he said.
Mesiacos has his own architectural firm. His wife is a teacher and he has two children.
In addition to being an alderman, Mesiacos has served on the Aurora Planning Commission, the Aurora Zoning Board of Appeals, the Noon Rotary Club of Aurora, the Fermilab Community Advisory Board and as a member of U.S. Rep. Bill Foster’s Immigration Advisory Committee, and on the Board of Directors with the Upper Illinois River Valley Development Authority.
“Aurora’s leadership has lost its way,” Mesiacos said. “Instead of being focused on making our communities affordable and safer, they’ve been focused on their own interests – whether it’s an ambitious political career or lining their own pockets.
“As your mayor, I pledge to prioritize you – your needs, your neighbors, and your family. You won’t see me on the TV more often than you’ll see me on your street and in your community.”
Mesiacos said he will prioritize development that benefits every neighborhood. He said he will “not stop fighting as mayor to make life more affordable for every resident of Aurora.”
He pointed out that he was one of three aldermen to vote against the 2022 tax levy, for 2023, that was a 2% increase.
Mesiacos has a website at tedmesiacos.com.
slord@tribpub.com
