Geneva re-elects Burns to 6th term as mayor

Burns: ’This evening’s victory is particularly sweet’

April 06, 2021 at 9:45 pm CDT

Geneva incumbent mayoral candidate Kevin Burns and his partner, Aimee Bychowski, are assisted by chat with election judges before voting at the Geneva Park District Headquarters on Tuesday, April 6, 2021. Burns won re-election according to unofficial results Tuesday night. (Sandy Bressner - sbressner@shawmedia.com)

GENEVA – Kevin Burns won a hard-fought battle to be elected to a sixth term as Geneva’s mayor, defeating challenger Tom Simonian for a second time.

Burns had 2,434 votes to Simonian’s 2,136, a difference of 298 votes in unofficial results Tuesday night.

Burns defeated Simonian in a similar contest in 2017.

The Geneva mayoral race was characterized by harsh words and criticism.

“Having endured a vicious, vindictive and vitriolic assault on me and my family, this evening’s victory is particularly sweet,” Burns said, speaking from his home in Geneva.

Geneva incumbent mayoral candidate Kevin Burns casts his vote at the Geneva Park District Headquarters on Tuesday, April 6, 2021. (Sandy Bressner - sbressner@shawmedia.com)

“I look forward to continue serving all of Geneva and working with our professional staff, elected officials and scores of volunteers.”

Simonian, speaking from an election night party at the American Legion Post 75, said of his loss, “See you in four years.”

Geneva mayoral candidate Tom Simonian awaits election results during a gathering at the American Legion Post 75 in Geneva on Tuesday, April 6, 2021. (Sandy Bressner - sbressner@shawmedia.com)

Burns received 52.87% of the vote and Simonian received 46.39 with 19 precincts reporting, according to the Kane County Clerk’s website.

The turnout was 27.46% and 4,604 ballots were cast.