Wilmette Election Results: Kennedy, Leonard, Smith Elected As Trustees

WILMETTE, IL — Wilmette voters elected the incumbent on the ballot, a former trustee who returned to town after moving away and the longtime chair of the village's Human Relations Commission to four-year terms on the village board, according to unofficial election results.

Gina Kennedy, the top vote-getter in election night results from the Cook County Clerk's Office, secured a second term as trustee.

Kennedy, a retired partner at Sidley Austin specializing in federal corporate tax law, said her top accomplishments during her first four years in office including helping to craft a tree protection ordinance, nudging the village board to revitalizing its system of board and commissions and helping the village budget thoughtfully, using borrowing and reserves strategically in a way that allowed Wilmette to emerge financially healthy from the first years of the coronavirus pandemic.

Steve Leonard was previously elected to the Wilmette Village Board in 2017, but he resigned the following year to take a job in Michigan.

Leonard, a commercial real estate developer, has since returned to Wilmette and is now partially retired. His said his highest priorities would be addressing the redevelopment large commercial properties in a way that benefits residents and making sustainability a higher priority. Unofficial results show him in second place, winning a seat on the board.

Gerry Smith, a first-time candidate for the village board, is reportedly set to become the first Black village trustee in Wilmette history after coming in third place in unofficial election night results.

Smith is currently an administrator at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Engineering, where he is the director minority affairs. Before joining UIC in 2009, Smith spent more than three decades in the high-tech sector, including as an executive with IBM.

With the top three vote-getters elected, unofficial election night results show the fourth-place candidate, attorney and former Zoning Board member John Kolleng, trailing Smith by more than 770 votes. Votes can still be counted until April 18, and official results must be announced by April 25.

Wilmette Village Board 2023 Election Results (22/22 precincts reporting, top three elected)

• Gina Kennedy — 2,912 — 30%
• Steve Leonard — 2,697 — 27.5%
• Gerry Smith — 2,486 — 25%
• John Kolleng — 1,712 — 17%

Earlier: 4 Candidates To Contest 3 Open Seats On Wilmette Village Board