Des Plaines Elects Youngest Mayor in City’s History

In a meteoric rise in public office, Matt Bogusz was elected Mayor of Des Plaines, the youngest to serve in the role in the city’s history, on Tuesday. Bogusz, 26,surrounded by family and friends at a small Italian restaurant downtown, stood tall atop a chair, announced the latest voting results, and thanked his supporters.

“There were a number of individuals on this team that contributed hours, days, months of their lives to helping us win,” Bogusz said. “So I was maybe the mascot at best on this team.”

Bogusz began as an intern for Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-Northbrook), worked on the Des Plaines Special Events Commission, on the Des Plaines Public Library board, and served as Third Ward Alderman from 2009 to 2013.

Bogusz will be the youngest person to serve as Mayor of Des Plaines, stated Brian Wolf, a local historian and preservationist. The next youngest in line was Michael Albrecht, 40, in 1989, Wolf stated.

Bogusz’s first order of business? In an interview with Patch, Bogusz said a good leader listened first.

“I’m going to be spending the next month meeting with key city staff to understand the current status, and work towards a plan for the rest of 2013,” Bogusz said. “We still don’t know exactly what the council’s going to look like, but I’m going to be setting up meetings with each of the new council members to talk about priorities and begin to develop a relationship.”

When asked about specific issues including lawsuits involving the Des Plaines Police Department, and whether or not he would support outsourcing work done by the city’s information technology department, Bogusz said he would be reviewing those and other issues.

“That will be part of my fact-finding over the next month,” Bogusz said.

On Tuesday, Bogusz was aglow with the fresh win, and gleefully held open the door at Via Roma for partygoers going in and out of the restaurant. He said he was very proud of their team, which included approximately 40-50 volunteers, that walked from door-to-door, every week, since the end of December. Bogusz said one team of two volunteers walked and handed out information every weekend.

“They walked every Saturday morning for four months, and that kind of ground game, that kind of effort on the streets, talking to voters, is what wins elections,” Bogusz said.

Bogusz garnered 4,589 votes, 54.98 percent, which was enough to defeat Tony Arredia and Mark Walsten. Arredia received 2,642 votes, 31.65 percent, and Walsten got 1,116 votes, 13.37 percent.

“Voters want to move forward,” Bogusz said. “They had a clear choice between more of the same and something different, and they chose to move forward.”

Rep. Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines), the city’s former mayor who endorsed the young alderman for mayor, said Bogusz almost won 2-to-1 in votes.

“So I think it’s pretty clear that the voters wanted new ideas, and wanted a good young person that will be aggressive,” Moylan said.

Mayor-elect Bogusz was thankful for more than voting results on Tuesday.

“My biggest victory is that I got through election night, and I’m still engaged; that’s what I’m most proud of,” Bogusz said.

Related:

• Des Plaines Mayor-Elect Bogusz Thanks Supporters on Election Night

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