Mayor John Laesch
John Laesch is the 60th Mayor of Aurora, Illinois.
On April 1, 2025, he defeated former two-term incumbent Mayor Richard Irvin in a monumental race.
Mayor Laesch is a former military intelligence analyst, a union carpenter, an East Aurora School Board Member, and a City of Aurora Alderman. Known for his unwavering commitment to populist issues, Laesch is a longtime climate activist and champion for ethical government.
60th Mayor Of Aurora
In his first year as Mayor of Aurora, Laesch stabilized and structurally balanced the City’s budget, successfully passed the most comprehensive set of data center regulations in the State of Illinois, and is now advocating for serious campaign finance reform through a first-of-its-kind local ethics ordinance. Mayor Laesch also successfully launched a Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) Workforce Development Hub, established the City’s first-ever Department of Sustainability, and continues to advocate for a responsive, people-centered government that works for everyone.
East Aurora School Board Member (District 131)
Before his time as an Aurora Alderman-at-Large (2023-2025), Mayor Laesch served as an East Aurora School Board Member from 2015 to 2019. During this time, Laesch was one of the early voices supporting the historic decision to provide school bus services for East Aurora students.
After a tumultuous period of high turnover, Mayor Laesch was a strong supporter of hiring a long-term superintendent, and after two years of interims, he won the long game. Laesch stood alone in advocating for a living wage for all district employees and subcontractor employees. He was the lone voice advocating for a gender-neutral bathroom when students requested one, and he continued to push for electric buses, an idle-free zone in front of schools, a green building curriculum, and a deep energy retrofit for the new administrative center.
Union Carpenter
Following in the footsteps of his grandfather and older brother, Mayor Laesch also worked as a union carpenter. He is a “green builder” and has earned credentials as a BPI-certified energy auditor and envelope specialist. He understands the technical aspects of making commercial and residential living spaces energy efficient. He follows federal, state, and municipal legislative initiatives, and he understands the policy side of the green building world. In 2009, Mayor Laesch advocated for a green building program at the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters Apprentices and Training Program training center in Elk Grove Village.
Military Intelligence Analyst
Mayor Laesch proudly served in the United States Navy as an Intelligence Analyst in the Middle East from 1995 to 1999. He earned numerous citations and developed useful research skills that currently help him dig into important issues and find solutions for our City.