Schock done with politics after Kaptain wins Elgin mayor race

It is the end of an era for Elgin. David Kaptain will be the city's new mayor after unseating 12-year incumbent Ed Schock. With all precincts reporting, Kaptain claimed victory with 3,921 votes to Schock's 3,291.

Kaptain gave up his council seat to challenge Schock, saying he wanted to give voters a choice between qualified candidates.

Kaptain ran a low-budget, grass-roots campaign knocking on more than 2,000 doors himself. The Kaptain campaign reached more than 5,000 homes.

“I feel grateful to the people that voted for me and grateful to the people that supported me during this process,” Kaptain said.

Schock said the low voter turnout — only about 16 percent in Kane County — worked against him.

He said he is done with politics.

“I've put in 18 years and the voters have spoken,” Schock said. “I'm trying to move on.”

As mayor, Kaptain said he has two areas he'd like to address right away. First, he wants the liquor commission to be composed of the entire council, rather than just three appointed members. And second, he wants more discussion at committee of the whole meetings.

“I think that hope in government and honest government is here,” Kaptain said. “I want people to be able to see how their government works.”

The Elgin council race was hotly contested as 10 candidates vied for three, 4-year seats. Incumbent John Steffen finished as the top vote-getter as fellow incumbent Mike Warren missed out on re-election.

With all precincts reporting, Steffen finished with 3,865 votes. Challengers Anna Moeller had 3,628 and Tish Powell had 2,968, edging Warren out of his seat by 355 votes.

Moeller's and Powell's election will mean an end to the all-male board.

Warren, like Schock, has conceded defeat based on the unofficial totals.

Candidates Michael Curtin, Shane Nowak, Manfred Czymmek, Tom McCarthy, Mike Robins and Toby Shaw were also in the race.