Barnes defeats 3 challengers to remain DeKalb mayor

DeKALB – If the unofficial election results from Tuesday night hold, Cohen Barnes has likely defeated three challengers to remain DeKalb mayor.

It’s a feat not seen in 32 years.

The last mayor to secure consecutive victories was Greg Sparrow, who was mayor from 1981 to 1997, and again from 2001 to 2005, according to city records.

Barnes said it will mean a lot to him knowing he can continue serving as mayor.

“I’m really excited to be able to continue another four years of what we’ve done in the previous four years, meaning continuing to focus on improving our roads, improving public safety and doing everything we can to hold our taxes in the city of DeKalb,” Barnes said. “Having four more years to be able to do something like that, it’s a real privilege. I don’t take for granted at all knowing that the people came out of DeKalb and wanted me to continue everything that we’re doing for another four years.”

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DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes, who is running for reelection, talks optimistically as early returns are posted Tuesday, April 1, 2025, during his election night party at Faranda's Banquets in DeKalb. (Mark Busch)

Voters should remember that results aren’t certified for two weeks. Mail-in ballots postmarked by Tuesday also will need to be counted before election results are finalized.

Barnes beat three challengers in Tuesday’s election. His City Council colleague, 7th Ward Alderman John Walker; Northern Illinois University educator Linh Nguyen; and NIU IT staffer Kouame Sanan failed to garner enough votes, unofficial election results show.

“Having four more years to able to do something like that, it’s a real privilege.”

—  DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes

Barnes first won election in 2021. The DeKalb native, U.S. Army veteran and local businessman ran a reelection campaign that touted his efforts in his first term to bring in local business, address property tax burdens on residents, and fund road and infrastructure improvements.

On Wednesday, he said voter outreach was a highlight of this election season.

“Going door to door was my favorite thing campaigning,” Barnes said. “Being able to meet people, talk with them about what’s going on, answer their questions – that’s one of the things I cherish the most is just that interaction one on one with the residents of DeKalb. I always enjoy it, and I learned so much in the process of doing it."

DeKalb resident Brian Walk said he’s known Barnes for about 20 years as a friend of a friend.

Walk was among those showing up in support of Barnes on Tuesday night at his election night watch party.

“When he decided to run for mayor, I’m like, ‘What a natural choice,‘” Walk said. “I know his history in this town and know his love for this town. I know there was some momentum already when he took up [the position], and I’ve just seen that continue. And I appreciate that. That alone would be enough reason to support him if I didn’t know him personally.”

Kristine Collin said she was proud to support Barnes’ reelection campaign.

She said she has known Barnes for about 30 years, since they were friends in high school.

Collin watched as results trickled in Tuesday night at the Lincoln Inn at Faranda’s, where Barnes held an election night watch party with supporters.

“I think he’s been really good about bringing in new businesses and building up the community,” Collin said. “I feel that Cohen is the right person because I know that he loves this community. He’s been here for a long time.”

Barnes said he learned a lot from his first term in office as mayor.

“When I came in as mayor for the first time, there was a lot of things that we needed to do and we needed to do quickly,” he said. “I was able to come in, make sure that we went after public safety right out of the gate and went after paving our roads right out of the gate. But now that a lot of that has improved and [we’re] starting to settle down, or we’re starting to get ahead of it, now it’s really making sure that I’m spending more time out in the community, more time engaging with people and more time listening to everyone here in the city of DeKalb to have a clear understanding of what the priorities are.”

Barnes said it’s more about putting what he’s learned into practice as he goes forward.

“Now I know the priorities,” he said. “Like I said, public safety, roads, taxes. But I think I’m going to have more time now to invest in some of the other things that will help improve the people that live here in the city of DeKalb.”