This is Part 3 of a series of stories about the mayoral election in Normal. Election Day is April 1. Coming Thursday: What the candidates want to do – or not do – about the Uptown underpass.
Normal Mayor Chris Koos is used to facing opposition for re-election. But he’s never faced off against two sitting town council members who both say it’s time for a change after 22 years.
Koos, a retail shop owner, has been mayor since 2003. He’s led Normal through a largely stable period of growth, championing the Uptown Normal overhaul and luring the electric automaker Rivian to town. His deep network of contacts in Springfield and Washington has only grown as he joined Amtrak’s board of directors.
Koos said he’s running again to “protect and advance the progress we’ve made” – including from the Trump administration.
“This current federal administration has been fraught with unpredictability. And we need an experienced leader to navigate us through the next four years,” Koos said at a WGLT debate this month. “In this election, we risk losing the steady hand that has guided our town through challenges and uncertainty, while preserving growth and vitality.”
To win his 6th term, Koos must fend off challenges from council members Chemberly Harris and Kathleen Lorenz. It’s been a relatively cordial campaign, in part because all three candidates are on the same council, jointly responsible for the town’s direction.
Yet Lorenz and Harris are making a firm case that it’s time for new leadership.
“My son was 8 when Chris Koos became mayor. My son will turn 30 this year. Let that sink in,” Lorenz told a group of union members during a candidate forum.
Harris said fear of change is the enemy of progress.
“We are in a place where we need to re-evaluate. We need to look at new strategies and new ways and be innovative. This is a time that’s calling for some innovation.”
Community engagement
Harris, who works at State Farm, joined the council in 2017. Harris touts leadership roles with the National League of Cities and describes herself as a “political scientist first.” She hasn’t received any notable endorsements in the mayoral race.
“And unfortunately, there’s been things that I’ve wanted to do, and the feedback that I constantly get is, ‘You're not the mayor,’” Harris said. “Sometimes you take that next step to do what's necessary to get the community to where you believe it can go.”
Harris ran unsuccessfully in 2020, as a Democrat, for state representative against Republican Dan Brady. Brady is now running for Bloomington mayor, meaning the former rivals could both be leading Twin City governments if they win April 1. (The mayoral races are technically nonpartisan.)
Harris has campaigned on six principles (an acronym) called THRIVE, which stands for technology, housing, reimagine cultural diversity, intentional community engagement, vibrant community development, and economic development.
“Intentional community engagement” is an area that Koos’ critics have targeted before, claiming that the town under his leadership locks out opposing points of view. Harris said “we’ve allowed our community to not feel a part of the community,” and she promised more proactive engagement – and not just when the town is doing something, like a project, that requires it.
“That is even more important now in these times we’re in. Divisiveness has become so commonplace. We need to take that away. We are neighbors,” Harris said.
Lorenz also promises a different approach to engagement than Koos. Lorenz has served on the town council for 10 of Koos’ 22 years. Lorenz, who works for the nonprofit Home Sweet Home Ministries, described herself as an independent thinker and problem-solver.
“I’m approachable. I’m a leader who listens. I will hear you. I will engage the entire community in decisions and open those closed-door discussions,” said Lorenz.
Tough votes
WGLT asked the candidates to provide examples of council votes they’ve taken that demonstrate a willingness to do something unpopular because they felt it was the right thing to do.
Koos pointed to the Uptown redevelopment. Lorenz cited her vote against creating a town grocery tax. Harris recalled being the lone vote in favor of a second cannabis dispensary in Normal in 2023, as well as her support for a longer 24-hour advance notice for landlords to enter residences, rather than the 12 that was eventually approved as a compromise.
“I hope people understand I’m willing to take risk for the community to do the right thing,” Harris said. “I’ve never been a follower. Just not in my nature.”
Harris was the first person of color ever elected to the town council. She’d be Normal’s first Black mayor too. WGLT asked Harris how she wants voters to think about that as they cast their ballot.
Harris said that “while I would love to think of it as an amazing, wonderful thing, we are sitting in a time in this country where that is a threat to other people.”
“I’m constantly reminded, even in the most subtle ways, that a woman of color having the audacity to run, and not only to run, but to challenge an incumbent – it’s felt. And it’s heard,” Harris said. “While to some people it could seem a great thing, to some people it’s not. I’ve at times had to think about this, knowing some people cannot fathom or stomach the fact that a person of color would lead this community, and it’s a reality.”
This is the first time in 20 years that Koos has faced a re-election challenge from a council member. Now he’s facing two. Lorenz explained why she’s challenging him now.
“We have to think about staying forward-looking. Like any organization, you want to stay agile and nimble and fresh ideas, fresh eyes on maybe some old issues. I think strong organizations do that,” Lorenz said. “Turnover in leadership can be a positive thing.”
Succession planning
Organizations usually have built-in succession plans, Lorenz said. Normal does not, either through term limits or Koos hand-picking or endorsing a successor to run this year.
Evidently that’s not Harris, though Koos and Harris have similar (but not identical) voting records on several key issues. Harris filed her run for mayor with the State Board of Elections on July 10, 2024. Five days later, Koos announced he was running again, before Harris had publicly announced.
“Succession planning is very important. The mayor before me, Kent Karraker, said, ‘You can’t leave until you’ve got a succession in place and you feel good about that.’ And I would agree with that,” Koos said.
That leaves speculation that Koos and Harris could draw some a similar pool of voters and potentially split their vote, while Lorenz targets another bloc concerned about, say, taxes and fees.
Harris is giving up her current council seat to run for mayor. Lorenz is not. She’d have two years left in her current council term if she loses, though she’s not committing to staying on.
“We’ll see what the tone is. I will not stay anywhere where it’s not healthy and productive for me to be there, but as long as there’s work to be done and valued to be added, I’ll stay there,” Lorenz said.
