‘Park Forest Is Worth Fighting For’: Randall White Announces Run for Mayor (Park Forest, IL) — Randall White is running for mayor with a message that begins not with a political title, but with a personal connection: Park Forest is home.
In announcing his candidacy for the 2027 election, White is asking residents to consider both his commitment to the community and the kind of leadership he believes its future demands—leadership willing to listen, confront difficult issues and acknowledge when it gets something wrong.
“I love Park Forest,” White said in his announcement. “This is home. I’ve spent my life here, and I believe this community has tremendous potential. I’m running because I believe we need leadership that is willing to listen, willing to act and willing to have the difficult conversations necessary to move Park Forest forward.”
White, a lifelong Park Forest resident, was elected to his first term as a village trustee in April 2023. His mayoral bid represents the next step in a public life that has included service in education, youth advocacy and local government.
Before joining the Village Board, White served as chair of the Park Forest Youth Commission, a trustee for the South Suburban Metro Transit District, a member of state Rep. Anthony DeLuca’s Education Advisory Council and vice president of the Park Forest–Chicago Heights School District 163 Board.
He also serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Park Forest, connecting his public life to another institution within the community he hopes to lead.
Those roles form the backdrop to a candidacy White describes as an extension of his commitment to Park Forest. His announcement moves the conversation beyond speculation about his political future and toward the question he wants residents to consider: What should come next for their village?
White says his campaign will focus on property taxes, water costs, infrastructure, economic development, public safety and support for families. Attracting and retaining businesses will also be among his priorities.
But he does not want the campaign—or the community—to be defined only by a list of problems.
“We have incredible residents, strong neighborhoods, a rich history, talented young people and people who still believe in this community,” White said. “We have to build on those strengths. I don’t want people to spend the next several years talking about what Park Forest used to be. I want us talking about what Park Forest is going to become.”
That distinction is central to his message. White is not asking residents to forget what they value about Park Forest’s past. He is asking them to believe that its next chapter can be worth investing in, too.
His campaign statements also address something more personal: his approach to leadership.
White acknowledges that his outspoken style has drawn criticism. He argues that his intensity comes from caring deeply about the village, while also recognizing that passion does not mean every decision or every response has been right.
“I’m passionate about this community,” White said. “Sometimes it takes a little fire to stir things up. If everybody is comfortable, sometimes nothing changes.”
Alongside that conviction is an acknowledgment of his own shortcomings.
“I’m not a perfect man,” he said. “I’ve made mistakes. There are things I could have handled differently, and I’m still growing. But everything I do comes from a genuine love for Park Forest and a desire to see this community succeed.”
The theme of personal growth predates his mayoral announcement. When White was sworn in as a trustee in May 2023, he thanked residents for supporting him and remaining patient with him “on my journey as I grow to be the best version of myself,” according to the village’s account of the ceremony.
Now, as he seeks the mayor’s office, he is making accountability an explicit part of his appeal.
“I’m going to be accountable,” White said. “If I get something wrong, I’ll own it. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll find it. But I will never stop listening to the people of Park Forest.”
His message asks residents to weigh confidence alongside humility: a willingness to take a position, but also a willingness to learn. White says he understands that seeking the office will mean facing disagreement, scrutiny and opposition.
“I know I’m not going to agree with everybody, and everybody isn’t going to agree with me,” he said. “That’s part of leadership. I’m not running for Mayor to make everyone comfortable. I’m running because I believe Park Forest deserves leadership that is willing to fight for its future.”
In one of his campaign statements, White captured his confidence in a more pointed line: “I’m not a perfect man—but I’m perfect for Park Forest.”
Whether residents agree will be decided at the polls. The April 6, 2027, consolidated election will include a four-year term for mayor. Candidate petition circulation began Aug. 25, 2026, with the filing period scheduled for Nov. 16 through Nov. 23.
For White, the announcement is an invitation to judge not only his ambitions, but also his record, his growth and his willingness to remain answerable to the people he wants to represent.
He is asking for the opportunity to lead a village he says he has never stopped believing in, and promising that, whatever disagreements lie ahead, residents will not have to wonder whether he cares.
“Park Forest is worth fighting for,” White said. “I’m going to continue showing up, continue listening, continue learning and continue fighting for the people of this Village. I don’t claim to have gotten everything right. But nobody will ever have to question whether I love Park Forest.”
‘Park Forest Is Worth Fighting For’: Randall White Announces Run for Mayor
