Who runs Berwyn's Democratic Party? Meet the new committeeperson.

On March 17, Alderman Rob Pabon won the race for Democratic Committeeperson of Berwyn Township committeeperson. His predecessor, Robert Lovero, serves as the mayor and had been the town’s Democratic Committeeperson for 20 years.

On the campaign trail, Pabon noticed many constituents were unaware of the committeeperson’s role. While talking to residents, one of his goals was to make sure that changed. A committeeperson is an unpaid role focused on civic education for a particular party within a community. They are in charge of telling people when elections take place, who candidates are, and what policies mean.

A committeeperson role is separate from elected government jobs like mayor or alderman. A committeeperson does not make laws or spend tax dollars. Instead, they work within a political party to keep residents informed about upcoming elections, candidates, and what ballot measures mean.

Many people did not know about Pabon’s campaign or what it was for, though community members were open to learning more, said Maria Rodriguez, the campaign's Youth Intern. They voiced their support for term limit implementation, a measure Pabon had placed on the ballot in his capacity as alderman, she said. The policy passed with 85% of the vote.

“People didn't know what a committeeperson does … That's kind of a testament to what our previous committeeperson wasn't doing for years,” Pabon said.

Lovero did not respond to a request for comment

Pabon also introduced participatory budgeting, a process where residents vote on how a portion of the city’s budget is spent.

“The level of power that's been condensed in [Lovero’s] party with him in general is just troubling for that amount of time and for the ways in which he has been leading,” Pabon said.

The committeeperson’s role is different from governing roles, such as the mayor or alderman, who are responsible for using tax dollars to directly improve the day-to-day lives of constituents, Pabon said. committeepersons do not create policy, but they can facilitate political education and help connect residents with candidates and elected officials.

Berwyn’s local politics are unique — the town has a strong mayoral system, meaning that, compared to other townships, Berwyn’s mayor holds more power. In strong mayor systems, the mayor typically holds power to veto decisions, appoint and remove departmental heads, and propose a budget, in addition to overseeing day-to-day operations and enforcing laws and ordinances, according to Ballotpedia. In Berwyn specifically, the mayor also holds the title of liquor commissioner, meaning the mayor can dictate who receives a liquor license. 

Because Lovero simultaneously held the roles of mayor and committeeperson, Pabon and some campaign members allege that he might have had a personal interest in limiting civic education and participation to stay in power. 

Pabon’s career has largely been focused on community organization, he said. His background includes nonprofit work and advocacy against housing injustice, illiteracy, education issues and immigration issues.

“I lead in a way that's facilitated more as a convener, bringing people together to try to find how they want to get engaged civically in their community,” Pabon said.

Pabon shared that Lovero places emphasis on special interest groups and political allies rather than constituents. In contrast, Pabon hopes to prioritize connections with residents, particularly working-class families, he said.

Some of Pabon’s supporters expressed concern about local corruption in Berwyn, and they consider Pabon’s win a step in the right direction. Julie Lehrman, a campaign volunteer, said she  thought that the town’s budget often goes toward the police department or politicians’ “pet projects.” Pabon himself said the campaign “beat Goliath.”

Lehrman thinks that while many politicians provide mere “lip service,” Pabon will focus on real change, she said. 

Throughout the campaign, several factors worked against Pabon. First, Lovero was an established member of Berwyn’s political scene. Second, his budget was roughly $90,000 higher than Pabon’s, said Erik Beckwith, Pabon’s campaign manager. Third, voter turnout in the town is historically low. In January, Pabon spent weeks in the hospital battling pneumonia. By the time he recovered, he had 32 days to run a campaign.

The campaign’s top priority in this short time was to go into the community and talk to as many voters as possible, Beckwith said.

By election day, Pabon had knocked on several thousand doors, with the help of volunteers, Pabon said.

“We accomplished so much in so little time due to the labor, sweat and tears of a multi-racial, multigenerational coalition of neighbors whose voices were more powerful than patronage donations,” Pabon said.

The election saw increased turnout among young, first-time voters, Pabon said. Total ballots cast went from 4,343 in 2022 to 6,362 in 2026 — a 46% increase, according to Cook County Clerk data.

Despite his success, Pabon says he isn’t chasing a bigger political career. He described wanting to create space for others to step into leadership and take on roles within the party.

“[Pabon] is somebody who understands that he's a public servant rather than a superstar,” Lehrman said.