Although voters declared a need for change during this week’s election, one thing not changing is the man who, for 15 years, has held the 41st District House seat.

Incumbent state Rep. Robert A. Biggins, R-41st District, of Elmhurst, beat challenger and political newcomer Kevin O’Connor, 24, of La Grange Park to retain his seat.

“I don’t get a lot of bad mail,” Biggins chuckled after winning the election.

The 41st District covers part of DuPage and Cook counties. Biggins received 31,615 votes by Tuesday night, with O’Connor garnering 15,782, according to unofficial vote totals from both counties.

With all 76 precincts reporting, the unofficial vote totals in DuPage County were 21,914 ballots cast for Biggins and 8,454 for O’Connor.

Unofficial election results in Cook County, with all 50 precincts reporting, registered 9,701 votes for Biggins and 7,328 for O’Connor.

Biggins has held the west suburban district seat since 1993. Each term spans two years.

“I feel like I accomplished all I could do and more,” said O’Connor, a Green Party candidate. “It’s a message that we’re sending to Springfield that we’re not gonna take this complacency.”

O’Connor works part time at Borders in Oakbrook Terrace while in school.

Like Biggins, O’Connor’s yard signs still could be seen along thoroughfares and in yards by midweek.

Gaining as many votes as he did, O’Connor said it shows that the days of a predominantly two-party system may be changing.

“I think it sends a message that people are ready to hear a new voice,” he said. “If I were to run again, the first thing I would do upon announcing is challenge the person I’m running against to refuse corporate donations.”

During his next two years in office, Biggins said he wants to work on achieving fiscal responsibility in the General Assembly.

“We have a lot of bills we’re not paying on time,” he said. “The first thing we have to do is honor our obligation to those we’re committed to.”

But first legislators need to build consensus on how to become more on time with bill-paying, he said. State government must pay off debts before assuming any more expenditures, especially without new revenue streams with which to fund them, he added.

“We have to sit down and work with members of the Legislature and say ‘what do we agree with? What are we going to do to shore this up?’”

Biggins pleaded guilty in July to drunken driving after a police officer reported that he saw Biggins driving on the wrong side of the road. He called it a mistake and apologized.