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When Does The New Mayor Take Office

2023 mayoral elections Federal and state elections Congressional elections

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Ballotpedia covered 40 mayoral elections in 2023. This included all mayoral elections in the 100 largest U.S. cities by population and all mayoral elections in state capitals.

To read about mayoral elections that Ballotpedia designated as battlegrounds in 2023, click here.

As of 2023, Ballotpedia tracked the partisan affiliation of the mayors of the 100 largest cities and each state capital, including mayors of cities holding nonpartisan mayoral elections.[1]

Twenty-nine of the 100 largest U.S. cities held mayoral elections in 2023. Mayoral offices changed partisan control in five cities in 2023—four as the result of elections and one party switch—resulting in no net change in the number of offices held by Democrats and a net loss of two Republican-held offices. Libertarians and independents gained one office each. Once mayors elected in 2023 assumed office, Democrats held 63 top-100 mayoral offices, Republicans held 25, Libertarians held one, independents held four, and nonpartisan mayors held five. Two mayors’ partisan affiliations were unknown.

Eighteen state capitals held mayoral elections in 2023, including 11 capitals that fell outside of the top 100 cities. One state capital saw a change in mayoral partisan affiliation in 2023, resulting in a net gain of one office for Republicans and a net loss of one office for Democrats. After mayors elected in 2023 assumed office, there were 37 Democratic state capital mayors, six Republican mayors, one independent mayor, two nonpartisan mayors, and four mayors with unknown partisan affiliation.

This page includes:

  • 2023 mayoral battleground elections
  • Mayoral partisanship overview
  • Mayoral elections in 2023
  • Mayors of the 100 largest cities
  • Historical election data
  • More local election analysis

2023 mayoral battleground elections

Ballotpedia designates races expected to be particularly competitive or compelling as battlegrounds.

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Click below to expand summaries of key races.

Mayoral partisanship

See also: Partisanship in United States municipal elections (2023)

Twenty-nine of the 100 largest cities held mayoral elections in 2023. Once mayors elected in 2023 assumed office, Democrats held 63 top-100 mayoral offices, Republicans held 25, Libertarians held one, independents held four, and nonpartisan mayors held five. Two mayors’ partisan affiliations were unknown.

The following top 100 cities saw a change in mayoral partisan affiliation in 2023:

  • Colorado Springs, Colorado: Independent Yemi Mobolade defeated Republican Wayne W. Williams in the May 16 runoff election. Incumbent John Suthers, a Republican, was term-limited.
  • Jacksonville, Florida: Democrat Donna Deegan defeated Republican Daniel Davis in the May 16 runoff election. Incumbent Lenny Curry, a Republican, was term-limited.
  • Dallas, Texas: Mayor Eric Johnson announced on September 22 that he was changing his party affiliation from Democratic to Republican.[81]
  • Wichita, Kansas: Libertarian Lily Wu defeated incumbent Democratic mayor Brandon Whipple in the November 7 general election.
  • Spokane, Washington: Democrat Lisa Brown defeated incumbent Republican mayor Nadine Woodward in the November 7 general election.

Mayoral partisanship in state capitals

Eighteen state capitals held mayoral elections in 2023, including 11 capitals that fell outside of the top 100 cities.

One state capital saw a change in mayoral partisan affiliation in 2023:

  • Springfield, Illinois: Republican Misty Buscher defeated incumbent Democratic mayor Jim Langfelder in the April 4 general election.

After mayors elected in 2023 assumed office, there were 37 Democratic state capital mayors, six Republican mayors, one independent mayor, two nonpartisan mayors, and four mayors with unknown partisan affiliation.

Mayoral elections across the United States

Use the tabs below to sort 2023 municipal elections either by state or by date.

Alabama

  • Montgomery, Alabama

Arizona

  • Tucson, Arizona

Colorado

  • Aurora, Colorado
  • Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Denver, Colorado

Connecticut

  • Hartford, Connecticut

Delaware

  • Dover, Delaware

Florida

  • Jacksonville, Florida
  • Orlando, Florida
  • Tampa, Florida

Idaho

  • Boise, Idaho

Illinois

  • Chicago, Illinois
  • Springfield, Illinois

Indiana

  • Fort Wayne, Indiana
  • Indianapolis, Indiana

Iowa

  • Des Moines, Iowa

Kansas

  • Wichita, Kansas

Missouri

  • Jefferson City, Missouri
  • Kansas City, Missouri

Nebraska

  • Lincoln, Nebraska

New Hampshire

  • Concord, New Hampshire

North Carolina

  • Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Durham, North Carolina

Ohio

  • Columbus, Ohio

Pennsylvania

  • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

South Dakota

  • Pierre, South Dakota

Tennessee

  • Memphis, Tennessee
  • Nashville, Tennessee

Texas

  • Arlington, Texas
  • Dallas, Texas
  • Fort Worth, Texas
  • Garland, Texas
  • Houston, Texas
  • Irving, Texas
  • San Antonio, Texas

Utah

  • Salt Lake City, Utah

Vermont

  • Montpelier, Vermont

Washington

  • Olympia, Washington
  • Spokane, Washington

Wisconsin

  • Madison, Wisconsin

February 21

Primary

  • Madison, Wisconsin

February 28

General election

  • Chicago, Illinois

March 7

General election

  • Tampa, Florida
  • Montpelier, Vermont

March 21

General election

  • Jacksonville, Florida

April 4

Primary

  • Kansas City, Missouri
  • Lincoln, Nebraska

General election

  • Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Denver, Colorado
  • Springfield, Illinois
  • Jefferson City, Missouri
  • Madison, Wisconsin

General runoff

  • Chicago, Illinois

April 18

General election

  • Dover, Delaware

April 25

General runoff

  • Tampa, Florida

May 2

Primary

  • Fort Wayne, Indiana
  • Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Columbus, Ohio

General election

  • Lincoln, Nebraska

May 6

General election

  • Arlington, Texas
  • Dallas, Texas
  • Fort Worth, Texas
  • Garland, Texas
  • Irving, Texas
  • San Antonio, Texas

May 16

Primary

  • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

General runoff

  • Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Jacksonville, Florida
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June 6

General election

  • Pierre, South Dakota

General runoff

  • Denver, Colorado

August 1

Primary

  • Tucson, Arizona
  • Wichita, Kansas
  • Olympia, Washington
  • Spokane, Washington

August 3

General election

  • Nashville, Tennessee

August 22

General election

  • Montgomery, Alabama

September 12

Primary

  • Hartford, Connecticut
  • Charlotte, North Carolina

September 14

General runoff

  • Nashville, Tennessee

October 3

General runoff

  • Montgomery, Alabama

October 5

General election

  • Memphis, Tennessee

October 10

Primary

  • Durham, North Carolina

Primary runoff

  • Charlotte, North Carolina

November 7

General election

  • Tucson, Arizona
  • Aurora, Colorado
  • Hartford, Connecticut
  • Orlando, Florida
  • Boise, Idaho
  • Fort Wayne, Indiana
  • Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Des Moines, Iowa
  • Wichita, Kansas
  • Concord, New Hampshire
  • Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Durham, North Carolina
  • Columbus, Ohio
  • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Houston, Texas
  • Olympia, Washington
  • Spokane, Washington

November 16

General runoff

  • Memphis, Tennessee

November 21

General election

  • Salt Lake City, Utah

December 5

General runoff

  • Orlando, Florida

December 9

General runoff

  • Houston, Texas

List of mayors of the 100 largest cities

See also: List of current mayors of the top 100 cities in the United States

To view a list of the current mayors of the top 100 U.S. cities by population, click here.

Historical election data

Cities in Ballotpedia’s coverage scope held an average of 30.8 mayoral elections and 54.8 city council elections each year between 2014 and 2022. From 2014 to 2016, our coverage scope included the 100 largest U.S. cities by population. In 2017, Ballotpedia began covering the counties that overlap those cities, as well. In 2021, our coverage scope expanded to include the mayors, city councils, and district attorneys in the 32 state capitals that fall outside the 100 largest U.S. cities.

This section includes statistics for mayoral elections, city council elections, and county elections between 2014 and 2022, comparing uncontested races, incumbents who sought re-election, and incumbents who were defeated in their re-election bids.

The following table details the total number of elections at the city and county level covered by Ballotpedia between 2014 and 2022, including the number of cities to hold mayoral and city council elections in a given year:

Total municipal elections covered by Ballotpedia from 2014 to 2022 Year Cities Mayor City council Counties 2022 86 34 75 81 2021 70 40 59 22 2020 59 29 52 80 2019 64 30 63 29 2018 58 26 49 78 2017 59 36 50 23 2016 46 33 58 N/A 2015 59 33 58 N/A 2014 43 24 42 N/A

Mayoral elections

Between 2014 and 2022, 66.8% of incumbent mayors sought re-election; of these, 16.8% were defeated in their bids for re-election. The first chart below shows the number of incumbents who sought election each year compared to the number of seats up for election. The second chart shows the number of incumbents who were defeated compared to the number of incumbents who ran for re-election.

The table below is organized by year and includes the total number of mayoral races and the number and percentage of uncontested races, incumbents who sought re-election, and incumbents who were defeated in their re-election bids.

Mayoral election incumbency statistics from 2014 to 2022 Year Total seats Uncontested Incumbents whosought re-election Incumbents defeated # % # % # % 2022 34 0 0.0% 22 64.7% 3 13.6% 2021 40 1 2.5% 24 60.0% 3 12.5% 2020 29 1 3.4% 22 75.9% 5 22.7% 2019 30 2 6.7% 21 70.0% 4 19.0% 2018 26 1 3.8% 18 69.2% 1 5.6% 2017 36 0 0.0% 24 66.7% 5 20.8% 2016 25 4 16.0% 15 60.0% 4 26.7% 2015 33 3 9.1% 25 75.8% 4 16.0% 2014 24 2 8.3% 14 58.3% 2 14.3%

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City council elections

Between 2014 and 2022, 67.9% of city council incumbents sought re-election; of these, 14.0% were defeated in their bids for re-election. The first chart below shows the number of incumbents who sought election each year compared to the number of seats up for election. The second chart shows the number of incumbents who were defeated compared to the number of incumbents who ran for re-election.

The table below is organized by year and includes the total number of city council races and the number and percentage of uncontested races, incumbents who sought re-election, and incumbents who were defeated in their re-election bids.

City council election incumbency statistics from 2014 to 2022 Year Total seats Uncontested Incumbents whosought re-election Incumbents defeated # % # % # % 2022 346 58 16.8% 215 62.1% 37 17.2% 2021 416 63 15.1% 276 66.3% 47 17.0% 2020 253 47 18.6% 175 69.2% 26 14.9% 2019 457 59 12.9% 312 68.3% 39 12.5% 2018 200 29 14.5% 137 68.5% 19 13.9% 2017 367 47 12.8% 274 74.7% 37 13.5% 2016 216 48 22.2% 156 72.2% 22 14.1% 2015 467 97 20.8% 309 66.2% 30 9.7% 2014 198 31 15.7% 130 65.7% 21 16.2%

County elections

Between 2017 and 2022, 82.6% of county and special district incumbents sought re-election; of these, 8.3% were defeated in their bids for re-election. The table below is organized by year and includes the total number of county races and the number and percentage of uncontested races, incumbents who sought re-election, and incumbents who were defeated in their re-election bids.

County election incumbency statistics from 2017 to 2022 Year Total seats Uncontested Incumbents whosought re-election Incumbents defeated # % # % # % 2022 2,499 1,347 53.9% 2,041 81.7% 152 7.4% 2021 176 59 33.5% 106 60.2% 8 7.5% 2020 2,167 1,190 54.9% 1,861 85.9% 147 7.9% 2019 183 85 46.4% 140 76.5% 11 7.9% 2018 2,168 1,115 51.4% 1,807 83.3% 176 9.7% 2017 108 47 43.5% 74 68.5% 9 12.2%

Uncontested races

An average of 1.6 mayoral races and 53.2 city council races went uncontested between 2014 and 2022. In terms of mayoral elections, 2016 saw the highest number of uncontested races (four) and 2017 and 2022 saw the fewest (zero). For city council seats, 2015 had the highest number of uncontested races (97) and 2018 had the fewest (29). The chart below shows the percentage of uncontested mayoral and city council races between 2014 and 2022.

More local election analysis

See also: United States municipal elections, 2023

Ballotpedia covered municipal elections in 29 counties and 77 cities, including 40 mayoral elections, in 2023. As of 2023, Ballotpedia’s coverage scope for local elections included elections on the ballot in the 100 largest U.S. cities by population, as well as elections for mayors, city council members, and district attorneys in each state capital.

Analysis

  • Election results, 2023: Partisan balance of mayors of the 100 largest cities by population
  • Partisanship in United States municipal elections
  • United States municipal elections overview
  • School board elections
  • Local trial court judicial elections
  • Local ballot measure elections
  • Ballotpedia’s Mid-Year Recall Report (2023)
  • Ballotpedia’s 2023 Recall Analysis
  • Rematches in 2023 general elections
  • Endorsements in school board elections, 2023
  • Ballotpedia’s Top 15 Elections to Watch, 2023
  • Uncontested races by state
  • Incumbent win rates by state
  • Minor-party candidates who won more than the margin of victory
  • Candidates with the same last names

See also

  • Poll Closing Times

Local Politics 2023 Election Analysis

Municipal government Local courts School boards Local ballot measures Local recalls

Municipal elections, 2023 Mayoral elections, 2023 Local court elections, 2023 School board elections, 2023 Local ballot measure elections, 2023 Political recall efforts, 2023

Footnotes

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