Partisanship in United States municipal elections (2025)

Elections Navigation

2025 Election Results

Federal elections

• U.S. Congress specials

State elections

• State executives
• State legislatures
• State judges
• State ballot measures
• State government trifectas

Local elections

• Municipal government
• Mayors
• School boards
• Local ballot measures

Recalls

2026 → ← 2024
2025 Municipal Elections
Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, Alabama (Mayor)Anchorage, AlaskaJuneau, AlaskaTucson, ArizonaFresno, CaliforniaIrvine, CaliforniaOakland, CaliforniaOakland, California (Mayor)San Jose, CaliforniaSan Diego County, CaliforniaSanta Clara County, CaliforniaAurora, ColoradoColorado Springs, ColoradoDover, DelawareHialeah, FloridaHialeah, Florida (Mayor)Miami, FloridaMiami, Florida (Mayor)Orlando, FloridaTampa, FloridaAtlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia (Mayor)Boise, IdahoDes Moines, IowaTopeka, KansasTopeka, Kansas (Mayor)Wichita, KansasBaton Rouge, LouisianaNew Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana (Mayor)Augusta, MaineAnnapolis, MarylandAnnapolis, Maryland (Mayor)Boston, MassachusettsBoston, Massachusetts (Mayor)Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan (Mayor)Lansing, MichiganLansing, Michigan (Mayor)Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, Minnesota (Mayor)St. Paul, MinnesotaSt. Paul, Minnesota (Mayor)Ramsey County, MinnesotaJackson, MississippiJackson, Mississippi (Mayor)Jefferson City, MissouriSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri (Mayor)Helena, MontanaHelena, Montana (Mayor)Lincoln, NebraskaOmaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraska (Mayor)Concord, New HampshireConcord, New Hampshire (Mayor)Jersey City, New JerseyJersey City, New Jersey (Mayor)Newark, New JerseyEssex County, New JerseyHudson County, New JerseyAlbuquerque, New MexicoAlbuquerque, New Mexico (Mayor)Santa Fe, New MexicoSanta Fe, New Mexico (Mayor)Bernalillo County, New MexicoAlbany, New YorkAlbany, New York (Mayor)Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York (Mayor)New York, New YorkNew York, New York (Mayor)Bronx County, New YorkErie County, New YorkKings County, New YorkNew York County, New YorkQueens County, New YorkRichmond County, New YorkCharlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte, North Carolina (Mayor)Durham, North CarolinaDurham, North Carolina (Mayor)Greensboro, North CarolinaGreensboro, North Carolina (Mayor)Guilford County, North CarolinaCincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio (Mayor)Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio (Mayor)Columbus, OhioToledo, OhioToledo, Ohio (Mayor)Fairfield County, OhioFranklin County, OhioHamilton County, OhioLucas County, OhioOklahoma City, OklahomaOklahoma County, OklahomaOsage County, OklahomaTulsa County, OklahomaSalem, OregonMultnomah County, OregonHarrisburg, PennsylvaniaHarrisburg, Pennsylvania (Mayor)Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Mayor)Allegheny County, PennsylvaniaGurabo, Puerto RicoColumbia, South CarolinaColumbia, South Carolina (Mayor)Pierre, South DakotaDallas, TexasFort Worth, TexasFort Worth, Texas (Mayor)Garland, TexasGarland, Texas (Mayor)Irving, TexasPlano, TexasPlano, Texas (Mayor)San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio, Texas (Mayor)Bexar County, TexasCollin County, TexasEl Paso County, TexasHarris County, TexasTarrant County, TexasTravis County, TexasSalt Lake City, UtahMontpelier, VermontChesapeake, VirginiaNorfolk, VirginiaRichmond, VirginiaVirginia Beach, VirginiaOlympia, WashingtonSeattle, WashingtonSeattle, Washington (Mayor)Spokane, WashingtonKing County, WashingtonWashington, D.C.Madison, WisconsinMilwaukee, WisconsinDane County, WisconsinMilwaukee County, WisconsinSubmit
List of current mayors of the top 100 cities
Party affiliation of the mayors of the 100 largest cities
List of current city council officials
Partisanship in United States municipal elections
2024 •2023 •2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016

Thirty-six mayoral elections are taking place in the 100 largest U.S. cities by population and the 50 state capitals in 2025. Of the 36 cities with mayoral elections in 2025, 27 hold nonpartisan elections, and nine hold partisan elections. Click here to learn about how Ballotpedia identifies the partisan affiliation of mayors in cities with nonpartisan mayoral elections.

Top-100 cities

In 2025, 27 of the 100 largest cities are holding mayoral elections . At the start of 2025:

• Sixty-five of the 100 largest cities had a Democratic mayor
  • Twenty-one (or 32%) are holding mayoral elections in 2025.
• Twenty-five of the 100 largest cities had a Republican mayor
  • Six (or 24%) are holding mayoral elections in 2025.

As of August 2025, elections in the following top-100 cities resulted in a change in party control:

• Omaha, Nebraska: Democrat John Ewing Jr. defeated incumbent Republican Jean Stothert on May 13.
• Garland, Texas: Nonpartisan Dylan Hedrick was elected to succeed Republican Scott LeMay in the general runoff election on June 7.

Since 2016, the number of Democratic-led top-100 cities has ranged from 61 to 65, and the number of Republican-led cities has ranged from 25 to 30.

State capitals

Thirteen state capitals are holding mayoral elections in 2025, including 10 capitals that fall outside of the top 100 cities. At the start of 2025,

• Thirty-five state capitals had a Democratic mayor
  • Twelve are holding mayoral elections in 2025.
• Seven state capitals has a Republican mayor
  • One is holding a mayoral election in 2025,

On this page you will find:

• Party affiliations
• Top-100 mayoral elections
• State capital mayoral elections
• Mayoral partisanship: 2016-2025
• Battleground elections
• Current mayors

Tracking mayoral party affiliation in the top 100 cities

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

Twenty-seven of the 100 largest cities are holding mayoral elections in 2025. At the start of 2025, the mayors of 65 of the country's 100 largest cities were affiliated with the Democratic Party. Republicans held 25 mayoral offices, Libertarians held one office, independents held two, and four mayors were nonpartisan. Three mayors' partisan affiliations were unknown.

As of September 2025, party control of the mayoral office had changed in the following top-100 cities:

• Omaha, Nebraska: Democrat John Ewing Jr. was elected to succeed Republican Jean Stothert on May 13. Ewing Jr. assumed office on June 9.

• Garland, Texas: Nonpartisan Dylan Hedrick was elected to succeed Republican Scott LeMay in the general runoff election on June 7. Hedrick assumed office on June 17.

Methodology

Ballotpedia has tracked the partisan affiliation of the mayors of the 100 largest U.S. cities since 2016, and we've tracked the partisan affiliation of state capital mayors since 2021. In cities where mayoral elections are nonpartisan, Ballotpedia uses one or more of the following sources to identify each officeholder’s partisan affiliation:

1. Direct communication from the officeholder,
2. Previous candidacy for partisan office, or
3. Identification of partisan affiliation by multiple media outlets.

To view a breakdown of the partisan affiliation of mayors of the top 100 cities since 2016, click here.

Top-100 mayoral elections in 2025

Mayoral elections are being held in 27 of the 100 largest U.S. cities in 2025. The following table shows the results of those elections.

State capital mayoral elections in 2025

Thirteen state capitals are holding mayoral elections in 2025, including 10 capitals that fell outside of the top 100 cities. As of 2025, 32 state capitals fell outside of the top 100 U.S. cities by population. The following table shows state capital mayoral elections that will occur in 2025.

Mayoral partisanship: 2016-2025

The chart below shows the partisan breakdown of mayors of the top 100 cities at the start of each year since 2016. Between 2016 and 2025, the number of Democratic-led top-100 cities ranged from 61 to 65, and the number of Republican-led cities ranged from 25 to 30.

2025 mayoral battleground elections

See also: Battlegrounds

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

Click below to expand summaries of key races.

Expand All

New York, New York (Democratic primary)

:See also: Mayoral election in New York, New York, 2025 (June 24 Democratic primary)

Zohran Mamdani (D) defeated ten other candidates in the Democratic primary for Mayor of New York City on June 24, 2025. Mamdani received 56% of the vote in round 3 of ranked-choice voting to Andrew Cuomo's (D) 44%.

On The Ballot Episode 198: NYC Mayoral Primary 2025: Cuomo, Mamdani, RCV, and the Democrats’ Next Chapter

Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams (D) was first elected in 2021. He initially ran in the primaries for re-election, but he withdrew on April 3 to run as an independent.

The section below lists noteworthy candidates. To read more about how Ballotpedia defines noteworthy candidates, click here.

• Adrienne Adams is the speaker of the City Council. She ran on her record as speaker and supported a guaranteed income program for homeless families.
• Andrew Cuomo was governor of New York from 2011 until 2021. He campaigned on making the city more affordable and on fighting antisemitism.
• Brad Lander is the city comptroller. He campaigned on ending homelessness and reducing retail theft.
• Zohran Mamdani is a state assemblymember for District 36. He campaigned for a rent freeze on housing and for making city buses free.
• Zellnor Myrie is a state senator for District 20. He campaigned to address the cost of housing and to implement his plan to hire up to 3,000 new police officers.
• Jessica Ramos is a state senator for District 13. She campaigned to create an affordable citywide childcare program and to declare homelessness a public health emergency. On June 6, Ramos announced her endorsement of Andrew Cuomo, but said she was still a candidate for mayor.
• Scott Stringer was the city's comptroller from 2014 to 2022 and an unsuccessful candidate for mayor in 2021. He campaigned against government corruption and for making childcare more affordable.

For more information on the candidates and their platforms, click here.

The New York Times's Nicholas Fandos and Lisa Lerer wrote before the election, "The clash consuming New York City is one that has become almost routine in Democratic politics. On one side stands a moderate pragmatist who first took public office three decades ago. On the other is a democratic socialist half his age who has leaped past more seasoned rivals and captured the imagination of the left."

Candidate endorsements became a factor, and City & State NY's Sahalie Donaldson, Annie McDonough, and Holly Pretsky wrote that as the race progressed, "Alliances [began] to solidify." Former mayor Michael Bloomberg (D) endorsed Cuomo, and Columbia University professor Ester Fuchs said, "Bloomberg is the most critical and important endorsement for Cuomo in the primary. It’s a seal of approval for moderate voters who care about effectively governing the city." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) endorsed Mamdani, and City University of New York professor John Mollenkopf said the endorsement could "make some difference. And in this tight race, some difference is valuable."

This was the third election in the city that used ranked-choice voting. The system allowed voters to rank up to five candidates, and if their first candidate was eliminated, their vote would be transferred to a different candidate. Voters could have picked only one candidate or ranked fewer than five. This system applied only to the primary election.

The New Republic's Grace Seger wrote before the election, "In these final weeks, the mayoral hopefuls are working to tailor their campaigns to train voters on what they need to do when they enter their voting booths." On June 13, Brad Lander and Zohran Mamdani endorsed each other. On June 16, Mamdani and Michael Blake (D) endorsed each other's campaigns. New York Daily News' Chris Sommerfeldt wrote that candidates endorsing each other had become increasingly common and said "a candidate who trails after the first round of vote tabulations could eventually prevail if they are ranked on ballots featuring other candidates as the number one choice."

Selma Bartholomew (D), Michael Blake (D), Paperboy Prince (D), and Whitney Tilson (D) also ran.

Oakland, California

:See also: Mayoral election in Oakland, California (2025)

Barbara Lee defeated Loren Taylor and seven other candidates in the April 15 nonpartisan, special general election for mayor of Oakland.

Incumbent Kevin Jenkins did not run for re-election. The Oakland City Council selected Jenkins to serve as interim mayor after voters recalled former Mayor Sheng Thao 60.6%-39.4% on November 5, 2024. Click here to learn more about the recall. This was the first time in the city's history that a mayor was successfully recalled.

Lee, Taylor, and Renia Webb led in media attention and endorsements.

Lee served in the U.S. House from 1998 to 2025 and placed fourth out of seven candidates in the 2024 U.S. Senate primary. Lee highlighted her record in Congress and as a state legislator, saying she "focused on local issues in terms of bringing home billions of dollars to make sure that my community benefits from my work on the national and state level." Lee also said she would focus on unifying the city around an agenda that prioritized public safety, housing, government accountability, and economic development and jobs.

Taylor was a member of the Oakland City Council from 2019 to 2023 and ran for mayor in 2022. In that race, Thao defeated Taylor 50.3%-49.7% after nine rounds of ranked-choice voting. Taylor ran on his record as a former city council member and his experience working as an engineer and consultant. He said, "We need new energy, fresh perspective, and a deliberate focus on making hard but necessary choices to get us through this current period. ... My vision for Oakland is that we are the safe, clean city that we know we can be, that we are full of opportunities, and we are founded on a solid foundation of fiscal solvency."

Webb was an elementary school teacher and worked as Thao's chief of staff when Thao was on Oakland's City Council. Webb also worked as a communications manager at Urban Lynx Consulting and a construction community liaison for the Oakland Unified School District. Webb's campaign website said, "My mission is to bridge the gaps, amplify underrepresented voices, and create a city where everyone can thrive." Webb also highlighted public safety, saying she saw how the issue affected her students: "When I hear stories of them telling me that their car got stolen the night before and their teddy bear was in it, and they couldn't sleep last night. You see the impacts that crime has on our city."

Lee, Taylor, and Webb all participated in a forum on February 18, 2025. At the forum, the candidates discussed public safety, homelessness, economic conditions, and government accountability. Click here to watch the forum. The League of Women Voters of Oakland also held a forum on March 15, 2025, including all nine candidates. During the forum, the candidates spoke about the city's budget, public safety, homelessness, and the city's form of government. Click here to learn more.

Before the election, Lee and Taylor led in campaign spending, with Lee spending more than $371,000 and Taylor spending more than $394,000. In the 2022 election, Thao and Taylor — the top two vote-getters — spent more than $450,000 and $593,000 respectively.

President Cristina Grappo, Peter Liu, Mindy Pechenuk, Suz Robinson, Eric Simpson, and Elizabeth Swaney also ran.

Liu and Robinson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Click here to read the responses.

This election happened at the same time as Measure A, a local ballot measure which asked voters to decide whether the city should enact a 0.5% sales and use tax for 10 years to provide general government funding. According to CBS News, "City leaders estimate the tax hike would generate approximately $30 million annually for Oakland's general fund, helping to close a projected $140 million budget deficit for the next fiscal year." Click here to learn more about the local ballot measure.

Oakland used ranked-choice voting (RCV) for this election, which asked voters to rank candidates by preference on their ballots. Click here to learn more about that process. The filing deadline for this election was January 17, 2025.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

:See also: Mayoral election in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2025 (May 20 Democratic primary)

Corey O'Connor (D) defeated incumbent Edward Gainey (D) in the Democratic primary for mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on May 20, 2025. A Democrat had held the mayor's office since 1934.

Before the election, PennLive's J.D. Prose wrote, "With Pittsburgh remaining a solidly blue enclave in purple Allegheny County, the party’s primary race winner will be considered the de facto next mayor although there are two GOP mayoral candidates."

Gainey was first elected in 2021. He focused on his record in office and his campaign website said, "Homicides are down, the state of our infrastructure has improved, affordable housing options are growing, and basic services are faster — I’m proud of my record as Mayor, and excited about what we can still achieve, together." Gainey also campaigned to make housing more affordable, saying, "I want to build a city where everybody has an opportunity to live. To me, housing is a right. Housing is a right that everybody should have." U.S. Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) and the United Steelworkers endorsed Gainey.

O'Connor was the controller of Allegheny County. He campaigned to build more housing and develop businesses and said, "We must create new affordable and workforce housing opportunities, and eliminate obstacles to housing construction. We must provide space for new businesses and entrepreneurs to choose Pittsburgh." He also campaigned on public safety and said he wanted to fund centers to "provide crisis support, homelessness resources, and emergency aid, giving first responders more tools to help residents quickly and effectively." The Allegheny County Democratic Committee and Pennsylvania's Laborers' Council endorsed O'Connor. The Democratic Committee previously endorsed Gainey over incumbent Bill Peduto (D) in 2021.

WESA's Chris Potter discussed the national implications of the race and wrote, "What happens outside of Pittsburgh no longer stays outside of Pittsburgh." Gainey criticized O'Connor for receiving $130,000 in donations from donors who previously supported Republican candidates. Gainey said, "There's one place I didn't expect to have to fend the MAGA assault, and that was the mayoral primary race." He added, "Trump's MAGA megadonors, his consultants and corporate interests, are trying to buy the mayor's office." O'Connor said he received donations from "people who want to donate because they see how much Pittsburgh is struggling." He also criticized Gainey for supporting Pittsburgh’s bid to host the Republican National Convention in Pittsburgh, saying, "So, I ask, who's progressive? Somebody who wants to stop Donald Trump or somebody who was willing to welcome Donald Trump and the Trump Republicans to Pittsburgh for their national convention?"

Pittsburgh was one of the 47 top 100 U.S. cities to use a strong mayor system of governance, meaning the mayor drafts budgets, sets policies, and can veto bills by the city council. To read more about the power mayors have in the top 100 cities in the country, click here.

San Antonio, Texas

:See also: Mayoral election in San Antonio, Texas (2025)

Gina Ortiz Jones defeated Rolando Pablos 54.3% to 45.7% in the June 7, 2025, runoff election for mayor of San Antonio, Texas.

Ortiz Jones and Pablos advanced to the runoff from the nonpartisan general election on May 3. Ortiz Jones received 27.2% of the vote and Pablos received 16.6%. The two advanced to a runoff because neither received at least 50% of the vote.

Incumbent Ron Nirenberg, elected in June 2017, was term-limited. Though the office was nonpartisan, Nirenberg joined the Democratic Party in 2024 and was previously an independent. This was the city's first mayoral election in 16 years without an incumbent on the ballot.

The San Antonio Report's Andrea Drusch wrote, "The race to become San Antonio’s next mayor is headed toward a partisan showdown between one candidate loved by national Democratic Party leaders [Ortiz Jones] and another [Pablos] who has close ties to the Republicans who control every lever of power in Texas state government. ... Texas’ big city mayors have steadily become less progressive as traditional liberal incumbents termed out, and all eyes will be on San Antonio as Jones and Pablos face off in what is supposed to be a nonpartisan race." The runoff election did not feature any city council candidates. Drusch wrote, "Historically, San Antonio has shown preference for candidates with council experience. The city has elected just one mayor without it in 70 years — Phil Hardberger — making the dominance of City Hall outsiders in this race highly unusual."

Notable endorsements for Ortiz Jones included: former mayors Phil Hardberger and Julian Castro; congressmen Greg Casar (D) and Joaquin Castro (D); councilmembers Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, Phyllis Viagran, and Teri Castillo; and the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations. The San Antonio Police Officers’ Association, former U.S. Rep. Will Hurd (R), and Gov. Greg Abbott (R)-affiliated PAC, The Texas Economic Fund, endorsed Pablos.

Ortiz Jones served as undersecretary of the Air Force (2021-2024) in the Biden administration. She said she would focus on working families and young people, and would "work to bring down costs where we can, make smart investments in our future, and respect taxpayers by increasing transparency around how tax dollars are spent." Pablos served as Texas secretary of state from 2017 to 2018. He said his priorities were public safety, better-paying jobs, small businesses, government accountability, and basic city services such as affordable utilities, walkable neighborhoods, and enhanced drainage systems and garbage collection.

Heading into the May 3 election, the San Antonio Report's Leigh Munsil said the new mayor and city council would need to navigate "multiple city-shaping economic development efforts like a downtown stadium for the Missions baseball team and a possible relocation of the Spurs to Hemisfair ... [as well as] challenges of housing affordability, public safety and infrastructure, to name a few."

San Antonio, which was the seventh most populous city in the country as of May 2025, has a council-manager system, meaning the mayor represents one of 11 votes on the city council. The mayor and city council appoint a chief executive called a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations and implement the council's policy and legislative initiatives.

This page covers the June 7, 2025, runoff. Click here for more on the general election.

St. Louis, Missouri

:See also: Mayoral election in St. Louis, Missouri (2025)

Cara Spencer defeated incumbent Tishaura Jones in the general election for mayor of St. Louis on April 8, 2025. This contest was a rematch of the 2021 election, in which Jones defeated Spencer 52% to 48%. Both candidates were affiliated with the Democratic Party.

In the four-person primary, which utilized approval voting, Spencer received 68% of the vote, and Jones received 33%. St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Austin Huguelt and Joe Holleman wrote that Spencer's performance was a "reversal from four years ago, when Jones beat Spencer by [four] percentage points." St. Louis Public Radio's Rachel Lippmann, Jason Rosenbaum, Will Bauer, and Lacretia Wimbley wrote, "While the outcome of the primary was the same as in 2021, the underlying numbers look quite different."

Jones was first elected in 2021. She campaigned on her record and said, "We’ll be able to show people exactly where we have improved some of the things that they are most concerned about, and also let them know how we’re going to improve things in our second term." Jones said that she used pandemic funds to improve the city: "Homicides were at an all-time high and services weren’t being delivered. Fast forward to now and we’ve received pandemic relief funds and the first thing we did was to ask the community ‘what would you like to see’ with those funds. And we’ve invested in people, infrastructure and upgraded the government experience."

Spencer was a member of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, representing Ward 8. Spencer campaigned on reducing government corruption and said, "Governments are failing our communities, and the city of St. Louis is failing our communities. And if I’m elected mayor, what I’ll do to rebuild trust is root out corruption in every single city department…zero tolerance for corruption." She also campaigned on public safety. Her website said, "Public safety is Cara’s top priority... A safer St. Louis starts with action and Cara’s committed to ensuring every resident’s right to live in safety."

On March 8, the Democratic Party of St. Louis endorsed Spencer. The party's Central Committee Chair Sean Fauss (D) said the endorsement showed Spencer "was able to win from where I'm at in the south ward all the way into the farthest north ward, and the votes of committee people in between."

Eighteen percent of eligible voters turned out for the primary. Jones said her numbers in the general election would improve with increased turnout and that her strategy was to "make sure that people are aware that there is another election... and increas[e] turnout all over the city." Board of Aldermen president Megan Ellyia Green noted the possible effect that the supporters of the third and fourth-place primary finishers, Michael Butler and Andrew Jones Jr., could have on this race. She pointed to the potential influence of Butler's supporters for Jones and said she thought "a lot of the Butler vote will consolidate to the mayor."

Seattle, Washington

:See also: Mayoral election in Seattle, Washington (2025)

Incumbent Bruce Harrell and Katie Wilson are running in the November 4 general election for mayor of Seattle.

Harrell was first elected in 2021, when he defeated M. Lorena González 58.6%-41.2%. The last incumbent Seattle mayor to win re-election was Greg Nickels in 2005.

Ballotpedia reports: Harrell vs. Wilson, Seattle mayoral election, 2025

Before he was elected mayor, Harrell was a lawyer and a member of the Seattle City Council from 2008 to 2020. Harrell is running on his record. His campaign website said he would prioritize "a transportation system focused on safety, sidewalks, road infrastructure, bus and light rail," and support policies challenging the Trump Administration. Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson (D), Attorney General Nick Brown (D), and U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D) endorsed Harrell. As of August 28, Harrell raised $713,000 and spent $439,000.

Wilson is the co-founder and executive director of the Seattle-based Transit Riders Union. Wilson's campaign website said she would "open 4,000 new units of emergency housing and shelter in four years" and support policies challenging the Trump Administration. The King County Democrats, the Transit Riders Union, and the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 3000 (UCFW 3000). endorsed Wilson. As of August 28, Wilson raised $640,000 and spent $444,000.

Both candidates also listed public safety and housing as priorities on their campaign websites.

Seattle voters also approved three ballot measures in February 2025, including Proposition 1A, a citizen initiative that established a new tax to fund the city's new social housing developer. Proposition 1A appeared on the ballot along with Proposition 1B, which the Seattle City Council and the mayor referred to the ballot as an alternative measure. Proposition 1B would have used existing payroll expense tax revenues from the next five annual budgets to fund the social housing developer. Voters approved Proposition 1A and defeated Proposition 1B 63.1%-36.9%. Wilson said she supported Proposition 1A, while Harrell supported Proposition 1B.

The filing deadline for this election was May 9, 2025. As of 2025, Seattle does not have term limits for the position of mayor. Mayors serve a four-year term.

Detroit, Michigan

:See also: Mayoral election in Detroit, Michigan (August 5 nonpartisan primary)

Solomon Kinloch and Mary Sheffield advanced in the nonpartisan primary for mayor of Detroit on August 5, 2025.

Bridge Detroit's Malachi Barrett wrote, "For the first time since he won the role 12 years ago, Mike Duggan will not be on the ballot for Detroit mayor. His term expires at the end of 2025, opening up a competitive contest to succeed him." Though the position is nonpartisan, Duggan is an independent, formerly affiliated with the Democratic Party. Detroit's last Republican mayor left office in 1962.

James Craig was the former chief of Detroit's police department and ran for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Michigan in 2022 and U.S. Senate in 2024. He campaigned on public safety, and said that residents "want police and they want more police, but that certainly doesn't mean that we need to exhaust the budget just for public safety. There has to be a balance." Craig also said he wanted a third party to audit the city's finances, and said that if elected, he would "[b]ring in a firm that will not only report out on the health, but come back with recommendations."

Fred Durhal, at the time of the primary, was a member of the Detroit City Council, a former Democratic state representative, and a community liaison to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. He campaigned on his experience and said he was the only candidate in the race who had a "vast experience of being able to foster relationships and deliver here for the city of Detroit." Durhal also said that he wanted to reform property taxes, and said he would "modernize [property] assessments by transitioning toward income-based assessments for commercial and residential rental properties, ensuring taxes are aligned with actual earning potential."

Saunteel Jenkins was a nonprofit executive and was president of the Detroit City Council from 2013 to 2014. She campaigned on affordability, and her website said she would "make lowering property taxes and housing affordability a top priority. We’ll work with our partners to create more affordable housing options for renters and owners." Jenkins also campaigned to expand public transit, and said, "We should have a combination of traditional buses and shuttles that go shorter routes. You need transportation hubs around the city, not just Rosa Parks Transit Center, that can fulfill the needs of people throughout the city." Jenkins was affiliated with the Democratic Party.

Solomon Kinloch, at the time of the primary, was the pastor of the Triumph Church. He campaigned on his lack of political experience, and focused on his experience as a pastor. He said, "It doesn’t matter how experienced you are if your experiences don’t change the experiences of the people in this city." He added, "When government didn’t show up and do their part, Solomon Kinloch and Triumph Church stood up." Kinloch also campaigned on building new grocery stores in the city. He said, "I plan on building 10 strategically locator[sic] grocery stores and ending the food desert in Detroit forever." Kinloch was affiliated with the Democratic Party.

Mary Sheffield, at the time of the primary, was the president of the Detroit City Council. She campaigned on developing less well-off neighborhoods, and her website said that further development had "to occur in neighborhoods, and resources must be made available to residents where they live, work, play and pray. Detroit cannot continue to be a tale of two cities." Sheffield also campaigned on using community policing, and said she was "very big on community violence intervention programs, and possibly creating an office of gun violence prevention in Detroit. Creating more ways to address the underlying social issues that breed crime in our community." Sheffield was affiliated with the Democratic Party.

Deadline Detroit's Allan Lengel wrote, "It's always tough to say just how influential political endorsements are. That being said, they're still coveted and considered a prize worth working for." Most of the leading candidates received endorsements from organizations with local and national reach:

• Four mayors of other Michigan cities, including those from Grand Rapids and Lansing, endorsed Durhal.
• The Detroit News' editorial board endorsed Jenkins, and the Michigan Chronicle's editorial board co-endorsed Jenkins and Sheffield.
• The United Auto Workers, the Black Slate, and the 13th Congressional District Democrats endorsed Kinloch.
• The Service Employees International Union Michigan and the Detroit Free Press's editorial board endorsed Sheffield. The Michigan Chronicle's editorial board co-endorsed Sheffield and Jenkins.

Ballotpedia did not identify any public formal endorsements for Craig.

Jonathan Barlow, Joel Haashiim, Todd Perkins, and Danetta Simpson also ran.

Miami, Florida

:See also: Mayoral election in Miami, Florida (2025)

Eleven candidates are running in the nonpartisan election for mayor of the city of Miami, Florida, on November 4, 2025. If it is necessary, a runoff will be held on November 18, 2025. The filing deadline for this election is September 20, 2025. Incumbent Francis Suarez is term-limited. Four candidates lead in media attention, fundraising, and polling: Emilio Gonzalez, Eileen Higgins, Ken Russell, and Xavier Suarez.

On June 26, 2025, the Miami City Commission voted to postpone this election until 2026 in order to move city elections to even years. On July 21, 2025, Circuit Court Judge Valerie R. Manno Schurr ruled that the ordinance conflicted with the Miami-Dade County charter because changing the city's election date would require a voter referendum. The ruling means that the election will take place on November 4.

Gonzalez is a Florida Treasury Investment Council member and a former Miami city manager. He is campaigning on reducing taxes and says, "We can eliminate property taxes for homestead property owners while protecting vital services like public safety and infrastructure." He is also campaigning on reducing city work regulations, saying he would "build a workforce to overhaul permitting and licensing—sparking opportunity and empowering residents and entrepreneurs, not just the well-connected." Gonzalez is affiliated with the Republican Party.

Higgins was a commissioner for District 5 on the Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners. She is campaigning on affordability, and her website says she would support "cutting through red tape and ending corruption so that our city’s government can get to work creating a prosperous and affordable future for all residents." Higgins is also campaigning on improving the city's resilience to environmental disasters. Her website says she will "protect Biscayne Bay, invest in flood mitigations, and secure a resilient future for our city." Higgins is affiliated with the Democratic Party.

Russell is a former commissioner for the city of Miami. Russell is campaigning on affordable housing and said, "The government has to step in and create the right atmosphere and incentives for the world of development to provide the product that we want." Russell is also campaigning on expanding the city commission from five seats to seven, saying it would "really help increase accountability and local representation." Russell is affiliated with the Democratic Party.

Suarez served as mayor of Miami from 1985 to 1993 and from 1997 to 1998, and is the father of incumbent Francis Suarez. He is campaigning on his experience in government and as a private citizen, writing in an opinion piece that he would bring "perspective, steadiness and an even deeper sense of purpose. I can still think, handle public speaking and take decisive action." Suarez is also campaigning on public transportation and writes that he is "pushing to extend free public transit countywide." Suarez is affiliated with the Republican Party.

The changing of election dates has become an issue in the race. Gonzalez sued the city over the ordinance and said, "If we want to move our election, we should ask the voters." Higgins proposed a new referendum to move election years, saying she supports "shortening the next Mayor’s term and putting the question on the 2026 ballot to modernize our democracy without undermining it." Russell opposed the move, calling it a "slippery slope of bad government — where you have good intentions, but you start bending the rules to get there," and supported letting voters weigh in on the issue. Suarez supported both moving elections to even years and Gonzalez's lawsuit. Suarez said that he was "directly involved in the selection of counsel and contributed significantly to the strategic approach."

Another candidate, commissioner and former mayor Joe Carollo, may enter the race. Carollo and Suarez were mayoral candidates in 1997. Suarez was declared the winner until a Florida appeals court overturned his win on March 11, 1998, due to ballot fraud.

Laura Anderson, Christian Cevallos, Alyssa Crocker, Ijamyn Gray, Michael A. Hepburn, Maxwell Martinez, and June Savage are also running.

As of 2025, Miami has term limits for the position of mayor. Mayors can serve two consecutive four-year terms and can run again after a four year break.

Boston, Massachusetts

:See also: Mayoral election in Boston, Massachusetts (2025) (September 9 nonpartisan primary)

Four candidates are running in the nonpartisan primary election for mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, on September 9, 2025. The top two vote-getters will advance to the general election on November 4, 2025.

Incumbent Michelle Wu was first elected in 2021, when she defeated Annissa Essaibi George 64%-35.6%. It has been 76 years since an incumbent mayor lost a bid for re-election in Boston. The last to do so was James Michael Curley in 1949.

Two candidates, Wu and Josh Kraft, lead in media attention and campaign fundraising. Robert Cappucci and Domingos DaRosa are also running. While mayoral elections in Boston are nonpartisan, Wu, Kraft, and Cappucci all wrote that they were Democrats on their Organization Statements filed with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance. DaRosa did not write a partisan affiliation.

Wu was previously a member of the Boston City Council. She also worked for former Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. Wu is running on her record. Her campaign website says, "Since taking office, she has invested more in making housing affordable than any other administration in Boston’s history. In her first full year as mayor, gun violence fell to the lowest level on record—and has continued to fall every year since. She promised a summer job to every BPS student who wanted one—and delivered, and has expanded Universal Pre-K to serve more children and families than ever before." U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D), U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D), and U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D) haveendorsed Wu.

Kraft is the head of Kraft Family Philanthropies, former CEO of the Boys & Girls Club in Boston, former president of the New England Patriots Foundation, and the son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Kraft's campaign website says, "I love this city, but I have serious concerns about its future and many issues need attention. Lack of access to housing that regular people can afford, which is forcing many people to leave the city. Boston Public Schools that are failing our kids and families. Poorly planned bike and bus lanes that are changing our neighborhood streets and creating gridlock all across the city. The humanitarian crisis and public safety concerns at Mass and Cass need to be addressed." The International Longshoremen’s Association has endorsed Kraft.

On May 15, a coalition of the city's Democratic Ward Committees hosted a candidate forum. Wu, Kraft, and DaRosa all participated. During the forum, candidates spoke about housing, public transportation, public safety, the city's fiscal health, and the mayor's role in responding to the policies of the Trump Administration. Click here to watch the forum.

While Wu and Kraft have both said they oppose the Trump Administration's immigration policies, they differ on several other issues, including housing, transportation, and the renovation of Boston's White Stadium.

Wu said her administration has created more than 11,000 housing units, including 5,400 affordable units, with another 4,000 affordable units in progress, and implemented new affordability requirements. Kraft has said he would reverse the Wu administration requirements, which he says are blocking the construction of 26,000 housing units, increase the number of Boston residents who qualify for income-restricted housing units, and create an opt-in rent control plan that would include property tax breaks for participating landlords.

Wu has said she would prioritize reducing dependence on cars. Wu has highlighted her record on public transportation, including working with the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority to eliminate slow zones, as well as increasing ridership with fare-free bus lines, installing speed humps, and using technology to reduce congestion. Kraft has said he wouldn't prioritize reducing dependence on cars and instead would focus on fixing roads and sidewalks, as well as temporarily pause bike lane construction to conduct an audit on the efficiency of proposed bike lanes.

Another topic generating media attention that the candidates differ on is the renovation of Boston's White Stadium. Wu has led the city's effort to renovate the stadium, saying calling it an investment "into Black and Brown communities, into our students, and into the Boston Public Schools." Wu has also promoted an agreement between the city and Boston Legacy FC, a new professional women's soccer team, to share use of the stadium. Kraft has criticized the stadium renovation as too expensive, said he would cancel the contract with the soccer team, and create a new plan for the stadium "at a fraction of the cost."

The filing deadline for this election was May 20, 2025.

Helena, Montana

:See also: Mayoral election in Helena, Montana (2025)

Emily Dean, Sonda Gaub, Braxton Hudson, Chris Riccardo, and Andy Shirtliff are running in the nonpartisan primary for mayor of Helena, Montana, on September 9, 2025. This election is the first since 2001 in Helena to require a primary for mayor. According to KTVH, state law "requires local governments to hold primaries if at least five candidates are running for any single position." The top two finishers will advance to the general election on November 4, 2025.

Incumbent Wilmot Collins did not run for re-election. Although the position of mayor is officially nonpartisan, Collins is a Democrat.

The Helena Area Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters of the Helena Area co-hosted a "Speed Date Your Candidates" event on August 7, 2025. Dean, Hudson, Riccardo, and Shirtliff attended the event. Each spoke at a podium for three minutes before sitting at separate tables where voters asked each candidate questions in speed dating format. Three attendees told KTVH that voters questioned the candidates about parking, homelessness, water issues, affordable housing, transportation, innovation, and strategies to retain Helena's residents.

KTVH asked every candidate whether they supported Helena Public Schools’ proposed $283 million bonds, which will appear on the same ballot as the mayoral race. The bonds would support the renovation and rebuilding of select schools in Helena. Dean, Hudson, Riccardo, and Shirtliff support the bond, while Gaub does not.

Dean is the director of engagement for the Montana School Boards Association. She was elected to the Helena City Commission in 2019 and re-elected in 2023. She serves as mayor pro tem as of August 2025. Dean says, "As Mayor, my focus will be on modernizing our infrastructure, supporting responsible policies to increase affordable housing, and ensuring quality city services that meet the needs of all residents." Collins and Helena City Commissioner Sean Logan endorsed Dean.

Gaub is a former teacher and vice chair of the Helena Citizens’ Council. She says, "I’m running for mayor because I want [to] live in a 5-star city. I believe that government’s prime job is to provide superior Services — Transparent civics — Action driven solutions — excellent Representation — and disciplined Stewardship." Gaub says she is "focused on fostering trust in local government, strengthening public safety, supporting small businesses, and restoring respect for Helena's voters."

Hudson is a receptionist at Associated Dermatology. He says, "As we grow, we will need to invest in our public systems to adapt with changes we are already seeing. We need to increase affordable housing, repair our sidewalks, address traffic and parking concerns, and look into expanding our Capital Transit busses into a more robust system. As your mayor, I will make sure these key issues and others are addressed by the city."

Riccardo is the co-founder of Omerta Arts. He says, "I’m not running because I have all the answers. I’m running because I believe in us – in our capacity to solve problems creatively, to bridge differences with understanding, and to paint a vision of Helena where every person feels valued and heard. This campaign isn’t about me. It’s about the single mother working two jobs who deserves safe, affordable housing. It’s about the veteran who needs accessible services. It’s about the entrepreneur with a vision for downtown, the teacher shaping young minds, the retiree who has given so much to this community and deserves our care in return."

Shirtliff is the executive director of the Montana Building Industry Association. He was appointed to the Helena City Commission in 2022. Shirtliff says as commissioner he "has led collaborative efforts with downtown business owners, tenants and workers to find parking solutions; joined businesses and event planners in working toward a streamlined city permitting process; and worked with city officials to keep events on the Walking Mall." He says as mayor "he will focus on improving city services and communication, champion housing solutions and encourage entrepreneurship."

Helena has a council-manager system. In this form of municipal government, an elected city council, which includes the mayor and serves as the city's primary legislative body, appoints a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations and implement the city council's policy and legislative initiatives.

Mayors of the 100 largest cities

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

The following table contains a list of current mayors of the 100 largest cities in the U.S. by population.

• Click to view a list of current mayors of the 100 largest cities in the U.S. by population.

See also

Local Politics	2025 Election Analysis
Municipal government Local courts School boards Local ballot measures Local recalls	Municipal elections, 2025 Mayoral elections, 2025 Local court elections, 2025 School board elections, 2025 Local ballot measure elections, 2025 Political recall efforts, 2025

• Partisanship in United States municipal elections: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016

Footnotes

Related

2025 Election Analysis

General Analysis

Ballotpedia's Mid-Year Recall Report (2025) • Ballotpedia's 2025 Recall Analysis • Ballotpedia's Top 15 Elections to Watch, 2025 • Candidates with the same last names, 2025 • Rematches in 2025 general elections • Third-party candidates who won more than the margin of victory • Results of elected officials seeking other offices • Incumbent win rates by state • Uncontested races by state • Candidates with the same last names, 2025 • Analysis of uncontested elections, 2025 • Ballotpedia election previews, 2025 • Races decided by 10 votes or fewer • General election voter turnout • Incumbents who won primaries by five percentage points or fewer or with a plurality, 2025

State legislatures

Competitiveness report • Impact of term limits on state legislative elections in 2025 • Incumbents defeated in state legislative elections, 2025 • Contested state legislative primaries, 2025 • Primary election competitiveness in state government, 2025 • State legislative incumbents without general election challengers, 2025 • Major party competition in state legislative elections, 2025 • Open seats in state legislative elections, 2025 • State legislative incumbents in contested primaries, 2025 • State legislative veto-proof majorities • State legislative races decided by fewer than 100 votes • Margin of victory analysis for the 2025 state legislative elections

State executives

Competitiveness report • States with two or more statewide offices up for election in 2025 • Trifecta vulnerability in the 2025 elections • Impact of term limits on state executive elections in 2025 • Number of Democratic and Republican candidates on the ballot for state offices, 2025 • Veto-proof state legislatures and opposing party governors in the 2025 elections

Ballot measures

Ballotpedia's top 10 ballot measures to watch, 2025 • Ballot measure readability scores, 2025 • Ballot measure signature costs, 2025 • Ballot measure campaign finance, 2025 • Analysis of the 2025 local ballot measures in the largest U.S. cities and state capitals

Local

Partisanship in United States municipal elections (2025) • Partisan balance of mayors of the 100 largest cities by population

Ballotpedia

About

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

---

Executive: Leslie Graves, Founder and CEO • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer

Communications: Alison Graves, Director of Communications • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Frank Festa • Sarah Groat • Nathaniel Harwood • Dillon Redmond • Erica Shumaker
External Relations: Geoff Pallay, Director of External Relations • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Ashley Fleming • Thomas Mardik • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski, Director of Operations • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Director of Technology Operations • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Joseph Sanchez • Mary Susmitha

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

---

Editorial Content

Josh Altic, Director of Content • Daniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & Data • Cory Eucalitto, Associate Director of Features • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot Measures • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor of News • Doug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local Expansion • Abbey Smith, Managing Editor of Elections • Janie Valentine, Managing Editor of Law • Joel Williams. Managing Editor of Events • Andrew Bahl • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Jon Dunn • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Joseph Greaney • Thomas Grobben • Jaime Healy-Plotkin • Brianna Hosea • Molly Kehoe • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Nathan Maxwell • Jimmy McAllister • Brandon McCauley • Ellie Mikus • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Annelise Reinwald • Ethan Rice • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Emma Soukup • Alexis Thacker • Mina Vogel • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox