United States mayoral elections, 2021

See also: Mayoral election in Anchorage, Alaska (2021)

David Bronson defeated Forrest Dunbar with 50.66% of the vote to Dunbar's 49.34% in a nonpartisan runoff election for mayor of Anchorage, Alaska on May 11, 2021.^[3] Overseas ballots continued to be counted until May 25, when the Anchorage Assembly certified the results, but Dunbar conceded the election to Bronson on May 21, saying "“it is clear that Dave Bronson will be Anchorage’s next mayor”^[4] .

Dunbar and Bronson advanced to the runoff election after the April 6 general election, as neither candidate won more than 45% of the vote. Bronson received 33% of the vote to Dunbar's 31%. No other candidate received more than 15% of the vote.^[5]

Incumbent Ethan Berkowitz (D) resigned from office on October 23, 2020, due to what he said was "unacceptable personal conduct that has compromised my ability to perform my duties with the focus and trust that is required."^[6] Austin Quinn-Davidson was selected by the Anchorage Assembly to serve as acting mayor.^[7]

Dunbar previously ran as a Democrat in 2014 to represent the At-Large Congressional District of Alaska in the U.S. House. Former state senator Johnny Ellis (D), Planned Parenthood, and former mayoral candidates Bill Falsey and George Martinez endorsed Dunbar for mayor.^[8] U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R), Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R), and former mayoral candidate Mike Robbins endorsed Bronson.^[9] See more endorsements here.

Economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic was a central issue in the race. Dunbar said he supported maintaining safety measures enacted by the Anchorage Assembly, such as a mask mandate and business restrictions, while Bronson said that he supported reconsidering or removing restrictions. Homelessness and crime were also key topics, with candidates divided over shelter funding and locations and prevention methods. Click here to see each candidate's positions on these issues and others.

The city government of Anchorage combines a council-manager system with a strong mayor system. The city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and the mayor serves as the chief executive of the city.

The mayor appoints a city manager to oversee the city's day-to-day operations and execute city policies.^[10] The mayor is responsible for proposing a budget, signing legislation into law, appointing departmental directors, and overseeing the city's day-to-day operations. The mayor also represents the city on the state, national, and international levels.^[11]

See also: Mayoral election in Arlington, Texas (2021)

Jim Ross defeated Michael Glaspie in the nonpartisan mayoral runoff election in Arlington, Texas, on June 5, 2021. Ross received 54.4% of the vote to Glaspie's 45.6%. Glaspie and Ross advanced to the runoff election after receiving the most votes of the seven-candidate field in the May 1 general election, where Ross received 47.9% of the vote to Glaspie's 21.3%.^[12][13]

This was the first mayoral election in Arlington without an incumbent seeking re-election since 2003.^[14] Incumbent Jeff Williams (R) was term-limited.^[15] Mayoral elections in Arlington are nonpartisan, meaning candidates appeared on the ballot without party affiliations. The Arlington Spectator, a local blog, posted a spreadsheet showing that Glaspie had voted in two of the previous six Republican primaries and that Ross had voted in two of the previous six Democratic primaries.^[16][17]

Glaspie was a member of the Arlington School Board from 1991 to 2008, including time spent as the board's president. He was also a member of the Arlington City Council, representing at-large District 8 from 2012 to 2019. When he left office due to term limits, Glaspie had been serving as Arlington's mayor pro tempore.^[18] Glaspie received endorsements from former Mayor Elzie Odom, who led the city from 1997 to 2003. He received additional endorsements from The Dallas Morning News and all five general election mayoral candidates who did not advance to the runoff.^[19][20][21] Collectively, these five candidates received 30.7% of the vote during the May 1 general election.

At the time of the election, Ross owned a law firm and Mercury Chophouse, a local restaurant. He previously worked as a police officer with the Arlington Police Department and served on the board of directors for the Arlington Police Foundation.^[22] Ross received endorsements from incumbent Mayor Jeff Williams (R) and former Mayor Richard Greene, who led the city from 1987 to 1997.^[15] Ross received additional endorsements from four of the city's police unions.^[23][24]

Both Glaspie and Ross emphasized their military backgrounds. Glaspie served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Ross was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps from 1979 to 1983.^[18][22]

At the time of the election, the mayorship in Arlington had been held by Republicans since at least 2003 with the election of Robert Cluck (R), who served until Williams' election in 2015.

Arlington is located in Tarrant County, Texas, which voted for Joe Biden (D) in the 2020 presidential election. This was the first time the county had supported the Democratic presidential candidate since 1964 when Tarrant County voted for Lyndon B. Johnson (D). In 2020, Biden received 49.3 percent of the vote to Donald Trump's (R) 49.1 percent in the county, a D+0.2 margin. Trump won Tarrant County in 2016, receiving 51.7 percent of the vote to Hillary Clinton's (D) 43.1 percent, an R+8.6 margin. In 2012 and 2008, Mitt Romney (R) and John McCain (R) won the county by margins of R+15.7 and R+11.7 percentage points, respectively.^[25]

See also: Mayoral election in Atlanta, Georgia (2021)

Andre Dickens defeated Felicia Moore in the general runoff election for mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, on November 30, 2021. Incumbent Keisha Lance Bottoms announced on May 6 that she would not seek re-election, making her the first Atlanta mayor since World War II to choose not to run for a second term.^[26]

Dickens and Moore advanced to the runoff after placing second and first, respectively, in the November 2 general election. Moore received 41% of the vote followed by Dickens with 23%. A candidate could have won the general election outright if he or she had received at least 50% of the vote. This was the seventh mayoral runoff in the city since 1973 and the second since that time where the second-place finisher in the general election went on to win the runoff.

Both Dickens and Moore were members of the Atlanta City Council. Dickens, first elected to the city council in 2013 and winning re-election in 2017, raised $1.2 million from campaign donors according to pre-general election campaign finance reports. Moore, first elected to the city council in 1997 and elected its president in 2017, raised $1.3 million from campaign donors according to pre-general election campaign finance reports. Both candidates were Democrats.^[27][28]

Crime was a key issue in the race, with both candidates emphasizing their stances amid an uptick in murders in the city.^[29][30][31] According to data released by the Atlanta Police Department, homicides in the city increased from 99 in 2019 to 157 in 2020, a 62% increase and the highest number in the city in more than twenty years.^[32]

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Jeremy Redmon wrote, "The two candidates sound remarkably similar when they talk about public safety ... Both are pitching comprehensive approaches that involve hiring more police officers, boosting their training, and tackling problems many of their supporters say are intertwined with crime: poverty, homelessness and mental illness."^[33] Dickens named his plan SAFE Streets Atlanta and Moore said her plan focused on five areas—the 5 C's—"Community, Cops, Courts, Code Enforcement, and Children."^[34][35]

Redmon said the candidates differed on issues regarding the chief of police, Rodney Bryant, and a 2020 vote on police funding. Dickens said he would begin a 100-day contract with Bryant, who was named the permanent chief of police in May 2021, in order to track his performance. Moore said she would name an interim chief to replace Bryant while she searched nationally for a permanent chief.^[33] On the topic of funding, in 2020, the Atlanta City Council decided against a proposal to withhold $73 million in police funding until the city government developed a plan to change policing culture.^[33] Dickens supported the proposal and Moore said she opposed it.^[33]

See also: Mayoral election in Boston, Massachusetts (2021)

Michelle Wu defeated Annissa Essaibi George in the nonpartisan mayoral election in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 2, 2021. Both candidates were at-large city councilors, and both received endorsements from Democratic officials and groups that tend to back Democrats.

Media outlets described Wu as the more progressive candidate and Essaibi George as the more moderate one.^{[36][37][38][39]} Essaibi George said that she did "not neatly fit in a box."^[40] Wu said, "In city government, it’s about getting things done, not being judged on a scorecard of whether you said yes or no on certain things."^[41]

Wu called the race a "choice about whether City Hall tackles our biggest challenges with bold solutions or we nibble around the edges of the status quo."^[42] She highlighted her prioritization of climate issues and her support for rent control to provide short-term relief for renters.

Following the primary, Essaibi George said, "I want progress to be made — real progress — not just abstract ideas that we talk about. ... Instead of just advocating and participating in academic exercises and having lovely conversations as mayor, I will do these things." She emphasized her background as a teacher and her opposition to decreasing the police department budget.

For more on candidates' differences on housing and policing policy, see below.

Former incumbent Marty Walsh left office in March 2021 to become secretary of labor in President Joe Biden's (D) Cabinet. Kim Janey (District 7)—the city council president at the time—succeeded Walsh. Janey ran in the primary, placing fourth. Janey endorsed Wu in the general election.^[43]

The Boston Globe's Laura Crimaldi wrote, "Although census figures show about 65 percent of city residents identify as people of color, the upcoming election will be the first in Boston history that won’t result in a white man becoming mayor."^[44] Essaibi George is the daughter of Polish and Tunisian immigrants. Wu's parents immigrated from Taiwan.^[45]

Wu completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Click here to read Wu's responses and to learn more about both candidates' backgrounds and key messages. And click here for a compilation of interviews and questionnaires from local media outlets.

The mayoral office is nonpartisan. Walsh served in the state House of Representatives as a Democrat. As of 2021, a Republican hadn't held the mayor's office in Boston since 1930.^[46]

See also: Mayoral election in Buffalo, New York (2021)

Byron Brown (D) defeated India Walton (D) in the general election for mayor of Buffalo, New York, on November 2, 2021. Brown, who ran as a write-in candidate in the general election, received 59.6% of the vote to Walton's 40%.

Walton defeated Brown in the June 22 Democratic primary 51% to 46%.^[47][48][49] Following his primary defeat, Brown announced he would run in the general election as a write-in candidate.^[50]

Brown was first elected mayor of Buffalo in 2005 and won re-election three times before the 2021 election. Before losing the 2021 primary, he had won the four preceding Democratic mayoral primaries by an average margin of 26.5 percentage points.^[51]

Prior to the election, The New York Times' Jesse McKinley said the mayoral race "reflects the defining tension within the national Democratic Party, pitting its new generation of left-wing politicians against its more moderate establishment," referring to Walton and Brown, respectively.^[52]

Walton, a nurse and community activist, said Brown had not delivered results as mayor and his record "showed that he doesn't have much care ... for the people of Buffalo, unless they're wealthy developers or heads of large corporations."^[53] She received endorsements from U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the local and national branches of the Democratic Socialists of America, and the Working Families Party of New York.^[54][55][56] She also received a general election endorsement from the Erie County Democratic Party, which endorsed Brown in the primary but switched its support to Walton following her primary election victory.^[57]

Brown, who became the city's longest-serving mayor in January 2021, said Walton was "an unqualified, inexperienced, radical socialist," and described the general election as "a choice between proven results and false, empty promises."^[58][59] He received general election endorsements from U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Common Councilmembers Joseph Golombek (D), Christopher Scanlon (D), and Ulysees Wingo (D), and former Mayor Anthony Masiello (D).^[60][61][62] He also received endorsements from The Buffalo News and the local, county, and state police benevolent associations.^[63][64][65]

Both Walton and Brown also received support from satellite organizations. The Working Families Party’s national PAC supported Walton with satellite spending, while the New York State Association of Realtors and the New York Republican Party supported Brown.^[66][67][68]

Sean "Jaz" Miles (R), Benjamin Carlisle (I), William O’Dell (I), and Taniqua Simmons (I) also ran in the general election as write-in candidates.

See also: Mayoral election in Cincinnati, Ohio (2021)

Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval defeated Cincinnati Councilman and former mayor David Mann in the general election for mayor of Cincinnati on November 2, 2021.^[69] Pureval received 65.8 percent of the vote and Mann received 34.2 percent of the vote. Pureval was elected to serve a four-year term. The two advanced from a six-person primary on May 4 in which Pureval received 39.1 percent and Mann received 29.1 percent.

This election took place following the arrest of three of the nine city council members on felony corruption charges in 2020. The charges stemmed from allegations the members had taken bribes from developers for city business. One of those arrested, P.G. Sittenfeld, was considered the frontrunner in the mayoral election according to NBC News.^[70][71] A fourth council member, Wendell Young, was charged with a third-degree felony count of tampering with records in April 2021.^[72]

In a September 21 debate, both candidates referenced the corruption charges in stating their case to be mayor. Mann said that his experience in city hall would allow him to mentor the next city council, which he said would likely be younger and more inexperienced due to the city's term limits and the resignations following the corruption charges. Pureval said that he was a total newcomer to city hall who would continue to clean up corruption and said his firing of 15 people in the clerk of courts office was an instance where he had already done that.^[73]

Although the elections for and position of the mayor were officially nonpartisan, the candidates running were affiliated with political parties. Both Mann and Pureval were Democrats.^[74] Prior to this election, the last Republican to serve as mayor was Willis Gradison, who left office in 1971.

Mayor John Cranley was not able to file for re-election in 2021 due to term limits.^[75] The other four candidates in the primary election were state Sen. Cecil Thomas, Gavi Begtrup, Herman Najoli, and Raffel Prophett. The filing deadline for this election was February 18, 2021.

See also: Mayoral election in Cleveland, Ohio (2021)

Justin Bibb defeated Kevin Kelley in the general election for mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, on November 2, 2021. The two candidates advanced to the general election after placing first and second, respectively, in the September 14 top-two primary election. While the race was officially nonpartisan, Bibb and Kelley were both Democrats. Cleveland.com's Seth Richardson described the general election as a contest "between the more experienced – and entrenched – Kelley, 53, and the upstart, 34-year-old newcomer in Bibb."^[76]

At the time of the election, Bibb was a chief strategy officer with Urbanova, a technology company focused on cities. His professional background included working as an executive in urban consulting.^[77] He received endorsements from Our Revolution Ohio and two former mayors: Jane Campbell (D) and Michael White (D), who served from 2002 to 2006 and 1990 to 2002, respectively.^[78][79][80] Describing his campaign, Bibb said, "now is the time for bold, new, dynamic, visionary leadership and not the failed politics and policies of the past."^[76][81]

Kelley had served on the Cleveland City Council since 2005 and became president of the council in 2013. His professional background included work as a social worker and an attorney.^[82][83] Kelley received endorsements from incumbent Mayor Frank Jackson (D) and several unions, including the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council.^[84][85] Kelley emphasized his city council experience, saying, "Every candidate will talk about change. The question is: who knows to and who has a record of making change," adding, "I believe that I have had a record of making change."^[86]

This was the first mayoral election without an incumbent on the ballot in Cleveland since 2001. Incumbent Mayor Frank Jackson (D), the longest-serving mayor in Cleveland's history, did not seek re-election. Jackson was first elected in 2005 after defeating incumbent Jane Campbell (D). He was re-elected in 2009, 2013, and 2017.

See also: Mayoral election in Detroit, Michigan (2021)

Incumbent Mike Duggan and Anthony Adams ran in the general election for mayor of Detroit, Michigan, on November 2, 2021. Major issues in the race were economic development, affordable housing, and police-community relations.^[87][88]

Before becoming mayor, Duggan was president and CEO of Detroit Medical Center from 2004 to 2012.^[89] He was assistant corporation counsel for Wayne County from 1985 to 1986, deputy Wayne County executive from 1987 to 2000, and Wayne County prosecutor from 2001 to 2003. Duggan was first elected mayor in 2013 when he defeated opponent Benny Napoleon (D) with 55% of the vote to Napoleon’s 45%. In 2017, he was re-elected by a margin of nearly 44 points, defeating Coleman Young II (D) with 71.6% of the vote to Young’s 27.8%. Duggan said that, if re-elected in 2021, he would "work every day to continue to make sure every neighborhood has a future and every Detroiter has a true opportunity to achieve your dreams."^[90] He also said he would work with the city council and manufacturers to bring more high-paying jobs into the city.^[91]

Adams was an attorney as of the primary and served as deputy mayor of Detroit under former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (D).^[92] He was also an executive assistant to Mayor Coleman Young, was a board member and general counsel for Detroit Public Schools, and was interim director of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department. Adams said his "extensive leadership experience, unwavering commitment, and enlightened skill-set uniquely position him to move the city of Detroit forward" and that he was "committed to serving the ordinary people of Detroit and not Special Interest Groups.”^[93] Adams also said he would support a universal basic income plan and an income-based water billing system and emphasized early intervention as a means to reduce crime.

The city of Detroit uses a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and the mayor serves as the city's chief executive.

See also: Mayoral election in Fort Worth, Texas (2021)

Mattie Parker defeated Deborah Peoples in the nonpartisan runoff election for mayor of Fort Worth, Texas on June 5, 2021.^[94] Incumbent Mayor Betsy Price announced on January 5, 2021, that she would not run for re-election.^[95]

Peoples received 33.6% of the vote in the general election, and Parker received 30.8%. Parker worked in education and formerly worked as the chief of staff for the Fort Worth Mayor and City Council.^[96] She was endorsed by incumbent Mayor Betsy Price (R). Peoples formerly worked as a business executive and was chairwoman of the Tarrant County Democratic Party.^[97] She was endorsed by U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D). Writing for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Luke Ranker said: "As partisanship increasingly wriggles into nonpartisan local elections, voters will again choose between a moderate Republican and a Democratic stalwart."^[98]

Price was first elected in 2011, and then re-elected in 2015 and 2019. In 2019, Price won with 56% of the vote, and Peoples was the runner-up with 42%.^[99] Prior to her 2011 win, Fort Worth had not elected an openly Republican mayor in twenty years. In the 2020 and 2016 presidential elections, Joe Biden (D) and Hillary Clinton (D) won the city with 52% and 56% of the vote, respectively.^[100]

A central issue in the race was how the city should respond to its recent population growth, according to The Texan.^[101] Between 2010 and 2018, Fort Worth's population grew by 17%, compared to 14% in the whole of Texas and 6% in the United States.^[102][103] Parker said she would focus on increasing job opportunities and career training, lowering taxes, and encouraging community safety by supporting police and fire services.^[104] Peoples said her priorities included increasing economically accessible housing, investing in infrastructure and transportation, and increasing job opportunities in areas she said had been underserved.^[105][106]

See also: Mayoral election in Hialeah, Florida (2021)

Esteban Bovo Jr. defeated Isis Garcia-Martinez, Fernando Godo, Julio Martinez, and Juan Santana in a nonpartisan primary election for mayor of Hialeah, Florida, on November 2, 2021. Bovo received 59 percent of the vote, meaning he won the primary outright. If no candidate had received a majority of the votes, the top-two candidates would have competed in a general election on November 16, 2021.

Media attention focused on Bovo and Garcia-Martinez, who also led in fundraising.^{[107][108][109]} After winning a seat on the Hialeah City Council in 1998, Bovo was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2008 in District 110 and served on the Miami-Dade county commission from 2011 to 2020. Bovo ran for mayor of Miami-Dade County, Florida, in 2020, coming in first in the primary but losing the general election. Garcia-Martinez served on the Hialeah City Council from 1991 to 1997 and again from 2007 to 2019.^[110]

Infrastructure, traffic, pandemic response measures, and housing and utility costs were major issues in the race.^[111] The Miami Herald's Aaron Leibowitz wrote, "The front-runners, Bovo and Isis Garcia-Martinez, have to distinguish themselves: They’re both conservatives, both of Cuban descent, and both staples on the Hialeah political scene...On key issues, Bovo and Garcia-Martinez have similar platforms: keep taxes low, promote new development, support small businesses, address high water rates, and work to keep and attract young people to the majority-Cuban, working class city."^[112]

Bovo and Garcia-Martinez disagreed on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' (R) approach to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bovo agreed with DeSantis on a rule issued by Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo that prevented school districts from enforcing mask mandates and making quarantine decisions, saying “I’m not in favor of mandates on anything." Garcia-Martinez did not explicitly support mask mandates, but said DeSantis should do more to encourage mask wearing. "I’ve always been a Republican, but I totally disagree with this governor,” she said. “We don’t want to just mandate something, but the reality is, you don’t want to lose families to this virus."^[113] Click here to read more about the candidates' platforms.

Bovo and Garcia-Martinez criticized each other's records in campaign materials. A mailer from Garcia-Martinez's campaign said Hialeah “deserves better than a career politician like Bovo,” while Bovo's campaign distributed mailers saying the city “can’t trust Isis to run Hialeah’s finances” because of her votes on taxes during her time as a city council member.^[114]

Although the elections for and position of the mayor are officially nonpartisan, the candidates running are affiliated with political parties. Both Bovo and Garcia-Martinez are affiliated with the Republican Party.^[115][116]

The mayor serves as the city's chief executive officer and is responsible for proposing a budget, signing legislation into law, appointing departmental directors, and overseeing the city's day-to-day operations. The mayor also represents the city on the state, national and international levels. The incumbent Mayor Carlos Hernandez was term-limited.

See also: Mayoral election in Minneapolis, Minnesota (2021)

Incumbent Jacob Frey (D) won the general election for mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 2, 2021. Frey, AJ Awed (D), Katherine Knuth (D), Sheila Nezhad (D), and thirteen other candidates ran. The filing deadline for this election was August 10, 2021.

Minneapolis used ranked choice voting to elect city officials. Voters could rank up to three candidates on their ballots. Click here to learn more about how ranked choice voting worked in this election.

Elections in Minneapolis are officially nonpartisan, but the Minneapolis City Charter allows mayoral and city council candidates to choose a party label to appear below their name on the official ballot. Ballotpedia includes candidates' party or principle to best reflect what voters will see on their ballot.^[117] Eight candidates identified as Democrats, while two identified as Republicans. The remaining seven candidates identified with a mixture of minor parties or identified as independents.

Awed, Frey, Knuth, and Nezhad led in noteworthy endorsements and fundraising.

In the StarTribune, reporter Kelly Smith described the mayoral and city council elections as microcosms of a more general rift in the Democratic Party, writing "[t]he split between moderate and progressive Democratic candidates ahead of the Nov. 2 election reflects a broader gap across Minnesota and nationwide as the Democratic establishment faces intense competition from a newly energized and insurgent progressive wing of the party."^[118] The divide between the moderate and progressive mayoral candidates was seen most clearly in the debate over criminal justice reform, housing policy, and three proposed amendments to the city's charter, which voters decided on November 2.

The proposed amendments included one that would change the structure of the city government from a weak mayor-council system to a strong mayor-council system (Question 1), one that would replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a Department of Public Health (Question 2), and one that would authorize the city to enact rent control policies (Question 3).^{[119][120][121]}

Click here to see the candidates' positions on the amendments.

Frey, who was elected mayor in 2017, opposed the amendment that would replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a Department of Public Health.^[122] Awed, the executive director of the Cedar-Riverside Community Council neighborhood association, was critical of the amendment to replace the Minneapolis Police Department.^[123] Knuth, a former state representative who runs a consulting agency focused on climate change and civic institutions, said she supported the amendment that would replace the Minneapolis Police Department.^[124] Nezhad, a community organizer who founded Nezhad Consulting, said she supported supports the amendment to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a Department of Public Safety.^[125]

Troy Benjegerdes (D), Clint Conner (D), Christopher W. David (D), Mark Globus (D), Bob Carney (R), and Laverne Turner (R) ran in the election. Third party, independent, and write-in candidates included Jerrell Perry, Marcus Harcus, Paul E. Johnson, Mike Winter, Nate Atkins (L), Doug Nelson, and Kevin Ward.

Minneapolis last elected a Republican mayor in 1957.^[126] The last Republican mayor to hold office was Richard Erdall (R), who became acting mayor for one day on December 31, 1973.^[127] In 2020, Joe Biden (D) won Hennepin County by a 43.21% margin.^[128]

See also: Mayoral election in New York, New York (June 22, 2021, Democratic primary)

Eric Adams (D) defeated 12 other candidates in the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City on June 22, 2021.^[129] Incumbent Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) did not run for re-election due to term limits.

The primary election featured the first use of ranked-choice voting (RCV) for a mayoral primary in the city's history. Click here to read more about how ranked-choice voting works.

The following six Democratic candidates received the most media attention and noteworthy endorsements:^{[130][131][132]}

• Eric Adams, Brooklyn borough president
• Kathryn Garcia, former New York City sanitation commissioner
• Raymond McGuire, former Wall Street executive
• Scott Stringer, New York City comptroller
• Maya Wiley, former mayoral counsel
• Andrew Yang, entrepreneur

Click here to read more about each candidate's professional background and key messages.

Major endorsements for Adams included Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr.. The New York Times, New York Daily News, and the New York League of Conservation Voters endorsed Garcia. McGuire was backed by Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and state Sen. Leroy Comrie (D).^[133][134]

The top issues in this race were crime, policing, affordable housing, jobs, and healthcare.^[135] Click here to compare each candidate's policy proposals on these issues.

De Blasio was first elected in 2013 and won re-election in 2017 with 66% of the vote. Including de Blasio, four of the previous six mayors were Democrats.

See also: Mayoral election in Omaha, Nebraska (2021)

Incumbent Jean Stothert (R) won re-election to a third term after defeating RJ Neary (D) in the nonpartisan mayoral general election in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 11, 2021. Stothert received 64% of the vote to Neary's 35%, with write-in votes accounting for the remaining 1%.^[136] Ballotpedia determined candidates' party affiliations through the Nebraska Voter Information Lookup.

Stothert received 57% of the vote in the April 6 primary followed by Neary with 16%. In total, all five Democratic candidates in the primary, Neary included, received 43% of the vote. In response to the results, the Omaha World-Herald's Reece Ristau and Paul Goodsell wrote, "[Neary will] have to put together a broad coalition of voters, including some who sat out the primary, to overcome a massive advantage held by Stothert."^[137]

Stothert was first elected mayor in 2013 with 57% of the vote. She was re-elected in 2017 with 53% of the vote. Before running for mayor, Stothert was a member of the Omaha City Council from 2009 to 2013 and the Millard Board of Education from 1998 to 2009.

Neary was the chairman of Investors Realty, a commercial real estate company. He was chairman of the Omaha Planning Board and involved with organizations such as the Urban Land Institute and Omaha Habitat for Humanity.^[138]

Stothert and Neary offerred differing ideas regarding Omaha's future. Stothert emphasized her experience as mayor and priorities of public safety and infrastructure improvements, adding, "I want to continue all the great partnerships with so many people and business owners and organizations that make this city so successful."^[139] Neary emphasized his professional experience with long-term real estate and development planning. Neary called "Omaha a great city but one that struggles with racial inequities," adding that he "envisions a more equal Omaha, with more and better affordable housing, and a more sustainable transportation system."^[140]

At the time of the election, Stothert had served as Omaha's mayor for eight years, making her the city's longest-serving Republican mayor since 1906 when Frank E. Moores (R) died in office after serving for nine years. Before Stothert's election in 2013, Democrats had controlled Omaha's mayorship from 2001 to 2013.

Omaha is located primarily in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. During the 2020 election, the 2nd Congressional District voted for Joe Biden (D) after voting for Republicans Mitt Romney (R) and Donald Trump (R) in 2012 and 2016, respectively. From 2012 to 2020, the presidential election margin in the district shifted 13.7 percentage points from Republicans to Democrats. Romney won by 7.1 points, which decreased to a 2.2-point victory for Trump. Biden won by 6.6 percentage points in 2020.^[141]

See also: Mayoral election in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (May 18, 2021 Democratic primary)

Edward Gainey (D) defeated incumbent Bill Peduto (D), Tony Moreno (Pennsylvania) (D), and Michael Thompson (D) in the May 18, 2021, Democratic primary. No Republicans filed to run in the May 18 Republican primary. Moreno received 1,379 write-in votes in the Republican primary and accepted the Republican nomination.^[142][143]

Peduto was first elected mayor in 2013. He was re-elected in 2017 after winning 68.9% of the vote in the Democratic primary. He ran unopposed in the general election. Before becoming mayor, Peduto served on the Pittsburgh City Council, representing District 8, from 2002-2013. Peduto's campaign focused on his tenure as mayor, including policies enacted in response to the coronavirus pandemic.^[144] On March 8, the Allegheny County Labor Council, which represents 135 local unions, endorsed Peduto.^[145] 32BJ SEIU Pennsylvania, which represents custodians and security workers, endorsed Peduto on March 4, 2021.^[146]

Gainey was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to represent District 24 in 2012. He was re-elected in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020. His mayoral campaign focused on law enforcement, the economy, and affordable housing. He received the endorsement of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee, earning 326 votes to Moreno's 224. Peduto did not seek the Committee's endorsement.^[147] SEIU Healthcare, which represents healthcare workers, endorsed Gainey on February 20, 2021.^[148] It previously backed Peduto in 2013.^[149]

Moreno, a military veteran and retired Pittsburgh police officer, pointed to his experience in law enforcement, saying he "knows what it takes to build the public’s trust in its law enforcement."^[150] He ran on his Plan for Pittsburgh, which covered public works, public safety, and city-first reforms.^[150] The Boilermakers Local 154 union endorsed Moreno.^[151]

Thompson, a math tutor and driver for Lyft and Uber, said that his campaign won't take funding from corporations and developers. He said that makes him "the only candidate that can overcome the hurdles that are put in the way of creating more affordable housing." He also said he had lived in public housing for 13 years.^[152]

Criminal justice reform was a central theme in the race. Peduto pointed to policies he implemented as mayor, including mandatory de-escalation practices and implicit bias training. He also said he created an Office of Community Health and Safety to reduce interactions between the police and people in need of social or mental health services, saying, "[t]he point is to make sure police officers aren’t the ones responding to these calls, but rather social workers, and professionals who have an expertise in this area."^[153] Gainey called for reforming the mandatory arbitration process used in police disciplinary cases to make it easier to discipline or fire officers when necessary.^[154] He's criticized Peduto for failing to follow through on earlier campaign promises to defund the police, saying "it just hasn't happened. There’s no strategy at all. And so no one's gonna believe in something they can't see. They're not gonna believe in it."^[155] Moreno said he would use crisis intervention training he created to "develop and implement community policing programs." He called for putting more police officers on the street to coordinate traffic.^[156] Thompson proposed reducing police funding by 50% and using that money to provide housing.^[157]

The last Republican mayor of Pittsburgh was John S. Herron, who assumed office in 1933 and served for one year.^[158] Pittsburgh is located in Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District. During the 2020 election, the 18th Congressional District voted for Joe Biden (D) over Donald Trump (R). Biden won the district by 31 percentage points.^[159]

See also: Mayoral election in San Antonio, Texas (2021)

Mayor Ron Nirenberg won re-election in a 14-candidate nonpartisan election in San Antonio, Texas, on May 1, 2021. Nirenberg received 61.9% of the vote. 2019 challenger Greg Brockhouse received 31.5% of the vote. No other candidate received more than 2% of the vote.

Media coverage focused on Nirenberg, Brockhouse (who previously ran against Nirenberg in 2019 and lost by 2.2 percentage points in the runoff election), and Denise Gutierrez-Homer. ^[160][161] Nirenberg led in fundraising, acquiring $317,620 in contributions from January 1 to March 22, 2021, compared to Brockhouse's $100,755 for the same period. Gutierrez-Homer, the only other candidate to report contributions for this period, raised $7,061.

Brockhouse and Gutierrez-Homer both disagreed with Nirenberg's response to the pandemic. “I would have never shut us down,” Brockhouse said, “I would have not promoted mandatory masks. I would have worked within the science and the parameters of helping us keep moving throughout our community.” Gutierrez-Homer said the city was “closed for too long,” and that Nirenberg was "getting too much direction" from Bexar County Judge Nelson W. Wolff (D) (who serves as the county's chief executive officer).^[162] Nirenberg said that it was essential to keep safety measures in place, and described Governor Greg Abbott's (R) lifting of business restrictions and mask mandates as like “cut[ting] off your parachute just as you’ve slowed your descent.”^[163]

Proposition B, a ballot measure repealing local authority for collective bargaining with the San Antonio Police Officers Association to negotiate wages, healthcare, leave, and other policies was also an issue in the race. Nirenberg said he would leave the issue up to voters, and it was his "job as mayor to make sure there are good-faith negotiations happening in the next collective bargaining agreement of which we are now engaged." Brockhouse and Gutierrez-Homer both oppose Proposition B. Brockhouse said the proposition was a form of defunding the police, and if enacted, “Police officers will leave, and it will make us less safe.” Gutierrez-Homer also opposed the measure, saying that collective bargaining “is vital for any recruitment and retention of top notch employees."^[164]

The mayor is a member of the city council. He or she presides over council meetings and official city ceremonies. The mayor also represents the city on the state, national and international levels.^[165] The filing deadline for this election was February 12, 2021.

See also: Mayoral election in Seattle, Washington (2021)

Bruce Harrell defeated Lorena González in the nonpartisan general election for mayor of Seattle, Washington, on November 2, 2021. Mayor Jenny Durkan did not seek re-election.^[166]

Harrell was city council president from 2016 to 2017 and from 2018 to 2019. González was the city council president as of the election. Associated Press's Chris Grygiel wrote that the primary "set up a choice between candidates representing the political divide between activist-left residents and more moderate progressives in one of the nation’s most liberal cities," with González representing the former camp and Harrell, the latter.^[167]

Harrell said after the primary, "Our campaign’s message of unity, accountability, and action clearly resonated with voters. I’m looking forward to taking this energy into the general election and into office as Mayor as we unite Seattle to make real progress."^[168]

González said, "Of votes counted to date, two-thirds of voters voted against the corporate-backed, status-quo candidate. That reflects the frustration I’ve heard from voters all over the city — they want bold, decisive, progressive action from their leaders."^[168]

Homelessness and housing policy were major issues in the race. González and Harrell differed on zoning rules and their approach to encampments. Click here for more on their positions. Click here for candidates' responses to questions from The Seattle Times on policy questions including defunding the police department by 50%, property and sales tax increases, and rent control.

Two council members who did not endorse in the 2021 primary—Alex Pedersen and Debora Juarez—endorsed Harrell on August 16. Juarez and Pedersen were the two candidates of seven who won city council elections in 2019 with endorsements from the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce's PAC, Civic Alliance for a Sound Economy, which spent $2 million toward the elections.

Four of nine Seattle City Council members endorsed González in the primary. Three of them were up for election in 2019. Two were endorsed that year by the political action committee (PAC) Civic Alliance for a Progressive Economy. Committees affiliated with labor group UNITE HERE! supported Andrew Lewis, who endorsed González. Combined, these PACs spent more than $1 million in 2019.

Click here for background information on the 2019 elections.

As of November 1, the PACs that were active in the 2019 elections were not engaged in the 2021 mayoral election. The two groups that had spent the most in the 2021 election were Bruce Harrell for Seattle's Future, which had spent $493,000 supporting Harrell and $655,000 opposing González, and Essential Workers for Lorena, which spent $443,000 supporting González and $467,000 opposing Harrell.

Seattle uses a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and the mayor serves as the city's chief executive.^[169]

See also: Mayoral election in St. Louis, Missouri (March 2, 2021, top-two primary)

St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones and Alderwoman Cara Spencer advanced from the primary for mayor of St. Louis, Missouri, on March 2, 2021, and ran against each other in the general election on April 6. Jones received 25,374 votes while Spencer received 20,649 votes. Aldermen President Lewis Reed and 2017 mayoral candidate Andrew Jones, the other two candidates in the primary, received 17,162 and 6,422 votes, respectively. To read more about each of the four candidates, click here.

This was the first election cycle in the city using a new primary election method following the approval of Proposition D on November 3, 2020. Candidates ran in the primary election without partisan labels. Voters could choose any number of candidates to vote for and the two candidates that received the most votes advanced to the general election. This method of voting is called approval voting.^[170]

Each candidate made crime a key priority in this campaign. Andrew Jones said St. Louis' violent crime problem made it harder for the city to attract new businesses and retain existing ones, so addressing crime would improve safety while also improving the local business climate. Tishaura Jones said that she supported restructuring the police department's budget to reallocate funding towards mental health services, job training programs, and treating substance abuse. Reed called for a strategy known as focused deterrence with groups most likely to commit violent crimes.^[171] Spencer, citing her background in mathematics and modeling, said she would implement a data-driven strategy for crime reduction in the city.

On November 18, 2020, Mayor Lyda Krewson (D) announced that she would not seek re-election. "After a lot of thinking and a lot of discussion with my family, I have decided to retire in April and not file to run for reelection this coming Monday," she said. She became the city's first female mayor after winning election on April 4, 2017, with more than 67% of the vote.^[172]

Prior to the 2021 election, the last 10 mayors of St. Louis were all Democrats. The last time a Republican held the mayor's office was Aloys Kaufmann, mayor from 1943 to 1949.^[173]

See also: Mayoral election in St. Petersburg, Florida (2021)

Ken Welch defeated Robert Blackmon 60% to 40% to win the general election for mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida on November 2, 2021. Incumbent Mayor Rick Kriseman (D) did not run for re-election due to term limits.^[174]

Welch served as a Pinellas County Commissioner from 2000 to 2020, and Blackmon had served on the St. Petersburg City Council since 2020.^[175][176] Though the race was officially nonpartisan, Welch was a registered Democrat and Blackmon was a registered Republican.^[177][178]

St. Petersburg was one of seventeen of the 100 largest cities to hold general elections for mayor on Nov. 2, 2021. Heading into the election, 63 of the 100 largest cities' mayors were Democrats, 26 were Republicans, 10 were either nonpartisan or independent, and one mayor's affiliation was unknown. Following the Nov. 2 election, no mayoral offices changed partisan control. To read more about mayoral elections in 2021, click here.

A central issue in the race was the redevelopment of Tropicana Field and the question of whether the location would continue to be the home stadium of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team. In an Oct. 11 debate, Welch said: "I absolutely think we can keep the Rays in St. Peterburg. Secondary, if we can't keep them certainly Tampa Bay is the next option." He went on to say that: "I have said that it [baseball] is secondary. [...] The priority is the jobs and equitable development and it has to be a fair deal to the City of St. Pete and the taxpayers." Blackmon said: "I still hold out hope that we can have the Rays have a stadium [in St. Petersburg]." He also said: "I need to look at the harsh realities that are constantly evolving on the site. That site is the future of economic development for our city. It is where we can put hotel space. It is where we can put office space."^[179]

In an article about Welch’s campaign, the Tampa Bay Times quoted Cesar Fernandez, Kriseman’s 2013 campaign manager, as saying: “The advantage Ken Welch has is people love living in St. Pete. All of these things make it hard for a Blackmon to say, ‘We had it wrong. We need change.’” In an article about Blackmon’s campaign, the Times wrote: “Barry Edwards, a local political strategist informally advising the Blackmon campaign, said the path for a Republican is to run as a change agent and disruptor against a long-time elected official close to the current administration.”^{[177] [178]}

Blackmon and Welch were the two top vote-getters in the August 24, 2021, primary with 28.6% and 39.1% of the vote, respectively. Since no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, Blackmon and Welch advanced to the November 2 general election. Seven other candidates ran against Blackmon and Welch in the primary. Of these candidates, Darden Rice, who received 16.5% of the vote, was the only one to poll over 10%. Rice endorsed Welch in the general election.^[180]

This was the first open race for mayor of St. Petersburg since 2009.^[181] The last Republican to serve as mayor of St. Petersburg was Bill Foster from 2010 to 2014.^[182] Kriseman defeated Foster in the 2013 mayoral election, and was subsequently re-elected in 2017.