Partisanship in United States municipal elections (2023)
Forty mayoral elections took place in the 100 largest U.S. cities by population and the 50 state capitals in 2023.
Twenty-nine of the 100 largest cities held mayoral elections in 2023. Heading into the year, 20 of those cities had a Democratic mayor, seven had a Republican mayor, one mayor was independent, and one mayor's partisan affiliation was unknown.
The following top 100 cities saw a change in mayoral partisan affiliation in 2023:
- Colorado Springs, Colorado: Independent Yemi Mobolade defeated Republican Wayne W. Williams in the May 16 runoff election. Incumbent John Suthers, a Republican, was term-limited.
- Jacksonville, Florida: Democrat Donna Deegan defeated Republican Daniel Davis in the May 16 runoff election. Incumbent Lenny Curry, a Republican, was term-limited.
- Dallas, Texas: Mayor Eric Johnson announced on September 22 that he was changing his party affiliation from Democratic to Republican.[1]
- Wichita, Kansas: Libertarian Lily Wu defeated incumbent Democratic mayor Brandon Whipple in the November 7 general election.
- Spokane, Washington: Democrat Lisa Brown defeated incumbent Republican mayor Nadine Woodward in the November 7 general election.
Once mayors elected in 2023 assume office, Democrats will hold 63 top-100 mayoral offices, Republicans will hold 25, Libertarians will hold one, independents will hold four, and nonpartisan mayors will hold five. Two mayors' partisan affiliations are unknown.
Eighteen state capitals held mayoral elections in 2023, including 11 capitals that fell outside of the top 100 cities. At the beginning of 2023, 15 of those capitals had a Democratic mayor, two had a Republican mayor, and one mayor was nonpartisan.
One state capital saw a change in mayoral partisan affiliation in 2023:
- Springfield, Illinois: Republican Misty Buscher defeated incumbent Democratic mayor Jim Langfelder in the April 4 general election.
After mayors elected in 2023 assumed office, there were 37 Democratic state capital mayors, six Republican mayors, one independent mayor, two nonpartisan mayors, and four mayors with unknown partisan affiliation.
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:
- Direct communication from the officeholder,
- Previous candidacy for partisan office, or
- Identification of partisan affiliation by multiple media outlets.
Of the 40 cities with mayoral elections in 2023, 33 held nonpartisan elections, and seven held partisan elections.
On this page you will find:
- Tracking mayoral party affiliation in the top 100 cities
- Top-100 mayoral elections in 2023
- State capital mayoral elections in 2023
- Mayoral partisanship: 2016-2023
- Battleground elections
- Mayors of the 100 largest cities
Tracking mayoral party affiliation in the top 100 cities
Heading into 2023, the mayors of 63 of the country's 100 largest cities were affiliated with the Democratic Party. Republicans held 27 mayoral offices, independents held three, and five mayors were nonpartisan. Two mayors' partisan affiliations were unknown.
The following top 100 cities saw a change in mayoral partisan affiliation in 2023:
- Colorado Springs, Colorado: Independent Yemi Mobolade defeated Republican Wayne W. Williams in the May 16 runoff election. Incumbent John Suthers, a Republican, was term-limited.
- Jacksonville, Florida: Democrat Donna Deegan defeated Republican Daniel Davis in the May 16 runoff election. Incumbent Lenny Curry, a Republican, was term-limited.
- Dallas, Texas: Mayor Eric Johnson announced on September 22 that he was changing his party affiliation from Democratic to Republican.[2]
- Wichita, Kansas: Libertarian Lily Wu defeated incumbent Democratic mayor Brandon Whipple in the November 7 general election.
- Spokane, Washington: Democrat Lisa Brown defeated incumbent Republican mayor Nadine Woodward in the November 7 general election.
Once mayors elected in 2023 assume office, Democrats will hold 63 top-100 mayoral offices, Republicans will hold 25, Libertarians will hold one, independents will hold four, and nonpartisan mayors will hold five. Two mayors' partisan affiliations are unknown.
Note: Ballotpedia used one or more of the following sources to identify each officeholder's partisan affiliation: (1) direct communication from the officeholder, (2) current or previous candidacy for partisan office, or (3) identification of partisan affiliation by multiple media outlets.
Top-100 mayoral elections in 2023
Mayoral elections were held in 29 of the 100 largest U.S. cities in 2023. The following table shows the results of those elections:
The mayor of Santa Clarita, California, is selected by the members of the Santa Clarita City Council each December.[3] Councilmembers selected Cameron Smyth (R) as mayor on December 12, 2023.[4] Smyth succeeded Jason Gibbs (R).
Once mayors elected in 2023 assume office, Democrats will hold 63 top-100 mayoral offices, Republicans will hold 25, Libertarians will hold one, independents will hold four, and nonpartisan mayors will hold five. Two mayors' partisan affiliations are unknown.
State capital mayoral elections in 2023
Eighteen state capitals held mayoral elections in 2023, including 11 capitals that fell outside of the top 100 cities. As of 2023, 32 state capitals fell outside of the top 100 U.S. cities by population. The following table shows state capital mayoral elections that occurred in 2023.
After mayors elected in 2023 assumed office, there were 37 Democratic state capital mayors, six Republican mayors, one independent mayor, two nonpartisan mayors, and four mayors with unknown partisan affiliation.
Mayoral partisanship: 2016-2023
The table below shows the partisan breakdown of mayors at the start of each year back to 2016.
Battleground elections
Ballotpedia covered 40 mayoral elections in 2023. This included 29 mayoral elections in the 100 largest U.S. cities and 11 state capitals that did not fall into the top 100 cities.
Click below to expand summaries of key 2023 mayoral battleground elections.
Mayors of the 100 largest cities
To view a list of the current mayors of the top 100 U.S. cities by population, click here.
See also
- Partisanship in United States municipal elections (2022)
- Partisanship in United States municipal elections (2021)
- Partisanship in United States municipal elections (2020)
- Partisanship in United States municipal elections (2019)
- Partisanship in United States municipal elections (2018)
- Partisanship in United States municipal elections (2017)
- Partisanship in United States municipal elections (2016)
Footnotes
- ↑ Wall Street Journal, "America’s Cities Need Republicans, and I’m Becoming One," September 22, 2023
- ↑ Wall Street Journal, "America’s Cities Need Republicans, and I’m Becoming One," September 22, 2023
- ↑ City of Santa Clarita, "City Council," accessed December 14, 2022
- ↑ KHTS, "Smyth Sworn In As New Santa Clarita Mayor," December 12, 2023
- ↑ Politico, "Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes," February 28, 2023
- ↑ WBEZ, "Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson head to Chicago mayoral runoff," February 28, 2023
- ↑ Chalkbeat Chicago, "Chicago 2023 mayoral election: Former schools chief, teachers union organizer headed to runoff," February 28, 2023
- ↑ NBC News, "Lori Lightfoot becomes the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to lose re-election," February 28, 2023
- ↑ 9News, "Meet the candidates running for Denver Mayor: Kelly Brough," Feb. 14, 2023
- ↑ Michael Johnston's 2023 campaign website, "Home," accessed Feb. 15, 2023
- ↑ Denverite, "The winners of a Mike Johnston vs. Kelly Brough runoff: Denver’s political and business establishment and Michael Hancock," April 6, 2023
- ↑ Denver Democrats, "A big field. And big decisions to make." March 10, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Kelly Brough," accessed Feb. 15, 2023
- ↑ The Denver Gazette, "ENDORSEMENT: Kelly Brough for Denver mayor," March 28, 2023
- ↑ The Denver Post, "Endorsement: Mike Johnston for Denver mayor," March 16, 2023
- ↑ Denverite, "The Denver mayor’s race is a big deal for you and us. Here’s why we’re spending so much time and energy on it," Feb. 21, 2023
- ↑ Denverite, "What does Denver’s mayor do and how much power does the position have?" Dec. 12, 2022
- ↑ Donna Deegan's campaign website, "Meet Donna," accessed March 29, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Donna Deegan," accessed March 29, 2023
- ↑ Daniel Davis' campaign website, "Home," accessed March 29, 2023
- ↑ YouTube, "Daniel Davis addresses supporters election night," March 21, 2023
- ↑ Donna Deegan's campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed April 4, 2023
- ↑ Florida Politics, "Ron DeSantis endorses Daniel Davis for Jacksonville Mayor," March 31, 2023
- ↑ Daniel Davis' campaign website, "Home," accessed April 4, 2023
- ↑ In most of the nation's largest cities, mayoral elections are officially nonpartisan, though many officeholders and candidates are affiliated with political parties. Ballotpedia uses one or more of the following sources to identify each officeholder's partisan affiliation: (1) direct communication from the officeholder, (2) current or previous candidacy for partisan office, or (3) identification of partisan affiliation by multiple media outlets.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, Sen. Suzanne Geist advance to general election, "Lincoln Journal Star," April 4, 2023
- ↑ Suzanne Geist for Mayor, "Lastest News - Suzanne Geist Mayor For Lincoln, NE," April 6, 2023
- ↑ The Nebraska Examiner, "Lincoln mayor’s primary pits top Nebraska Dem against dueling wings of GOP," April 3, 2023
- ↑ Lincoln Journal Star, “Leirion Gaylor Baird”, March 18, 2023
- ↑ Leirion for Lincoln Mayor, “Meet Leirion,” accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ Lincoln Journal Star, “Leirion Gaylor Baird”, April 18, 2019
- ↑ Suzanne Geist for Mayor, “Meet Suzanne Geist - Mayor for Lincoln, NE,” accessed April 21, 2023
- ↑ 1011 NOW, “Suzanne Geist resigns from legislature to go ‘all in’ on Lincoln mayor race,” April 5, 2023
- ↑ Suzanne Geist for Mayor, “Suzanne Geist on the Issues - Mayor For Lincoln, NE,” accessed April 21, 2023
- ↑ The Nebraska Examiner, "Lincoln mayoral candidates Gaylor Baird and Geist trade jabs over which is best for business," April 13, 2023
- ↑ Twitter, "Geist for Mayor," April 18, 2023
- ↑ Lincoln Fire Fighters Association endorses Leirion Gaylor Baird for mayor, "ABC8," March 16, 2023
- ↑ EMILYs List, "EMILYs List Endorses Leirion Gaylor Baird for Mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska," February 23, 2023
- ↑ Sierra Club, "2023 Political Endorsements," accessed April 22, 2023
- ↑ Suzanne Geist for Mayor, "Media & News - Suzanne Geist Mayor For Lincoln, NE," accessed April 22, 2023
- ↑ Nebraska Public Media, "Costliest Lincoln mayor’s primary sets new, $1 million mark for candidate fundraising," March 28, 2023
- ↑ Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission, "Political Race Research," accessed April 22, 2023
- ↑ In most of the nation's largest cities, mayoral elections are officially nonpartisan, though many officeholders and candidates are affiliated with political parties. Ballotpedia uses one or more of the following sources to identify each officeholder's partisan affiliation: (1) direct communication from the officeholder, (2) current or previous candidacy for partisan office, or (3) identification of partisan affiliation by multiple media outlets.
- ↑ Axios, "Inside Nashville mayor's decision not to run," February 1, 2023
- ↑ The Tennessean, "Struggling to pick a Nashville mayoral candidate? This scorecard might help.," June 22, 2023
- ↑ 46.0 46.1 Axios Nashville, "O'Connell finishes first in Nashville mayor's race, will face Rolli in runoff," August 4, 2023
- ↑ The Tennessean, "Meet Freddie O'Connell, candidate for Nashville mayor," August 15, 2023
- ↑ The Tennessean, "Meet Alice Rolli, candidate for Nashville mayor," August 15, 2023
- ↑ 49.0 49.1 The Tennessean, "Nashville mayoral race: How election maps could foreshadow runoff results," August 17, 2023
- ↑ YouTube, "Matt Wiltshire endorses Freddie O’Connell for Mayor," August 14, 2023
- ↑ The Tennessee Tribune, "Nashville’s Mayoral Candidates Pick Up Endorsements from former Competitors," August 17, 2023
- ↑ Alice Rolli for Nashville Mayor, "Rolli for Mayor Campaign Announces Key Endorsement Welcomes Education and Business Leader to Team," August 11, 2023
- ↑ The Tennessean, "Why we could have as many as four mayors in four years in Nashville," March 7, 2018
- ↑ Linkedin, "Cherelle Parker, Candidate for Mayor of Philadelphia, Former 9th District City Councilwoman/Majority Leader," accessed April 7, 2023
- ↑ The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Philadelphia City Council gets a leadership shakeup, with Cherelle Parker beating Bobby Henon as majority leader," January 6, 2020
- ↑ Cherelle Parker for Mayor, "About Cherelle," accessed April 7, 2023
- ↑ WHYY, "Gun violence, opioid crisis dominate Philly mayoral debate on public health," April 5, 2023
- ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-rhynhart-828a2b2a/ Linkedin, "Rebecca Rhynhart, Candidate for Mayor of Philadelphia," accessed April 7, 2023]
- ↑ Rebecca Rhynhart for Mayor, "Leadership & Experience," accessed April 7, 2023
- ↑ Parents United for Public Education, "Home," accessed April 10, 2023
- ↑ Axios Philadelphia, "Meet Philadelphia's Dem mayoral candidates: Helen Gym," April 3, 2023
- ↑ The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Breaking down 5 candidates’ paths to victory | The 100th mayor newsletter," April 18, 2023
- ↑ Allan Domb for Mayor, "Allan Domb for Mayor," accessed April 10, 2023
- ↑ The Philadelphia Citizen, "Who Is Jeff Brown?" March 17, 2023
- ↑ Axios Philadelphia, "Meet Philadelphia's Dem mayoral candidates: Jeff Brown," April 3, 2023
- ↑ The Philadelphia Inquirer, "What is Philly’s resign-to-run rule?" August 15, 2022
- ↑ 67.0 67.1 The Wichita Eagle, "Legalize or criminalize? Wichita mayoral candidates split on marijuana reform," June 17, 2023
- ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Local elections are nonpartisan by law. So why is the Republican Party campaigning?" October 25, 2019
- ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Wu emerges as front-runner in Wichita mayor’s race, but Whipple says he can still win," August 3, 2023
- ↑ The Sunflower, "Whipple and Wu advance to general elections in mayoral race," August 2, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Lily Wu, Candidate, Mayor of Wichita," accessed July 5, 2023
- ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Lily Wu announces run for Wichita mayor, flexes broad coalition of business support," April 3, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Dr. Brandon Whipple, Mayor at City of Wichita Kansas," accessed June 30, 2023
- ↑ KSN.com, "Brandon Whipple – Wichita mayoral candidate," July 18, 2023
- ↑ KWCH, "Which 2 will move on?: Political expert breaks down crowded Wichita mayoral race," August 1, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Bryan Frye, City Councilman at City of Wichita Kansas," accessed June 30, 2023
- ↑ 'The Wichita Eagle', "City Council member Bryan Frye launches bid to become the next mayor of Wichita," February 17, 2023
- ↑ 'The Wichita Eagle', "City Council member Bryan Frye launches bid to become the next mayor of Wichita," February 17, 2023
- ↑ 79.0 79.1 LinkedIn, "Celeste Racette, Experienced financial institution executive and former bank regulator," accessed July 3, 2023
- ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Celeste Racette, founder of Save Century II, enters race for Wichita mayor," February 3, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Jared Cerullo, Former City Council Member at City of Wichita Kansas," accessed June 30, 2023
- ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Former Wichita City Council appointee Jared Cerullo joins crowded mayoral field," May 31, 2023
- ↑ The Wichita Eagle, "Former Wichita City Council appointee Jared Cerullo joins crowded mayoral field," May 31, 2023
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