What You Do
There are approximately 1,400 Mayors in the US serving cities and towns with populations larger than 30,000. A mayor is the chief executive of a city or town, overseeing the daily operations of local government. Most mayors work closely with their respective city and town councils to propose a legislative agenda. In some cases, mayors also serve as a member of their town or city council. Check out this resource to learn more about Mayors.
“We have to build a future that we want to see in a more reflective democracy, and that’s going to start with us.”
Gabriella Cazares-Kelly
County Recorder, Pima County, AZ
Responsibilities
Mayors are the top executive for their jurisdictions. They make policy recommendations to the council, veto legislation and ordinances passed by the council, break tied votes, appoint staff to lead local departments, draft and propose a city budget, and oversee the city’s day-to-day operations including public service departments like public safety, sanitation, and parks and recreation. They are often the public face of the city and represent the city in the press or in national or international situations.
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​Mayors run for office at the same time as at least some of the city/town council members. A Mayor with a good working relationship with the city/town council stands a greater chance of success than one with an adversarial relationship.
Helpful Skills
Roots in the community and a record of achievement or involvement is essential. Knowledge of and familiarity with the constituency is helpful. Sound communication skills and executive leadership capability are helpful. Some basic accounting, budgeting and negotiation skills will be useful.
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Salary and HoursDepending on the jurisdiction city/town councils meet every other week, or one time per month. You can view a sample council meeting agenda here. Often, members will serve in sub committees in addition to the council at large. In many cities and towns council members are reimbursed for travel, or they receive a salary for their service. Salaries on the low end are approximately $10,000 and the high end at $320,000. Some jurisdictions offer benefits like health care insurance and pensions. The staff supporting city/ town councils usually includes an attorney and at least one clerk and secretary. The president of the city council in larger jurisdictions may have their own Chief of Staff. Like their legislative counterparts, city/town councilors work hard, often spending their time away from the council chamber in the community meeting with or serving constituents.
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Sample CampaignA campaign for city council in Nebraska will look vastly different than a campaign in New York. The cost of campaigns is directly proportional to the size of the voting population: more people equals more money, smaller population equals more canvassing and person to person communication. Targeted communication, an essential component of a winning campaign, requires money for postage and other forms of paid media. Candidates don’t need millions – increasingly cities and towns are building public funding mechanisms for local campaigns – but every candidate will need the resources to communicate with the voters that can get them elected. Starting as early as 18 months out from an election will be super helpful in affording the time a candidate needs to build a winning campaign structure. Most local races are run and won with part time campaigns, and volunteer staff.
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Requirements to RunTypical requirements include: Be 18 years of age at the start of the term. Be a resident of the district that the individual is running to represent. Be a US citizen. Be free of felony convictions. Mentally capable to serve (not to have been determined mentally incapacitated by a court of law). Legal requirements to seek and serve on a city/town council vary by jurisdiction. Most places require that the candidate live in the district they seek to serve, either before the election or shortly after. Candidates must almost universally be registered to vote in the district. There are no particular education requirements.