Mayor 101: Duties, Skills & How to Run for Office

An illustration of a young person with tan skin, black hair styled in a top bun, wearing large gold hoop earrings, a black choker, and an orange-striped outfit, set against a bright teal circular background. Used as a decorative representation of a mayor.

There are approximately 1,400 mayors across the U.S. serving cities and towns with populations larger than 30,000. A mayor is the chief executive of a city or town, responsible for overseeing the daily operations of local government and setting the tone for citywide leadership.

In many cities, mayors work closely with the city or town council to advance legislative priorities. In some cases, a mayor may also serve as a member of the council.

The role of a mayor varies by city size, type of government, and local laws. Some communities have a “strong mayor” system, where the mayor has broad executive powers, while others use a “weak mayor” system, where duties are more ceremonial or shared with other officials.

Responsibilities

Mayors are the top executive leaders for their jurisdictions. Their core responsibilities typically include:

Proposing policy and legislative agendas to the council
Approving or vetoing legislation passed by the council
Casting tie-breaking votes (in some systems)
Appointing department heads and other key staff
Drafting and managing the city’s annual budget
Overseeing daily operations of city services such as public safety, sanitation, parks and recreation, and emergency services

Mayors are often the public face of the city, representing their community in the media and at events, and serving as a key spokesperson during local, national, or international matters.

Note: Mayors usually run for office at the same time as some council members. A collaborative relationship with the city/town council often leads to smoother governance and more effective policy implementation.

Helpful Skills

Successful mayors often have:

Strong ties to the community and a record of service or leadership
Excellent communication skills for engaging with the public and media
Executive leadership experience, especially in managing teams or budgets
Familiarity with budgeting, negotiation, and public policy
The ability to build partnerships and work collaboratively across departments and with other levels of government

Mayors in cities with populations of 30,000 or more generally serve in full-time roles. Their responsibilities include supervising city staff and departments covering areas like:

Police and fire services
Public works and infrastructure
Parks and recreation
Emergency management
Water, sewer, and sanitation

Salary range:

Typically between $40,000 and $100,000 annually, depending on the city’s size and budget.

Mayors work long hours and are highly visible in their communities. In smaller towns or villages (populations under 30,000), mayors often hold part-time roles with many of the same responsibilities but typically rely on professional managers to handle daily operations.

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The size and scope of a mayoral campaign are closely tied to the size of the city or town.

Large Cities (e.g., Atlanta): Campaigning is intensive, often a full-time effort requiring paid staff, fundraising, and extensive outreach.
Mid-sized Cities (e.g., Milwaukee): Still time-intensive, but may rely more on local volunteers alongside paid media and outreach.
Small Towns (e.g., D’Lo, Mississippi): Campaigns are typically smaller in scale, relying on grassroots outreach and volunteer efforts.

No matter the size, mayoral campaigns require time, energy, and resources to connect with voters. Larger constituencies often mean higher costs and more complex strategies, while smaller jurisdictions focus on direct, personal communication.

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Be 18 years of age at the start of the term.
Be a resident of the district that the individual is running to represent.
Registered voter
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).

A mayor does not need to be a lawyer or highly trained professional.

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State Legislator

Responsibilities

Helpful Skills

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