Key takeaways
- 22 of the 100 largest U.S. cities held mayoral elections in 2026.
- Two incumbents lost: Karen Bass in Los Angeles and Ken Welch in St. Petersburg.
- Six cities will have new mayors so far: Los Angeles, Chandler, Irving, Reno, North Las Vegas and St. Petersburg.
- Corpus Christi and Laredo go to December runoffs, and three California counts are still being finalized.
Why mayoral elections matter to government vendors
Mayors shape what cities buy. They propose budgets, appoint department heads and set priorities for public safety, transportation, housing and technology. When a city changes mayors, those priorities and the people behind them can change too.
Twenty-two of the nation's 100 largest cities held mayoral elections in 2026. Most incumbents won another term, but Los Angeles and St. Petersburg voted their mayors out, four cities filled open seats and two races are headed to December runoffs.
2026 mayoral election results by city
Ordered by population rank. Results as of November 9, 2026; California results are unofficial until certified.
| Rank | City | Election | Incumbent | Winner or status | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Los Angeles, Calif. | Nov. 3 | Karen Bass | Nithya Raman | New mayor | Raman, a city council member, defeated the incumbent with about 52% in a race called by the AP on Nov. 5. Takes office Dec. 14. |
| 21 | Oklahoma City, Okla. | Feb. 10 | David Holt | David Holt | Re-elected | Won with 86.5% of the vote. |
| 28 | Louisville, Ky. | Nov. 3 | Craig Greenberg | Craig Greenberg | Re-elected | The city's first nonpartisan mayoral election. |
| 40 | Raleigh, N.C. | Nov. 3 | Janet Cowell | Janet Cowell | Re-elected | The mayor's term is now four years. |
| 41 | Long Beach, Calif. | June 2 | Rex Richardson | Rex Richardson | Re-elected | Won outright in the primary with about 57%. |
| 44 | Oakland, Calif. | Nov. 3 | Barbara Lee | Barbara Lee | Re-elected | Voters also approved Measure EE, a charter change that gives the mayor more authority. |
| 49 | Arlington, Texas | May 2 | Jim Ross | Jim Ross | Re-elected | Won with 50.1%. |
| 55 | Anaheim, Calif. | Nov. 3 | Ashleigh Aitken | Ashleigh Aitken | Leading | About 57% in the unofficial count; California counties certify by Dec. 3. |
| 56 | Lexington, Ky. | Nov. 3 | Linda Gorton | Linda Gorton | Re-elected | |
| 58 | Corpus Christi, Texas | Nov. 3 | Paulette Guajardo | Runoff Dec. 12 | Runoff | Guajardo (about 39%) faces Council Member Gil Hernandez (about 23%). |
| 59 | Henderson, Nev. | Nov. 3 | Michelle Romero | Michelle Romero | Re-elected | About 61%, per an AP projection. |
| 61 | Newark, N.J. | May 12 | Ras Baraka | Ras Baraka | Re-elected | Won with 70.1%. |
| 63 | Santa Ana, Calif. | Nov. 3 | Valerie Amezcua | Count ongoing | Too close to call | Dan Shimell moved ahead in the Nov. 7 update, about 45% to 42%, a lead of 1,823 votes; California counties certify by Dec. 3. |
| 65 | Irvine, Calif. | Nov. 3 | Larry Agran | Larry Agran | Leading | About 70% in the unofficial count. |
| 76 | Chandler, Ariz. | July 21 | Kevin Hartke (term-limited) | Matt Orlando | New mayor | Open seat; won with 58.5%. |
| 77 | Chula Vista, Calif. | Nov. 3 | John McCann | John McCann | Re-elected | Challenger Francisco Tamayo conceded. |
| 81 | Reno, Nev. | Nov. 3 | Hillary Schieve (term-limited) | Kate Marshall | New mayor | Open seat; Marshall is a former lieutenant governor. |
| 83 | North Las Vegas, Nev. | Nov. 3 | Pamela Goynes-Brown (term-limited) | Daniele Monroe-Moreno | New mayor | Open seat; Monroe-Moreno is a state assemblymember. |
| 84 | St. Petersburg, Fla. | Nov. 3 | Ken Welch | Charlie Crist | New mayor | The former governor defeated the incumbent, about 62% to 38%. |
| 85 | Lubbock, Texas | May 2 | Mark McBrayer | Mark McBrayer | Re-elected | Won with 70.3%. |
| 86 | Irving, Texas | May 2 | Rick Stopfer (term-limited) | Albert Zapanta | New mayor | Open seat; won with 67.2%. |
| 87 | Laredo, Texas | Nov. 3 | Victor Treviño | Runoff in December | Runoff | Council Member Alyssa Cigarroa (about 36%) faces Treviño (about 32%). |
Sources: Ballotpedia, the Associated Press via news reports, KQED, NBC Los Angeles, Voice of OC, KPBS, The Nevada Independent, KGNS, 3NEWS Corpus Christi, the Kentucky Lantern, WUNC and the Tampa Bay area press. Population ranks are from Ballotpedia.
Results at a glance
| Outcome | Cities | Which |
|---|---|---|
| Incumbent re-elected | 11 | Oklahoma City, Okla.; Louisville, Ky.; Raleigh, N.C.; Long Beach, Calif.; Oakland, Calif.; Arlington, Texas; Lexington, Ky.; Henderson, Nev.; Newark, N.J.; Chula Vista, Calif.; Lubbock, Texas |
| New mayor elected | 6 | Los Angeles, Calif.; Chandler, Ariz.; Reno, Nev.; North Las Vegas, Nev.; St. Petersburg, Fla.; Irving, Texas |
| Incumbent leading, count ongoing | 2 | Anaheim, Calif.; Irvine, Calif. |
| Too close to call | 1 | Santa Ana, Calif. |
| Headed to a December runoff | 2 | Corpus Christi, Texas; Laredo, Texas |
What changed for vendors
- Los Angeles has a new mayor ahead of the 2028 Olympics. Nithya Raman takes office December 14 and will set priorities for the city's budget and Olympic preparations. Expect new appointments across departments.
- Oakland's mayor gains authority. Voters approved Measure EE, a "strong mayor" charter change, so more decisions will run through the mayor's office.
- New leaders in fast-growing Sun Belt cities. Chandler, Irving, North Las Vegas and Reno elected new mayors. North Las Vegas' mayor-elect has said she plans to start with an audit of city government.
- St. Petersburg changes direction. Former Gov. Charlie Crist takes over from Ken Welch, bringing a new set of priorities.
- Runoffs extend uncertainty in South Texas. Corpus Christi and Laredo won't know their mayors until December.
How vendors can respond
- Protect current accounts in cities with new mayors. Document results and contract timelines so incoming leaders see the value.
- Watch transition teams and appointments. New city managers, police chiefs and department heads often follow a new mayor.
- Read the first budget. A new mayor's first budget is the clearest signal of new priorities. See our city and county budget calendars.
- Check bond and tax results too. Many of these cities also approved new funding. See the 2026 bond measure results.
- Know who buys. Our guide to who buys in city government covers the roles to reach.
How KSG helps
Kensington Sales Group's SDRs track leadership changes and budget timing in the cities you sell to, then book meetings with the department heads who are setting new priorities. See how we work with state and local government.
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