How to Run for Mayor: Requirements, Costs, and Key Steps

Thinking about running for mayor? Across the country, people are stepping up to lead their cities, especially as local issues like housing, transportation, public safety, and transparency become harder to ignore.

Mayoral races can look very different depending on where you live. Running in a big city usually means navigating a more crowded playing field and understanding layers of bureaucracy. In a small town, on the other hand, you might already know half your voters by name.

This guide covers both realities, from understanding what a mayor actually does to filing your paperwork and building a grassroots campaign that connects with voters.

What Does a Mayor Do?

The role of a mayor looks different depending on your city's structure. In general, the mayor serves as the chief executive of local government.

A mayor may:

• Collaborate with the city council on legislation
• Guide or influence the city budget
• Shape priorities around housing, transportation, or development
• Oversee public safety and emergency planning
• Represent the city to residents, regional partners, and state or federal agencies

Some cities use a mayor-council structure, where the mayor has executive authority. Others use a council-manager system where a city manager handles daily operations. However your city is organized, the mayor's role is ultimately about leadership, responsiveness, and setting a vision that reflects the community's needs.

Mayor Eligibility Requirements

To run for mayor, you must typically:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a registered voter
• Be a resident of the city, sometimes for a minimum period of time, like six months to one year

In some places, you can't run for mayor if you're currently a city employee. This rule is designed to avoid conflicts of interest.

Because these rules differ from state to state and city to city, check with your local board of elections to confirm the exact eligibility requirements where you live.

LEARN MORE: Use our free election look-up tool to see the eligibility requirements for mayor in your community.

How Much Does It Cost to Run for Mayor?

The cost of a mayoral campaign depends heavily on the size of your city.

In a small town, the average cost to run for mayor ranges from about $500 to $10,000. This covers filing fees, campaign advertising, promotional materials, and event planning. In larger cities, costs can run from a few thousand dollars into the millions, depending on the size of the electorate and how competitive the race is.

Here are some real-life examples of how much it can cost to run for mayor:

• Steve Kronmiller spent just $675 on his campaign in the small town of Scandia, Minnesota.
• Angel Johnston won her mayoral campaign in Three Rivers, Michigan, on a slim budget of $2,200.
• John Engen raised about $87,500 in his 2021 bid for reelection in Missoula, Montana.
• Michael Garcia received at least $33,906 in matching donations and $60,000 through public financing in his run for mayor of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
• Adena Ishii won the 2024 mayoral election in Berkeley, California after raising about $53,000 and receiving about $101,000 from the city’s public financing program.

In larger metro centers, campaign spending can reach much higher magnitudes. For example, Gina Ortiz Jones won the 2025 mayor’s race in San Antonio, Texas after spending roughly $700,000. Zohran Mamdani’s 2025 campaign for mayor of New York City spent over $16.4 million.

Whatever your city's size, there are ways to keep costs down:

• Mobilize Volunteers: A network of local volunteers can help with door knocking, event planning, phone banking, and more.
• Spread the Word on Social Media: Social platforms are a cost-effective way to reach voters and share campaign updates.
• Take Advantage of Low-Cost Tools: GoodParty.org offers affordable campaign software for independent, nonpartisan, and third-party candidates.
• Get Creative: Look for cost-effective solutions unique to your town, campaign, or constituency.

How Much Does a Mayor Get Paid?

Mayors’ salaries vary depending on the size and structure of the town or city. In some communities, the mayor’s role is part-time and comes with a modest stipend. In others, it may be a full-salaried position with broader executive responsibilities.

Mayoral salaries are calculated in different ways. For example:

• In Manchester, New Hampshire, the mayor’s salary is set by city ordinance. The city’s Code of Ordinances gives its mayor a base salary of $100,000 per annum.
• In El Paso, Texas, the mayor’s pay is based on the city charter, and is meant to align with 1.5 times the area’s median household income. Recently, voters approved a 15% increase to the mayor’s salary, increasing it from $94,775 to $109,200.
• In Honolulu, Hawaii, the mayor’s salary is determined by an independent commission of appointed officials. In April 2026, the panel approved a pay increase that brings the mayor’s salary to $236,712.

If pay is an important factor in your decision to run for mayor, check your city or town's budget, municipal code, or official salary schedule. You can also contact the clerk's office to confirm whether the position is salaried, part-time, or stipend-based.

How to Run for Mayor in 2026 in 4 Steps

You don't need insider experience to run a competitive mayoral campaign. What you need is a clear plan, a grounded message, and a commitment to showing up for your neighbors.

Step #1: Learn the Rules and Understand Your Local Landscape

Before launching a campaign, make sure you understand how mayoral elections work where you live. Every city has different requirements, deadlines, and election cycles.

Understand How Your City Elects Its Mayor

Cities vary in whether municipal elections are partisan or nonpartisan, whether the mayor is elected citywide or by district, and whether elections occur during the general cycle or in off years.

While many cities hold their mayoral elections in odd years, 2026 is still a major election year for many U.S. cities. Los Angeles, California, and St. Petersburg, Florida, both have their general elections planned for November 3, 2026, for instance.

If you live in a city with a 2026 or 2027 mayoral race, now is the time to plan a campaign. Be aware that filing deadlines often come months before any elections take place.

Know Your Filing Deadlines

Filing windows can open months before election day. Missing a filing deadline is one of the most common early mistakes for new candidates.

Make sure you know:

• When candidate filing opens
• When it closes
• Whether petitions must be submitted in person
• What identification or notarization is required

Step #2: Build a Focused, Community-First Campaign Plan

Once you understand the rules, it's time to plan your campaign. Your message, your team, and your strategy should all tie back to your community's needs.

Define Your Core Message

Your message should clearly answer:

• Why are you running for mayor?
• What local problems will you address?
• How will your leadership make a difference?

Tracy Saunders, mayor of Port Wentworth, Georgia, emphasized the importance of clarity and discipline in communication:

To start narrowing down your message, listen to neighbors, civic groups, small business owners, and community leaders.

Build a Realistic Campaign Timeline

Work backward from election day:

• When will you announce your campaign?
• When will you start canvassing?
• When will you release your website?
• How will you sequence fundraising pushes?
• How will you plan for debates, community events, or candidate forums?

"Time management was a huge thing for me," said Saunders. "I have six children at home, and my husband works second shift during the week. If you can get a handle on that and map out and plan ahead what you want to do and how you're going to do it, that is something that I wish I could have done."

Assemble a Small but Effective Team

Consider looking for friends or acquaintances to fill a few key roles, like a campaign manager, a treasurer or compliance lead, a digital or communications helper, and a field lead or volunteer coordinator.

Plan a Budget You Can Sustain

Start fundraising early, even if it feels uncomfortable.

"I think had I learned early on how to be comfortable with asking people for money, I would have done a lot better in the fundraising," said Saunders. "That's honestly my least favorite part of it because I don't like to ask for help, and for the longest time, I was very hesitant."

LEARN MORE: Learn how political fundraising platforms make it easier for your supporters to donate.

Step #3: File Your Paperwork and Get on the Ballot

Once you file your paperwork, that's the moment your campaign officially becomes real.

To get on the ballot, you'll typically need to submit:

• Declaration of Candidacy: A form stating your intent to run. Some require notarization.
• Naming a Treasurer: You typically must designate a treasurer and open a campaign bank account before raising or spending money.
• Financial Disclosure Forms: You may need to disclose income sources, property ownership, or potential conflicts of interest.
• Signature Petitions: Signature requirements vary widely, from a few dozen to tens of thousands.

Treat gathering signatures as early outreach rather than a paperwork chore.

Step #4: Run a Grassroots Campaign That Connects

The heart of a successful mayoral run is grassroots outreach, conversation, visibility, and persistence.

Show Up Where People Already Are

Prioritize door-to-door canvassing, town halls and listening sessions, farmers' markets and festivals, and neighborhood associations and business groups. Even as digital tools become more available, face-to-face outreach remains one of the most effective tools in local politics.

Use Digital Tools to Expand Your Reach

You'll likely want a campaign website, Facebook/Instagram/TikTok pages, a volunteer and email list (about:blank), basic digital advertising like Facebook ads, and text outreach tools. The tools you should use depend on your community.

"My last post on Reddit that had to do with the election got over 5,000 views," said Saunders. "That's insanely huge for a town of 17,000 people."

LEARN MORE: Learn how to get verified to run campaign ads on Facebook.

Finish Strong With a GOTV Plan

A successful get-out-the-vote (GOTV) plan includes texts or calls to known supporters, clear voting instructions, reminders of early voting or mail-in options, and encouraging supporters to bring a friend. Local elections are plagued by low turnout, so GOTV efforts are crucial.

What Makes Small-Town Mayoral Races Different?

Mayoral elections can look quite different in small towns and larger cities.

According to a 2017 study by the Center for Local Elections in American Politics, there is a strong correlation between the size of a city and the number of mayoral candidates:

• Towns with fewer than 500 residents had an average of 1.2 mayoral candidates.
• Towns with 500-2,500 residents had an average of 1.6.
• Cities with 2,500-10,000 residents had an average of 2.
• Cities with 10,000-50,000 residents had an average of 2.5.
• Cities with over 50,000 residents had an average of 3.5 mayoral candidates.

Similarly, the study found that smaller towns have higher rates of unopposed mayoral races:

• 73.3% of mayoral races went unopposed in towns under 500 residents.
• 53% went unopposed in towns with 500-2,500 residents.
• 40.3% went unopposed in cities with 2,500-10,000 residents.
• 27.8% went unopposed in cities with 10,000-50,000 residents.
• 15.2% went unopposed in cities with over 50,000 residents.

The smaller the town, the more likely it is that only one candidate's name appears on the ballot for mayor. In many cases, that one person is the incumbent mayor. That means voters lack real choice at the ballot box.

Stepping up to run for office against an unchallenged incumbent is a powerful way to stand up for your community and make a difference.

Angel Johnston explained why she challenged the incumbent mayor in her town of Three Rivers, Michigan:

LEARN MORE: Learn how Angel Johnston unseated a longtime incumbent on a modest campaign budget.

If you're running for mayor in a small town, a few things can make a real difference:

• Do Your Research: Even if you think you already know your town inside and out, getting access to the voter file can go a long way toward understanding your voters and refining your strategy.
• Cultivate Real-Life Connections: In a small town, you may be able to interact with nearly every voter in your community. Door-to-door canvassing is often especially effective at this scale.
• Get Out the Vote: In small towns, elections can come down to a handful of votes, so encourage supporters to turn out even if they haven't voted in years.

Running as an independent or nonpartisan candidate can also be an advantage in local races.

Marq Hawkins won the 2024 mayoral election in California City, California, a small town of about 15,000. He said his independent affiliation set him apart from the other candidates:

LEARN MORE: Learn the tactics Marq Hawkins used to win his race against an incumbent mayor.

Lead Your City Forward With Integrity and Purpose

Running for mayor is a meaningful way to shape the future of your city, but it's also a challenge. Local campaigns ask you to juggle competing demands, learn on the fly, and navigate moments of uncertainty.

"Any first-time candidate is going to have issues in their campaign that they're not prepared to deal with," said Saunders. "You're going to have those moments where you just don't know what to do."

For independent and nonpartisan candidates, that learning curve can feel even steeper without party infrastructure behind you.

But independence doesn't mean isolation.

GoodParty.org empowers nonpartisan and independent candidates with a full suite of campaign tools. From voter data to text messaging support, we have the tools you need to win your race — whether you're running in a big city or a small town.

Frequently Asked Questions

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