By David W. Burns
November 12, 2007

On Tuesday, November 6th, mayoral elections took place in over 400 cities across the country (cities with 30,000 persons and higher). With returns trickling in, incumbents are holding on to their seats, by and large.

In Baltimore, Mayor Sheila Dixon was officially elected as the chief executive of the city after taking over on an interim basis last January when former Mayor Martin O’Malley was elected governor of Maryland. With Dixon’s election, she becomes the first woman elected as Mayor of Baltimore.

In a somewhat similar race, Pittsburgh (PA) Mayor Luke Ravenstahl was officially elected the mayor by just over 30 percentage points. Mayor Ravenstahl, previously a city councilmember, had ascended to the position of mayor last September, taking over for Mayor Bob O’Connor who passed away at that time.

In other notable election, Philadelphia elected 15-year-councilmember Michael Nutter as their mayor, Salt Lake City elected Democrat Ralph Becker after Rocky Anderson decided against seeking a third term, and Houston reelected Mayor Bill White for a fourth term.

Past Presidents of the Conference of Mayors, including Charleston (SC) Mayor Joseph P. Riley and Akron Mayor Donald Plusquellic were reelected. Mayor Riley was re-elected to his ninth term as the city’s mayor while Mayor Plusquellic was elected to his sixth.

Advisory Board members, Carmel (IN) Mayor James Brainard, Des Moines Mayor T.M. Franklin Cownie, Charlotte (NC) Mayor Patrick McCrory, and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom all won their reelection bids.

One Advisory Board member, Indianapolis mayor and current National League of Cities President, Democrat Mayor Bart Peterson narrowly lost his reelection bid to his Republican challenger, Greg Ballard.

Trustees of the Conference of Mayors, Columbus (OH) Mayor Michael Coleman and Newark (CA) Mayor David W. Smith also won their respective elections. Smith was elected to his 15th term and has been mayor for 30 years. He holds the record for the longest standing mayor of California.

There are a number of new mayors taking over cities across the United States as well. The cities of Birmingham and Greensboro (NC) elected Larry Langford and Yvonne J. Johnson, respectively.