United States municipal elections, 2018
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2018 Elections By Date |
Elections were held in 56 of the 100 largest cities by population in 2018. This included elections for 25 mayoral offices, as well as elections for county officials whose jurisdictions overlap with those cities.
Out of the twenty-five mayoral elections held in 2018 in the country's 100 largest cities, two party changes occurred. In Lexington, Kentucky, Republican Linda Gorton was elected to succeed former Democratic Mayor Jim Gray, who ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. Also, Republican Bob Dyer was elected mayor of Virginia Beach, Virginia, succeeding interim Mayor Louis Jones, who was an independent.
One 2018 race, in Phoenix, Arizona, was decided in a 2019 runoff election; mayoral control flipped from Republican to Democratic in the runoff.
Once mayors elected in 2018 assumed office, Democrats held 61 top-100 mayoral offices, Republicans held 30, independents held four, and nonpartisan mayors held four. One mayor's partisan affiliation was unknown.
At the end of 2016, Democratic mayors oversaw 64 of the 100 cities, while at the end of 2017, Democrats held the mayorship of 63 of the country's largest 100 cities.
Click on the tabs below for links to all of Ballotpedia's municipal election coverage by state and by date. Click here to read more about the influence of political parties in municipal politics and policy.
Battleground elections summary
Ballotpedia designated certain 2018 elections as battlegrounds, due to those races being either particularly competitive, interesting, or meaningful to the future balance of power in that jurisdiction. Here is a summary of some key 2018 municipal battleground elections:
- A mayoral election was held in Oakland, California. Incumbent Mayor Libby Schaaf defeated nine challengers, becoming the city's first two-term incumbent since Jerry Brown, who served as mayor from 1999 to 2007.
- In Austin, Texas, incumbent Mayor Stephen Adler defeated 2014 rival and councilmember Laura Morrison and four other challengers. He sought re-election for a second and final term in office against the backdrop of several major natural disasters and the Austin bomber attacks.[1]
- The race for two at-large seats on the Washington, D.C. council shaped up to be competitive. Incumbents Anita Bonds (D) and Elissa Silverman (I) defeated five challengers. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser backed challenger Dionne Reeder (I), who opposed, along with Bowser, a paid family and medical leave program that the Council passed last year and which Silverman supported.[2]
- A special mayoral election was called in San Francisco, California, after former Mayor Ed Lee died of a heart attack in 2017. Immediately after his death, Board of Supervisors President London Breed became acting mayor. A few weeks later, the board voted to replace her with fellow board of supervisors member Mark Ferrell. The board indicated they wanted an interim mayor who was not also running for the seat and emphasized the need to preserve the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches.[3] According to the San Francisco Examiner, members of the black community spoke out against displacing Breed, who is black. African American Chamber of Commerce President Fred Jordan said the decision was "disrespect to the black community.”[3] Breed eventually won the election.
- A special mayoral election was also called in Nashville after former Mayor Megan Barry resigned in March 2018. Barry pleaded guilty to felony theft charges relating to her affair with the Nashville police officer in charge of her security detail. She agreed to resign as part of her plea agreement on those charges.[4] Acting Mayor David Briley won the election.[5]
- The Baltimore state's attorney primary election occurred in June 2018. Baltimore saw 343 murders in 2017, which set the background for the race deciding who would be the city's top criminal prosecutor. Incumbent Marilyn Mosby (D) defeated two challengers to earn the Democratic nomination.[6] No Republican opposed Mosby in the November 6 general election.
Municipal partisanship
Once mayors elected in 2018 assumed office, Democrats held mayorships in 61 of the 100 largest cities in the country. Out of the twenty-five mayoral elections that were held in 2018 in the 100 largest cities, two party changes occurred. In the election in Lexington, Kentucky, Republican Linda Gorton won the seat, replacing former Democratic Mayor Jim Gray. In Virginia Beach, Virginia, Republican Bob Dyer won the seat, replacing former independent Mayor Louis Jones. Click here to learn more.
Municipal elections across the United States
By state
The following map shows the municipal elections covered by Ballotpedia in 2018. States not highlighted in blue may have held municipal elections that were not covered by Ballotpedia.
Alabama
- Jefferson County, Alabama - County commissioner, district attorney, county sheriff, circuit clerk, local judgeships
Alaska
- Anchorage, Alaska - Mayor, city council (special election), superior court judges, and district court judges
Arizona
- Chandler, Arizona - Mayor and city council
- Gilbert, Arizona - City council
- Glendale, Arizona - City council
- Maricopa County, Arizona - Clerk of the superior court, constables, and justices of the peace
- Mesa, Arizona - City council
- Phoenix, Arizona - Mayor (special election)
- Pima County, Arizona - Clerk of the superior court, superior court judges, constables, justices of the peace, and special districts
- Scottsdale, Arizona - City council
California
- Alameda County, California - County board of supervisors, County board of education, flood control board of directors, County superintendent of schools, County assessor, County auditor-controller/clerk recorder, District attorney, County sheriff/coroner, County treasurer-tax collector, Superior court judges, community college boards, Union Sanitary District, Water District directors, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) directors, East Bay Municipal Utility District board, Washington Township Healthcare District board, and East Bay Regional Park District board
- Anaheim, California - Mayor and city council
- Bakersfield, California - City council
- Chula Vista, California - Mayor, city council, and city attorney
- Fremont, California - City council
- Fresno, California - City council
- Fresno County, California - County clerk, county board of supervisors, county assessor recorder, county auditor-controller/treasurer-tax collector, district attorney-public administrator, county sheriff-coroner, county superintendent of schools, superior court judges, irrigation district board, community college district board, park district board, memorial district board, water district board, and public utility district board
- Irvine, California - Mayor and city council
- Kern County, California - County board of supervisors, county assessor-recorder, county auditor-controller-county clerk, district attorney, county sheriff-coroner-public administrator, county treasurer-tax collector, county superintendent of schools, superior court judges, county board of education, community college district governing board, water agency board, and community services district board
- Long Beach, California - Mayor, city council, city attorney, city auditor, and city prosecutor
- Los Angeles County, California - County board of supervisors, county assessor, county sheriff, college district governing board, water district boards, and superior court judges
- Oakland, California - Mayor, city council, and auditor
- Orange County, California - County board of supervisors, county assessor, county auditor-controller, district attorney-public administrator, county sheriff-coroner, county treasurer-tax collector, county superintendent of schools, county clerk-recorder, college district boards, water district boards, hazard abatement district, and superior court judges
- Riverside County, California - County board of supervisors, county assessor-clerk-recorder, county auditor-controller, district attorney, county sheriff-coroner-public administrator, county treasurer-tax collector, county superintendent of schools, county board of education, water district board, college district board, and superior court judges
- Sacramento, California - City council
- Sacramento County, California - County board of supervisors, county board of education, county assessor, county sheriff, district attorney, fire district board, utility district board, water district boards, flood control district board, college district trustees, and superior court judges
- San Bernardino, California - Mayor and city council
- San Bernardino County, California - County board of supervisors, county assessor/recorder, county auditor-controller/treasurer/tax collector, district attorney, county sheriff/coroner/public administrator, county superintendent of schools, college district board members, water district board members, and superior court judges
- San Diego, California - City council
- San Diego County, California - County board of supervisors, county assessor/recorder/county clerk, county treasurer/tax collector, district attorney, county sheriff, county board of education members, college district members, irrigation district board members, water district members, health care district members, and superior court judges
- San Francisco, California - Mayor, board of supervisors, city assessor-recorder, public defender, county board of education members, superior court judge, and seats on the college board
- San Joaquin County, California - County board of supervisors, county assessor-recorder-clerk, county treasurer-tax collector, district attorney, county sheriff-coroner-public administrator, county board of education, county auditor-controller, county superintendent of schools, water district board, college district board, irrigation district board, fire protection district board, and superior court judges
- San Jose, California - Mayor and city council
- Santa Ana, California - Mayor and city council
- Santa Clara County, California - County board of supervisors, county assessor, county sheriff, district attorney, superior court judges, county board of education, college district boards, water district board, and special districts
- Stockton, California - City council
Colorado
- Adams County, Colorado - County commissioner, county clerk, county treasurer, county assessor, county sheriff, county surveyor, and county coroner
- Arapahoe County, Colorado - County commissioner, county clerk, county treasurer, county assessor, county sheriff, and county coroner
- Denver, Colorado - Local court judges
- El Paso County, Colorado - County commissioner, county clerk, county treasurer, county assessor, county sheriff, county surveyor, and county coroner
Florida
- Hillsborough County, Florida - County commissioner and special district board members
- Jacksonville, Florida - City council and tax collector
- Miami-Dade County, Florida - County commissioner and special district board members
- Orange County, Florida - County mayor, county commissioner, and special district board members
- Pinellas County, Florida - County commissioner
Georgia
- DeKalb County, Georgia - County commissioner and local judgeships
- Fulton County, Georgia - County commissioner and local judgeships
Hawaii
- Honolulu, Hawaii - City council
Idaho
- Ada County, Idaho - County commissioner, district court clerk, county treasurer, county assessor, county coroner, county highway district commissioner, and College of Western Idaho trustee
Illinois
- Cook County, Illinois - County commission president, county commissioner, county assessor, county clerk, county sheriff, county treasurer, county board of review commissioner, circuit court judgeships, and subcircuit court judgeships
Indiana
- Allen County, Indiana - County commissioner, county council, county assessor, county recorder, county sheriff, county auditor, circuit court clerk, and prosecuting attorney
- Marion County, Indiana - County clerk of the circuit court, county auditor, county sheriff, county assessor, county recorder, Marion County Superior Court judges
Kansas
- Sedgwick County, Kansas - County commissioner
Kentucky
- Lexington, Kentucky - Mayor, county commission, commonwealth's attorney, circuit court clerk, county judge/executive, county attorney, county clerk, county sheriff, coroner, property valuation administrator, city council, constables, local judgeships
- Louisville, Kentucky - Mayor, county commission, commonwealth's attorney, circuit court clerk, county judge/executive, county attorney, county clerk, county sheriff, coroner, property valuation administrator, city council, constables, local judgeships, special district board members
Louisiana
- Orleans Parish, Louisiana - District court judge, district court clerk, traffic court judgeships, city court judge, city court clerks, city court constable
Maryland
- Baltimore, Maryland - State's attorney, clerk of the circuit court, register of wills, sheriff, and orphans' court
Massachusetts
- Suffolk County, Massachusetts - District attorney, register of deeds, and clerk of courts
Michigan
- Wayne County, Michigan - County executive, county commissioner, and local judgeships
Minnesota
- Hennepin County, Minnesota - County commissioner, county attorney, county sheriff, and park commissioner
- Ramsey County, Minnesota - County commissioner, county attorney, and county sheriff
- St. Paul, Minnesota - City council (special election)
Missouri
- Clay County, Missouri - County commissioner, county clerk, prosecuting attorney, county collector, recorder of deeds, county auditor, and local judgeships
- Jackson County, Missouri - County executive, county legislator, and sheriff
- Platte County, Missouri - County commissioner, county clerk, prosecuting attorney, county collector, recorder of deeds, and county auditor
- St. Louis, Missouri - Collector of revenue, license collector, recorder of deeds, community college board, and Ward 8 alderman (special election)
Nebraska
- Douglas County, Nebraska - County commissioner, county assessor, county attorney, county clerk of the district court, county engineer, county sheriff, county treasurer, and special district board members
- Lancaster County, Nebraska - County commissioner, county assessor, county attorney, county clerk of the district court, county engineer, county sheriff, county treasurer, public defender, county clerk, and special district board members
Nevada
- Clark County, Nevada - County commissioner, county assessor, county clerk, district attorney, justice of the peace, district judge, public administrator, county recorder, county treasurer, and county sheriff
- Las Vegas, Nevada - City council (special election)
- North Las Vegas - Constable
- Reno, Nevada - Mayor, city council, and city attorney
- Washoe County, Nevada - County commissioner, county assessor, county clerk, district attorney, justice of the peace, district judge, public administrator, county recorder, county sheriff, and county treasurer
New Jersey
- Essex County, New Jersey - County executive and county sheriff
- Newark, New Jersey - Mayor and city council
New Mexico
- Bernalillo County, New Mexico - County commissioner, county assessor, probate judge, and county sheriff
New York
- Buffalo, New York - City judge
- Erie County, New York - County clerk, County Judge, Family Court Judge
- New York, New York - City civil court judge
North Carolina
- Durham County, North Carolina - District attorney, county sheriff, clerk of court, special district board members, and local judgeships
- Forsyth County, North Carolina - County commissioner, clerk of superior court, county sheriff, district attorney, special district board members, and local judgeships
- Guilford County, North Carolina - County commissioner, clerk of superior court, district attorney, county sheriff, and special district board members
- Mecklenburg County, North Carolina - County commissioner, clerk of superior court, district attorney, county sheriff, special district board members, and local judgeships
- Wake County, North Carolina - County commissioner, clerk of superior court, district attorney, county sheriff, special district board members, and local judgeships
Ohio
- Cuyahoga County, Ohio - County commissioner, county executive, and local judgeships
- Fairfield County, Ohio - County commissioner, county auditor, and local judgeships
- Franklin County, Ohio - County commissioner, county auditor, county engineer, and local judgeships
- Hamilton County, Ohio - County commissioner, county auditor, and local judgeships
- Lucas County, Ohio - County commissioner, county auditor, county treasurer, and local judgeships
- Toledo, Ohio - City council
Oklahoma
- Canadian County, Oklahoma - County commissioner, county treasurer, county assessor, and county district attorney
- Cleveland County, Oklahoma - County commissioner, county treasurer, county assessor, and county district attorney
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - Mayor and city council
- Oklahoma County, Oklahoma - County commissioner, county treasurer, county assessor, and county district attorney
- Osage County, Oklahoma - County commissioner, county treasurer, county assessor, and election board secretary
- Tulsa, Oklahoma - City council and auditor
- Tulsa County, Oklahoma - County commissioner, county treasurer, county assessor, and election board secretary
Oregon
- Multnomah County, Oregon - County commissioner, auditor, sheriff, and local judgeships
- Portland, Oregon - City commission and auditor
Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - City council
Tennessee
- Davidson County, Tennessee - Chancery court, county clerk, criminal court clerk, criminal court judge, general sessions court judge, juvenile court clerk, public defender, register of deeds, sheriff, trustee, metro council (special election)
- Nashville, Tennessee - Mayor (special election)
- Shelby County, Tennessee - County mayor, county commissioner, county trustee, property assessor, county sheriff, circuit court clerk, probate court clerk, juvenile court clerk, county clerk, and county register
Texas
- Arlington, Texas - City council
- Austin, Texas - Mayor and city council
- Bexar County, Texas - County commissioner, district attorney, district clerk, county clerk, and local judgeships
- Collin County, Texas - County commissioner, district attorney, district clerk, county clerk, and local judgeships
- Corpus Christi, Texas - Mayor and city council
- Dallas, Texas - City council
- Dallas County, Texas - County commissioner, district attorney, district clerk, county clerk, county treasurer, and local judgeships
- Denton County, Texas - County commissioner, district attorney, district clerk, county clerk, county treasurer, and local judgeships
- El Paso, Texas - City council
- El Paso County, Texas - County commissioner, district clerk, county clerk, and local judgeships
- Fort Bend County, Texas - County commissioner, district attorney, district clerk, county clerk, county treasurer, and local judgeships
- Garland, Texas - Mayor and city council
- Harris County, Texas - County commissioner, district attorney, district clerk, county clerk, county treasurer, board of education, and local judgeships
- Houston, Texas - City council (special election)
- Irving, Texas - City council
- Laredo, Texas - Mayor and city council
- Lubbock, Texas - Mayor and city council
- Lubbock County, Texas - County judge, county commissioner, district attorney, district clerk, county clerk, county treasurer, and local judgeships
- Nueces County, Texas - County commissioner, district clerk, county clerk, and local judgeships
- Tarrant County, Texas - County commissioner, district attorney, district clerk, county clerk, tax assessor-collector, and local judgeships
- Travis County, Texas - County commissioner, district clerk, county clerk, county treasurer, and local judgeships
- Webb County, Texas - County commissioner, county judge, district clerk, county clerk, county treasurer, tax assessor-collector, and local judgeships
- Williamson County, Texas - County commissioner, county clerk, district clerk, county treasurer, and local judgeships
Virginia
- Chesapeake, Virginia - Mayor and city council
- Norfolk, Virginia - City council
- Virginia Beach, Virginia - City council and mayor (special election)
Washington
- King County, Washington - Prosecuting attorney and district court judges
- Seattle, Washington - Municipal court judges
Washington, D.C.
- Washington, D.C. - Mayor, city council, attorney general, shadow U.S. Senator, shadow U.S. Representative
Wisconsin
- Dane County, Wisconsin - County sheriff, clerk of circuit court, county supervisors, and local judgeships
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Common council special election
- Milwaukee County, Wisconsin - County sheriff, clerk of circuit court, county supervisors, and local judgeships
By date
February 13
General election
- St. Louis, Missouri (special election)
February 20
Primary election
March 6
Primary election
March 20
Primary election
March 27
General election
- Las Vegas, Nevada (special election)
April 3
General election
April 10
Primary election
May 1
Primary election |
General election |
May 5
Primary election |
General election |
May 8
Primary election
General election
May 15
Primary election
- Ada County, Idaho
- DeKalb County, Georgia
- Douglas County, Nebraska
- Fulton County, Georgia
- Lancaster County, Nebraska
- Portland, Oregon
May 22
Primary election |
General electionSpecial primary election |
June 5
Primary election
General election
June 12
Primary election
June 19
Primary election
Special general election
June 26
Primary election
August 2
General election
August 7
Primary election
General election
August 11
Primary election
August 14
Primary election
- Hennepin County, Minnesota
- Ramsey County, Minnesota
- Dane County, Wisconsin
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
August 28
Primary election
Special election |
September 11
Primary election
September 13
Primary election
November 6
December 8
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Spectrum News Austin, "Six candidates file for Austin mayoral race," August 21, 2018
- ↑ The Georgetowner, "At-Large Council Race Brings Drama to Midterms," October 22, 2018
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 San Francisco Examiner, "SF supervisors select Mark Farrell as interim mayor to replace London Breed," January 23, 2018
- ↑ The Tennessean, "Nashville Mayor Megan Barry pleads guilty to felony theft," March 6, 2018
- ↑ Davidson County Election Commission, "May 24 Election Results (Unofficial)," accessed May 25, 2018
- ↑ Baltimore City Board of Elections, "Gubernatorial Primary Election," accessed July 19, 2018
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