Job Description for the Mayor
A mayor is a person that acts as the chief executive official of a local government organization. Most cities, towns, municipalities and boroughs throughout the United States provide for a mayoral position in their charter. Mayors are usually elected by the citizens of a given city or town, but some city charters provide for the appointment of the mayor by a city council.
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Requirements
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The requirements for mayor differ from city to city. However, there are several fairly standard requirements that most cities, towns and municipalities have adopted.
Candidates for mayor must be registered to vote in the city or town that the position is located in. This necessarily requires that candidates be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years old since that is the age requirement for voter registration. Most cities also require that mayors be a resident of the city or town in which the seat is located. This means that you can not live in Town A and become mayor of Town B.Generally, there are no specific education or work experience requirements for this position. However, it is highly recommended that a mayoral candidate be aware of general government functions as well as the local customs regarding political, socioeconomic and business climates.
Elections and Appointments
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Most cities and towns elect a mayor. To get elected, potential candidates should research the city or town charter to make sure that they meet all city-specific requirements for candidacy. This information can be obtained by contacting the city or town council. Many towns have specific procedures for running for an office. However, commonly the procedure entails getting a specified number of signatures on a petition from residents of the town and paying a filing fee to get on the ballot. Once a candidate meets the ballot requirements, he or she should initiate a campaign to bring in votes on election day. This may entail posting campaign signs around town, greeting residents door-to-door, making appearances at local events and participating in local debates.
Some cities opt for mayoral appointment rather than election. In such cases, potential candidates petition the city council for appointment. This may be a formal or informal process. Typically, appointments are given to community leaders or colleagues of city council members.
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General Duties
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Mayors are technically categorized in the executive branch of government. This means that they do not make local laws and regulations, but they usually have persuasive power over the creation of local regulations and the ability to veto provisions approved by council members.
General duties for most mayors include proposing budgets, hiring and firing city employees, creating and maintaining relationships with local businesses, monitoring local services and utilities such as snow removal and sewage treatment plants, and maintaining parks and roadways. This is by no means an exhaustive list of mayoral duties, however, the listed duties tend to apply in most locations.
Types
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In general there are two different types of mayoral systems used throughout cities in the United States: the "council-manager" form and the "mayor-council" form. The form type does not necessarily alter the general duties of the mayor, but rather speaks to the extent of power that the mayoral position holds.
The "council-manager" form treats the mayoral position as purely ceremonial. This means that the mayor holds no additional powers that are distinct from the city or town council as a whole. The mayor merely presides or officiates over council meetings and may cast a vote that is equal in weight to any other council member. This form tends to be used with smaller boroughs and municipalities.
The "mayor-council" form is often used in larger cities and towns across the United States. Under this form, the mayor acts as the chief executive officer or manager of a city. He or she is usually not a member of the city council and therefore does not have legislative voting power. This type of mayor does, however, have a much greater degree of administrative power and independence in his or her decision-making abilities.
Term Limits
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Nearly all cities and towns in the United States impose term limits for the mayoral position. The most common term limit is two consecutive four-year terms, or a total of eight years. However, some cities have extended terms limits. For example, in 2008, New York City's council approved proposed changes in its term-limit law extending the term from two consecutive four-year terms to three consecutive four-year terms. All cities and towns have the power to set and amend their own term limits. Check your city's charter to find out the term-limit provisions that apply to your mayor.
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