Mayoral Election Process in 100 Largest U.S. Cities

Open Elections = 89; Semi-Open = 5; Closed = 6
New York NY 8,584,629 D+38 RCV Partisan Primary, Plurality General No Closed Yes Unlimited 3,750 valid signatures
Los Angeles CA 3,869,089 D+44 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Chicago IL 2,731,585 D+58 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Houston TX 2,397,315 D+24 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Phoenix AZ 1,665,481 D+14 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Philadelphia PA 1,574,281 D+59 Plurality Wins Partisan Primary and General No Closed Yes Unlimited 7,769 valid signatures (2023 requirement) - 2% of largest entire vote cast for any office in previous election
San Antonio TX 1,548,422 D+17 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
San Diego CA 1,406,106 D+34 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
Dallas TX 1,329,491 D+30 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Fort Worth TX 1,028,117 D+3 Plurality Vote Once Yes Open Yes Unlimited Submit 200 valid signatures OR Pay a $100 filing fee to appear on the ballot
Jacksonville FL 1,017,689 R+0 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Austin TX 1,002,632 D+50 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A RCV voting was approved by ballot referendum in 2021, however it has not been implemented yet due to conflict with Texas State law.
San Jose CA 989,814 D+36 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Charlotte NC 964,784 D+40 Plurality Wins Partisan Primary and General No Closed Yes Unlimited ~9,000 valid signatures - 1.5% of registered voters in the city
Columbus OH 938,396 D+38 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Indianapolis IN 901,116 D+29 Plurality Wins Partisan Primary and General No Semi-Open Yes Unlimited 3,397 valid signatures (2023 requirement) - 2% of all votes cast for Indiana Secretary of State in the city See "Sources" below for more information on Indiana Semi-Open primary rules.
San Francisco CA 826,079 D+65 RCV Vote Once Yes Open Yes Unlimited 20 valid signature, with an additional required filing fee of $7,020 (2024). Each additional valid signature over the required 20 lowers the filing fee by $0.50
Seattle WA 784,777 D+78 RCV Nonpartisan Primary, Plurality General No Open No 2 RCV will be implemented in 2027. It will be used for the first time in a mayoral race in 2029.
Denver CO 740,613 D+56 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Nashville TN 721,074 D+29 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Oklahoma City OK 719,849 R+3 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Washington DC 693,645 D+84 RCV Partisan Primary, RCV General No Semi-Open Yes Unlimited 3,000 valid signatures
El Paso TX 683,012 D+18 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Las Vegas NV 679,817 D+5 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Boston MA 672,973 D+56 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Detroit MI 649,095 D+82 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
Louisville KY 641,962 D+0 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 3 3 candidates appear on the general election ballot only if 2 candidates tie for second place in the primary
Portland OR 635,109 D+71 RCV Vote Once Yes Open Yes Unlimited 500 valid signatures OR Pay a $500 filing fee to appear on the ballot A filing fee waiver can be obtained for demonstrated economic hardship.
Memphis TN 609,647 D+52 Plurality Vote Once Yes Open Yes Unlimited 25 valid signatures
Baltimore MD 569,997 D+73 Plurality Wins Partisan Primary and General No Closed Yes Unlimited ~3,700 valid signatures (2024 requirement) - 1% of registered voters in the city
Milwaukee WI 562,407 D+56 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
Albuquerque NM 556,588 D+23 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Fresno CA 555,549 D+8 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Tucson AZ 548,371 D+30 Plurality Wins Partisan Primary and General No Semi-Open Yes Unlimited ~2,950 valid signatures (2023 requirement) - 3% of registered voters in the city who are not members of a qualified political party Democratic, Republican, No Label Party primaries are Semi-Open; Libertarian, Green Party closed.
Sacramento CA 536,449 D+46 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Atlanta GA 529,110 D+66 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Kansas City MO 521,220 D+34 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
Mesa AZ 513,656 R+12 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Raleigh NC 506,306 D+41 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
Colorado Springs CO 494,743 R+2 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Miami FL 489,812 D+1 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Omaha NE 488,797 D+17 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
Viriginia Beach VA 453,737 D+3 Plurality Vote Once Yes Open Yes Unlimited 125 valid signatures
Long Beach CA 450,469 D+40 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Oakland CA 440,838 D+76 RCV Vote Once Yes Open Yes Unlimited 10 valid signatures
Minneapolis MN 430,324 D+73 RCV Vote Once Yes Open Yes Unlimited 500 valid signatures OR Pay a $500 filing fee to appear on the ballot
Bakersfield CA 422,165 R+15 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Tulsa OK 416,209 R+1 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Tampa FL 413,554 D+12 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Aurora CO 410,053 D+23 Plurality Vote Once Yes Open Yes Unlimited 100 valid signatures
Arlington TX 402,134 D+8 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Wichita KS 400,987 R+4 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 3 If 3 or fewer candidates file to run for mayor, a primary is not held and all candidates go directly to the general election.
Cleveland OH 363,608 D+56 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
New Orleans LA 362,154 D+67 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Henderson NV 353,289 R+8 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Honolulu HI 341,868 D+35 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Anaheim CA 341,008 D+9 Plurality Vote Once Yes Open Yes Unlimited 20 valid signatures
Orlando FL 333,888 D+27 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Lexington KY 329,751 D+18 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
Stockton CA 324,597 D+17 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Newark NJ 323,808 D+58 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Riverside CA 323,057 D+7 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Irvine CA 318,764 D+21 Plurality Vote Once Yes Open Yes Unlimited 20 valid signatures
Corpus Christi TX 317,247 R+10 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Santa Ana CA 315,586 D+24 Plurality Vote Once Yes Open Yes Unlimited 20 valid signatures
Cincinnati OH 314,367 D+53 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
Greensboro NC 308,667 D+42 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
Pittsburgh PA 307,632 D+55 Plurality Wins Partisan Primary and General No Closed Yes Unlimited ~1,330 valid signatures (2025 requirement) - 2% of largest entire vote cast for any officer elected in the same city at the preceding election
St. Paul MN 306,684 D+58 RCV Vote Once Yes Open Yes Unlimited 500 valid signatures OR pay a $500 filing fee to appear on the ballot
Durham NC 305,561 D+66 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
Jersey City NJ 302,013 D+49 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Lincoln NE 301,522 D+10 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
North Las Vegas NV 296,653 D+22 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Plano TX 293,028 D+3 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Gilbert AZ 287,285 R+16 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Anchorage AK 287,155 D+1 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A Threshold to avoid a runoff is 45%, instead of 50%.
Madison WI 286,233 D+68 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
Reno NV 283,621 D+12 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Chandler AZ 278,748 D+4 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
St. Louis MO 278,144 D+65 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
Chula Vista CA 275,533 D+17 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
Fort Wayne IN 275,203 D+2 Plurality Wins Partisan Primary and General No Semi-Open Yes Unlimited 1246 valid signatures (2023 requirement) - 2% of all votes cast for Indiana Secretary of State in the city See "Sources" below for more information on Indiana Semi-Open primary rules.
Buffalo NY 274,613 D+53 Plurality Wins Partisan Primary and General No Closed Yes Unlimited 1,500 valid signatures Independent nominating petitions for the general election are normally due before primary is held.
Lubbock TX 273,071 R+33 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Laredo TX 269,515 R+2 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Port St. Lucie FL 268,062 R+7 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
St. Petersburg FL 264,033 D+20 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Toledo OH 263,423 D+30 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
Glendale AZ 260,572 R+2 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Winston-Salem NC 257,271 D+33 Plurality Wins Partisan Primary and General No Semi-Open Yes Unlimited ~2,461 valid signatures (2024 requirement) - 1.5% of registered voters in the city
Irving TX 257,076 D+9 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Chesapeake VA 255,332 D+4 Plurality Vote Once Yes Open Yes Unlimited 125 valid signatures
Garland TX 249,625 D+7 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Scottsdale AZ 243,006 R+9 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Boise City ID 238,429 D+19 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Richmond VA 237,257 D+66 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A Mayoral contests require a candidate to receive the most votes in 5 out of 9 City Council Districts to be elected. If no candidate wins the most votes in 5 districts, a runoff is held between the two candidates with the highest citywide vote totals.
Frisco TX 236,955 R+9 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Cape Coral FL 236,264 R+37 Top Two Advance From Open Primary No Open No 2
McKinney TX 236,001 R+12 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Huntsville AL 233,627 D+3 50% Wins Office or Top Two Run-Off No Open N/A N/A
Sources
Population data: U.S. Census Bureau
Voting process: Municipal Codes; News Reports; Ballotpedia
Indianapolis: Indiana law allows voters to participate in a party’s primary “(1) if the voter, at the last general election, voted for a majority of the regular nominees of the political party holding the primary election; or (2) if the voter did not vote at the last general election, but intends to vote at the next general election for a majority of the regular nominees of the political party holding the primary election.” IC 3-10-1-6

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