Seven people have served as mayors of Washington, DC since home rule took effect in 1975, all of them Democrats: Walter Washington, Marion Barry, Sharon Pratt, Anthony Williams, Adrian Fenty, Vincent Gray, and Muriel Bowser, who currently holds the office in her third and final term ending in January 2027.1Office of the Secretary. Mayors of the District of Columbia Since Home Rule The office runs the city’s executive branch much like a governor runs a state, with one unusual limit: Congress can still review and overturn local laws.
The Seven Elected Mayors
District residents gained the right to elect their own mayor through the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, signed into law on December 24, 1973 as Public Law 93-198.2Council of the District of Columbia. District of Columbia Home Rule Act Voters approved the charter in a 1974 referendum and chose their first mayor that fall.3Council of the District of Columbia. D.C. Home Rule
Walter Washington (1975–1979)
Walter Washington had already been running the city as the presidentially appointed mayor-commissioner since 1967 when District residents elected him in November 1974. He was sworn in on January 2, 1975 as the first elected mayor the city had seen since Reconstruction.1Office of the Secretary. Mayors of the District of Columbia Since Home Rule His administration focused on building out the mechanics of the new self-governing system.
Marion Barry (1979–1991, 1995–1999)
Marion Barry won election in 1978 and served three consecutive terms through January 1991. After sitting out one term, he returned for a fourth from 1995 to 1999.1Office of the Secretary. Mayors of the District of Columbia Since Home Rule By the time of his fourth term, the District’s finances had deteriorated badly enough that Congress created a Financial Control Board in 1995. The board stripped significant financial authority from the mayor’s office, and the Chief Financial Officer took over tax collection, contract approval, bill paying, and budget enforcement during the control period. Barry governed those final years with substantially less power than he had during his first three terms.
Sharon Pratt (1991–1995)
Sharon Pratt won the 1990 election as Sharon Pratt Dixon and later changed her name to Sharon Pratt Kelly after marrying during her term. She was the first woman elected to lead the District.1Office of the Secretary. Mayors of the District of Columbia Since Home Rule Her administration pursued fiscal reforms during a period of severe economic strain, though the financial problems would get worse before they got better.
Anthony Williams (1999–2007)
Anthony Williams took office in 1999 and is widely credited with stabilizing the District’s finances. He had previously served as the city’s Chief Financial Officer, which gave him a direct understanding of the budget crisis. Under his leadership, the Financial Control Board’s authority was wound down and the mayor’s office regained its full executive powers. His tenure also saw a wave of redevelopment that reshaped several neighborhoods.
Adrian Fenty (2007–2011)
Adrian Fenty won in 2006 and concentrated heavily on overhauling the public school system, appointing Michelle Rhee as schools chancellor. His administration also pushed for greater government efficiency. Fenty lost his 2010 reelection bid in the Democratic primary, one of the rare instances of a sitting DC mayor being voted out.
Vincent Gray (2011–2015)
Vincent Gray, who defeated Fenty, focused on economic development and expanding opportunities for middle-class residents. His single term was overshadowed by a federal investigation into campaign finance irregularities during his 2010 race, though Gray himself was not charged with a felony.
Muriel Bowser (2015–Present)
Muriel Bowser won her first election in 2014 and has been reelected twice, making her one of the longest-serving mayors in the home rule era. Her tenure has coincided with significant population growth, a housing affordability crisis, and the challenge of navigating federal-local relations across multiple presidential administrations. Bowser is not running for reelection in 2026, and her third term ends in January 2027.
What the Mayor Actually Does
The mayor holds broad executive authority. Under DC law, the mayor is responsible for executing all District laws and administering every agency in the executive branch, from the Metropolitan Police Department to the Department of Public Works and local school systems. The mayor appoints a City Administrator to serve as chief administrative officer and handle day-to-day management.4D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-204.22 – Powers and Duties
The mayor also appoints department heads and members of boards and commissions. Many of these appointments require the advice and consent of the Council. Most mayoral functions can be delegated to subordinate officers, with one exception: the power to approve or veto Council legislation stays with the mayor personally.4D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-204.22 – Powers and Duties
On the budget, the mayor develops a proposed spending plan each year and submits it to the Council, which reviews, amends, and votes on it.5Council of the District of Columbia. Council 101: Understanding the Budget Process When the Council passes a bill, the mayor can sign it, let it take effect without a signature, or veto it. A veto can be overridden by a two-thirds Council vote.6Council of the District of Columbia. How a Bill Becomes a Law
The mayor can also issue administrative orders to carry out the functions of the office, so long as they don’t conflict with acts of Congress or the Council. These orders direct the internal operations of the executive branch. The mayor can propose legislation to the Council and even suggest federal legislation to the President or Congress.4D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-204.22 – Powers and Duties
How Congress Still Fits In
Governing DC differs from governing any other American city in one specific way. Even after the mayor signs a bill into law, it doesn’t take effect immediately. The legislation must be transmitted to both the U.S. House and Senate for a review period of 30 days, or 60 days for certain criminal legislation. Congress can pass a joint resolution of disapproval during that window, and if the President signs it, the local law is dead. If the review period expires with no action, the legislation becomes law. Emergency legislation is exempt from the review, though temporary legislation still goes through it.7Council of the District of Columbia. How a Bill Becomes a Law
Congress also retains broader authority. Under the Home Rule Act, it reserved the right to exercise its constitutional power as the legislature for the District at any time, including the power to repeal or amend any local law.8Library of Congress. District of Columbia Local Lawmaking and Congressional Authority Every mayor since Walter Washington has worked within that constraint.
Qualifications, Terms, and Pay
To run for mayor, a candidate must be a qualified elector registered to vote in the District and must have lived there continuously for at least 90 days before the election.9D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-1001.08 – Qualifications of Candidates and Electors Sitting elected officials, including Council members, can run for mayor without first resigning. But if they win, they have to either give up their current office or decline the new one within 24 hours of the Board of Elections certifying the result.10D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-1001.15 – Candidacy for More Than 1 Office Prohibited
The mayor serves a four-year term, elected on a partisan basis, beginning at noon on January 2 of the year following the election.11D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-204.21 – Election, Qualifications, Vacancy, and Compensation These elections fall in the same years as congressional midterms. There are no term limits. The 2026 cycle will be the first DC mayoral election conducted using ranked-choice voting, with voters able to rank up to five candidates.
If the office becomes vacant, the Chairman of the Council steps in as Acting Mayor immediately. The Board of Elections then schedules a special election on a Tuesday falling between 70 and 174 days after the vacancy, choosing the exact date based on holidays, logistics, and expected turnout.11D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-204.21 – Election, Qualifications, Vacancy, and Compensation The winner takes office when the election is certified and serves the remainder of the original term.
The mayor’s annual salary is $250,000, set by the Council effective January 2, 2023.12D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-611.09 – Compensation, Mayor and Members of Council The law explicitly bars step increases, cost-of-living adjustments, or any other automatic raises. Any change requires new legislation from the Council.