The mayor of Leesburg, VA is Kelly Burk, who is serving her fifth two-year term after first winning the office in November 2016. Her current term expires December 31, 2026. Leesburg runs on a council-manager form of government, so Burk leads the town council as its presiding officer and public face while a professionally appointed town manager handles daily administration.
Who Kelly Burk Is
Burk spent 34 years as a special education public school teacher and served as president of the Loudoun Education Association. Before being elected mayor, she sat on the Leesburg Town Council for more than nine years and represented Leesburg on the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors for four years. Voters have returned her to the mayor’s seat in every election cycle since 2016.
What the Mayor Actually Does
Leesburg’s Town Charter puts all legislative power in a seven-member municipal council. The mayor is one of those seven members and votes on the same terms as any other council member.1Virginia Code Commission. Leesburg Charter On top of that vote, the mayor presides over council meetings and is designated head of the municipal government for ceremonial purposes, for military law, and for the service of civil process. The mayor also signs documents that the council, the Virginia Constitution, or general law require to be authenticated.
In day-to-day terms, that means issuing proclamations, representing Leesburg in dealings with other governments, and speaking for the town during emergencies. It does not mean running the government. The mayor does not hire or fire town employees, write the budget, or direct departments. Those jobs belong to the town manager, who is appointed by a majority of the council, serves at the council’s pleasure, and is chosen on executive and administrative qualifications rather than political ones.1Virginia Code Commission. Leesburg Charter The manager prepares the annual budget, supervises municipal employees, executes contracts, and attends every council meeting, where the manager can speak but cannot vote.
How the Office Is Filled
Leesburg’s mayoral elections are nonpartisan and held on the first Tuesday in November of even-numbered years.2Town of Leesburg, Virginia. Voting Information No party labels appear on the ballot. Each cycle, voters pick the mayor and three council members; the other three council seats come up in the alternate even-year cycle, so the full council is never on the ballot at once. The term runs two years, which is shorter than many mayoral offices but fits a town where the council and a hired manager share the governing work. The next regular town election is scheduled for November 3, 2026.
If the mayor is absent or temporarily unable to serve, a vice-mayor elected by the council from among its own members steps in.1Virginia Code Commission. Leesburg Charter If the seat becomes permanently vacant, the council fills it by majority vote for the remainder of the term; if the council does not act within 90 days, the judge of the Circuit Court of Loudoun County makes the appointment.
Reaching the Mayor or Speaking at a Meeting
The Town Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, with work sessions on the Mondays before each business meeting.3Town of Leesburg, Virginia. Mayor and Council Schedules shift occasionally for holidays or conferences.
Every regular meeting has a “Petitioners” portion where residents can address the council directly. You can sign up online by 4:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting or register in person at the meeting itself.4Town of Leesburg, Virginia. Current Town Council Meeting Agenda This is the main route for weighing in on zoning, ordinances, tax rates, or anything else in front of the council.
Written correspondence goes to Town Hall at 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176.5Town of Leesburg, Virginia. Contact the Town Official email addresses for the mayor and each council member are listed on the town’s Mayor and Council webpage.