The mayor of Williamsport, PA is Derek Slaughter, a Democrat currently serving his second four-year term. Under Pennsylvania’s Optional Third Class City Charter Law, Williamsport uses a strong-mayor form of government, which makes the mayor the chief executive and administrative officer of the city: every department reports to the mayor, the mayor writes the annual budget, and the mayor can veto ordinances passed by the seven-member City Council.
Who Derek Slaughter Is
Slaughter was sworn in on January 6, 2020, becoming both the first Black mayor and the youngest person to hold the office in Williamsport’s history. He won re-election in 2023 and is now in his second term. Before taking office, he taught mathematics at Williamsport Area High School and Pennsylvania College of Technology, coached the girls’ high school basketball team from 2007 to 2016, and served on Williamsport City Council in 2018 and 2019.
In 2024, the Pennsylvania Municipal League elected Slaughter as its president, a statewide role representing municipal governments across the commonwealth. He ran on fiscal transparency and rebuilding trust between residents and city hall.
What the Mayor Does
The Optional Third Class City Charter Law places all executive power in the mayor.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Optional Third Class City Charter Law In practice, that covers three things most residents will care about: running the departments, controlling the budget, and shaping what becomes law.2City of Williamsport. Government
Running the Departments
The mayor supervises every city department, including the Bureau of Police, Bureau of Fire, Finance, Public Works, Codes, Human Resources, Recreation and Parks, Administration, and Community and Economic Development.3City of Williamsport. Departments Department directors, the police and fire chiefs, and the city solicitor are all appointed by the mayor and confirmed by a majority vote of City Council. Directors serve during the term of the mayor who appointed them.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Optional Third Class City Charter Law
The mayor also sits on or makes appointments to the city’s major boards and authorities, including the Williamsport Municipal Water Authority, the Sanitary Authority, the Planning Commission, the Parking Authority, the Redevelopment Authority, and the River Valley Transit Authority Board.4City of Williamsport. Boards, Commissions, and Authorities
Writing the Budget
The mayor must submit the city’s annual budget to Council by the last stated meeting in November, in the form of an ordinance with a full breakdown of spending and revenue.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Optional Third Class City Charter Law Local code requires the budget to be presented line by line, with every position’s salary individually listed.5American Legal Publishing. Williamsport Code 135.03 – Budget Form and Transfers Council can cut any line by simple majority but needs a two-thirds vote to raise one.
Signing or Vetoing Ordinances
When Council passes an ordinance, the mayor has ten days to sign it or return it with written objections. Taking no action for ten days lets the ordinance become law automatically. Council can override a veto with a two-thirds vote, but no sooner than three days after the mayor returns the ordinance.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Optional Third Class City Charter Law The mayor can attend Council meetings and join discussion but does not vote, except to break a tie when Council is filling a vacancy on its own body.
How Someone Becomes Mayor
Pennsylvania’s consolidated statutes set the eligibility rules for the office. A candidate must be at least 18 years old and must have lived in Williamsport for at least one year before election day. Before being sworn in, the mayor-elect files a signed affidavit with the city clerk confirming the residency requirement, and must continue to live in the city throughout the term. Active military duty does not break residency; a resident who leaves for military service remains a resident unless they establish a home elsewhere.6Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 11 Section 11201
The mayor is elected at-large, so every registered voter in the city votes on the race regardless of neighborhood.2City of Williamsport. Government Pennsylvania holds municipal elections in odd-numbered years, with party primaries in May and the general election in November. The winner is sworn in on the first Monday of January and serves four years.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Optional Third Class City Charter Law Campaign finance reports go to the Lycoming County Board of Elections, not the state Department of State.7Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Campaign Finance
There are no term limits for the office at this time. In October 2025, City Council unanimously passed a term-limits ordinance, Mayor Slaughter vetoed it, and the outcome of any override attempt has not been publicly confirmed.
When the Mayor Can’t Serve
If the mayor is temporarily unable to perform the duties of the office because of absence, disability, or any other cause, the mayor designates a department head or the city clerk to serve as acting mayor with full executive authority. Once the mayor has been unable to serve for sixty consecutive days, City Council appoints one of its own members to take over.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Optional Third Class City Charter Law
Contacting the Mayor’s Office
The mayor’s office is on the third floor of Williamsport City Hall at 100 West Third Street, Williamsport, PA 17701. The office phone number is (570) 327-7566.8City of Williamsport. Mayor’s Office The mayor’s annual salary as of 2026 is $82,182.