The mayor of Davis, CA is Donna Neville, who represents District 3 on the City Council and was selected by her fellow council members on December 16, 2025, to hold the title for 2026.1The California Aggie. Davis City Council Selects New Mayor and Vice Mayor Gloria Partida of District 4 serves as vice mayor. The role is largely ceremonial. Davis uses a council-manager form of government, so day-to-day executive authority sits with the city manager, not the mayor.
How Davis Chooses Its Mayor
There is no separate citywide election for mayor in Davis. Each year the five-member City Council picks one of its own to serve as mayor and another as vice mayor, as state law requires cities organized this way to do.2Justia Law. California Code GOV 36801-36815 The selection happens at a reorganization meeting, usually in December, and the vice mayor traditionally rotates into the top seat the following year.
The term is one year. Neville’s underlying council term runs through 2028, but the mayoral title will pass to another member at the next reorganization.3City of Davis, CA. City of Davis City Council Bapu Vaitla held the position in 2025, and Josh Chapman held it in 2024.4City of Davis, CA. Email the City Council The person wearing the mayor’s title keeps representing their district the entire time.
What the Mayor Does
The mayor’s main job is to preside over City Council meetings. Davis city code describes the position as chair of council sessions and official head of the city for ceremonial purposes.5eCode360. City of Davis Code 2.02 – Mayor That covers running meetings, representing Davis at events, and standing in for the city when dealing with other governments.
The mayor does not hire or fire city staff, does not manage the budget, and does not direct city departments. On the council itself, the mayor’s vote counts the same as any other member’s: one of five. If the mayor is absent or unable to serve, the vice mayor steps in with full authority to act in the role.2Justia Law. California Code GOV 36801-36815
Who Runs City Operations
The executive power most people associate with a “mayor” belongs to the city manager in Davis. Daryel Dunston has held that job since September 15, 2025, after a council appointment.6City of Davis, CA. Davis City Council Selects Daryel Dunston as City Manager As chief executive officer of the city, the manager directs all city departments, implements council policy, and oversees general municipal operations.7City of Davis, CA. City Manager’s Office
The city manager also enforces ordinances, appoints city officers, manages the budget, and acts as the city’s purchasing agent.1The California Aggie. Davis City Council Selects New Mayor and Vice Mayor The council hires and can fire that person, but staffing, contracts, and daily decisions move through the manager’s office rather than the mayor’s.
Can a Davis Mayor Be Recalled?
Because the mayor is a council member first, removing someone from the mayoral role means recalling them from their council seat. California’s recall process requires signatures from a share of registered voters in the official’s electoral jurisdiction, scaled to the size of the voter pool:
- Under 1,000 registered voters: 30%
- 1,000 to 9,999: 25%
- 10,000 to 49,999: 20%
- 50,000 to 99,999: 15%
- 100,000 or more: 10%
A recall cannot start during the first 90 days of a term, within six months after a recall election the official already survived, or when fewer than six months remain in the term.8California Secretary of State. Procedures for Recalling State and Local Officials Petitions are filed with the city clerk. Even a successful recall only removes the person from their council seat; the mayoral title itself simply passes to another council member at the next selection.