The mayor of Denton, TX is Gerard Hudspeth, who is serving his third and final two-year term after first winning the office in 2020.1City of Denton. City of Denton Staff Directory – Gerard Hudspeth His time in office is ending. The May 2026 general election produced no outright winner, and a runoff between former Mayor Chris Watts and council member Brian Beck is set for June 13, 2026.2City of Denton. Elections
Gerard Hudspeth and the 2026 Runoff
Hudspeth reached the mayor’s office through local government work. He represented District 1 on the city council, was selected as Mayor Pro Tem by his colleagues in 2019, won the mayoral seat in 2020, and was re-elected in 2022 and 2024.1City of Denton. City of Denton Staff Directory – Gerard Hudspeth His professional background is in sales and business development.
Because Denton limits the mayor to three consecutive terms, Hudspeth cannot run again this cycle. The May 2026 ballot drew multiple candidates for the Place 7 (Mayor) seat, and no one cleared the 50-percent threshold needed to win outright. That sent the top two finishers, Chris Watts and Brian Beck, into the June 13 runoff.2City of Denton. Elections
Watts has held the office before, serving as Denton’s mayor from 2014 through 2020 and later holding an at-large council seat from 2022 to 2024. He is a licensed attorney whose practice focuses on real estate and consumer law. Beck is a university biologist and educator who has served on the city council and the Planning and Zoning Commission. The winner takes the oath of office at the next regular council meeting after results are canvassed and certified.
What the Mayor Can and Cannot Do
Denton runs on a council-manager form of government, sometimes called a weak-mayor system. The city manager handles day-to-day operations and carries out council directives. The mayor’s authority is focused on the council chamber: presiding over meetings and keeping proceedings in order.
The mayor has no veto. The mayor votes on every item that comes before the council, but that vote carries the same weight as any other member’s. It is a first-among-equals role rather than a chief executive position.
Outside the chamber, the mayor is the city’s ceremonial leader. That includes signing ordinances, resolutions, and contracts the council has approved, representing Denton in dealings with other governments and agencies, and declaring a local state of emergency when circumstances require it.
Term Length and How the Office Is Filled
Denton holds mayoral elections on the uniform election date in May of even-numbered years, and the mayor serves a two-year term.3Denton, TX Code of Ordinances. Denton Code of Ordinances – Charter, Article III, Section 3.01 If no candidate wins a majority, the top two finishers advance to a runoff, as happened in 2026.2City of Denton. Elections The city caps the mayor at three consecutive terms, or six straight years, after which a former mayor must sit out before running again.
Candidates must be at least 18 on the first day of the term, be registered voters of the city at the time of filing, and have lived within Denton’s corporate limits for at least 12 months before filing, continuing to live there throughout the term. Because the mayor runs citywide rather than from a district, a candidate can live anywhere inside Denton’s city limits.2City of Denton. Elections
How to Contact the Mayor or Speak at Council
The mayor’s office is at Denton City Hall, 215 East McKinney Street. The city’s website lists an email address for formal correspondence.
The most direct way to be heard in public is at a city council meeting. To speak on a regular or consent agenda item, you need to be present at the meeting and submit a speaker card to the city secretary before the item is called. You can also register to comment by phone through the city’s public meetings webpage by noon on the day of the meeting. Each speaker gets up to four minutes on agenda items and four minutes for general comments on topics not on the agenda.4City of Denton. City Council on 2024-07-23 – Special Called, Registration Guidelines for Addressing the City Council Meetings are livestreamed, and written comments can be submitted through the city’s online portal.