The mayor of Gilbert, AZ is Scott Anderson, who took office on January 7, 2025, after winning roughly 57 percent of the vote in the July 2024 nonpartisan primary. He presides over the Gilbert Town Council, votes as a full member on every matter before it, and represents the town publicly, while an appointed town manager runs day-to-day operations for a community of about 287,285 residents.
Who Scott Anderson Is
Anderson’s history with Gilbert goes back decades. He joined the town as a staff member in 1988 and spent more than twenty years as a public employee, including twelve years as planning director. In that role he oversaw two General Plans, wrote the first Redevelopment Plan for the Heritage District, and created the Riparian Preserves, a 110-acre water recharge project built around ponds and walking trails. He retired from town employment in 2013.
He first won a Town Council seat in 2016 and served two terms. In 2020 he was interim mayor for roughly five months after then-Councilmember Brigette Peterson stepped down from her council seat to run for mayor. Peterson won that race and served as mayor from January 2021 through January 2025.1Gilbert, Arizona. Official Election Results Name Brigette Peterson as Gilbert’s Next Mayor She chose not to seek reelection in 2024,2KTAR News. Gilbert Mayor Says She Is Not Seeking Reelection in Wake of Youth Violence Controversy and Anderson ran on a platform centered on small-business support, infrastructure as Gilbert approaches buildout, and public safety.
What the Mayor Does
The mayor presides over all Town Council meetings, keeping proceedings on track and steering discussion. Gilbert’s mayor is not a ceremonial figure. The mayor votes on every item that comes before the council and carries the same weight as any of the six council members. The mayor also signs contracts, proclamations, and other official documents the council has approved, and delivers an annual state-of-the-community address.
Outside the chambers, the mayor is Gilbert’s public face at regional meetings, intergovernmental discussions, and ceremonial events. The job is about setting policy direction and representing the community, not managing departments or budgets.
How the Mayor Fits Into Gilbert’s Government
Gilbert uses a council-manager form of government, which separates elected policymaking from professional administration.3Gilbert, Arizona. Manager’s Office Leadership The elected governing body is the seven-member Town Council: the mayor plus six council members, all elected at-large rather than from districts.4Gilbert, Arizona. Elections
The appointed town manager handles operations: hiring department heads, directing police and public works, and running the budget. If a resident wants to know where Gilbert is headed on a policy question, that’s the mayor. If they want to know why a pothole hasn’t been filled, that’s the town manager’s side of the house.
How Someone Becomes Mayor of Gilbert
Arizona law sets the baseline eligibility for municipal office. Under Arizona Revised Statutes 9-232, a mayoral candidate must be at least 18 at the time of the election, a registered voter in the town, and a resident within town limits for at least one year before the election.5Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 9-232 – Council; Qualifications of Members; Oath; Selection of Mayor; Vacancy If an area was annexed into Gilbert less than a year before the election, a resident of that area still qualifies as long as they lived there for the full prior year. Candidates must also file nomination papers and gather signatures from registered Gilbert voters during the filing period.
Gilbert elections are nonpartisan, so no party label appears on the ballot, and the mayor and all six council members serve four-year terms at-large. Gilbert does not impose term limits. If a candidate wins a majority in the summer primary, the November general election for that seat is canceled and the primary winner takes office. That’s what happened to Anderson in 2024.4Gilbert, Arizona. Elections
Mid-Term Vacancies and Recall
If the mayor’s seat becomes vacant mid-term, the remaining council members fill it by appointment. When the vacancy opens more than 30 days before the nomination petition deadline for the next regular council election, the appointee serves only until that election. If it opens closer to or after the deadline, the appointee serves out the rest of the unexpired term.6Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 9-235 – Vacancies in Council
Arizona voters can also recall any elected official, including a town mayor. A recall petition cannot be filed until the official has served at least six months of their first term, and petitioners must collect signatures equal to 25 percent of all votes cast in the last election for that office to force a recall election. Arizona does not require a specific allegation of wrongdoing to launch a recall.7Arizona Secretary of State. Recall