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Mayor's Office for the Informationally-Challenged

Mayor Wilder , love him or loathe him, has generated plenty of controversy during his mayoral term. There were allegations that he abused his power, usurped authority from council and made decisions about issues that did not fall under his purview.

There are, of course, two sides to every story.

For example, in the comment section of our story about some interesting mayors of the past , a reader left a comment extolling Wilder's Citizen's Request System, which he or she counted as one of the unmitigated successes of his administration. As the mayoral election to pick Wilder's successor approaches, it might behoove everyone to refresh their knowledge about just what a mayor is, what he or she does and to whom he or she is accountable.

What is the mayoralty (ie. Executive, legislative, judicial)?

The office of Mayor is the Executive Branch of the city of Richmond's government.

What does the mayor do? Is it a full-time position?

The Mayor serves a full-time, four-year term overseeing the executive management of the City's departments and agencies.



The Mayor acts as a chief executive officer (CEO) of the city. His or her responsibilities include submitting the annual budget to City Council, selecting a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), issuing regulations and making recommendations on revenue and funding transfer matters.

To be elected Mayor, a candidate must receive a majority of votes in at least five of the city's nine council districts.

The CAO, who reports to the Mayor, is directly responsible for the city's day-to-day municipal operations. The CAO is appointed with the approval of City Council.

The mayor is the head of government for all ceremonial purposes, military law and the service of civil process.

What is the mayor paid?

$125,000 per year.

What qualifications do you need to run for mayor?

To run for office of Mayor, you must be a citizen of Richmond. You must also file a declaration of candidacy a petition containing a minimum of 500 signatures of qualified voters of the city, to include at least 50 qualified voters from each of the nine election districts.

Who does the mayor report to?

The Mayor reports to the citizens of Richmond.

Does the mayor get perks (auto allowance, expense accounts)?

The Mayor receives health benefits and a compensation package as determined by City Council.

What legal powers/limits come with being mayor?

As mentioned, the Mayor submits the budget to City Council, has the right to speak at City Council meetings, must advise the council of the financial condition and the future needs of the city and of all matters pertaining to its proper administration, and make such recommendations. He also performs other duties as may be prescribed by this charter or which may be required of the chief executive officer of a city by the general laws of the Commonwealth, or by ordinances adopted by the council, maintains a veto power, and can issue such regulations as may be necessary in order to implement his or her duties and powers.

How can I contact the mayor?

(804) 646-7970

How is the current mayor's office different than it was in 2005?

Under the old form of government, only someone who was elected to be on City Council could become Mayor (i.e. - he or she was not elected at large by Richmond citizens). Council members then chose one of their own to become Mayor by majority vote. This was more of a ceremonial position, with most administrative authority vested in the City Manager, who was also selected by a simple majority of City Council.

Can you give a brief history of the mayor's office in Richmond?

The Council-City Manager form of government had existed in Richmond since 1948. Before that time, Richmond had a strong mayor form of government more similar to today's form with a directly elected mayor serving as the executive branch and the City Council serving in an advisory legislative role.

Council "approves the budget" but do they also construct the budget? Do they oversee its implementation? Does the mayor have any role in this?

As the city government's executive branch, responsible, therefore, for the day-to-day operations of city government, the Mayor and CAO are responsible for the development and implementation of the budget. Council, which serves in a part-time capacity, examines and approves the budget but does not construct it.

Is there anything else citizens should know about the office?

The City of Richmond is now under the form of government more familiar to most people as it resembles our government at the state and federal level, with one leader (Mayor) elected citywide, with the legislative branch (Council) in an oversight role. Many of the larger cities in America have a similar form of government.