Who is the mayor of Detroit? Mary Sheffield is the mayor of Detroit. She was sworn in on Jan. 1, 2026, as the city’s 76th mayor and the first woman to hold the job, after winning the November 2025 election with about 77% of the vote. She replaced Mike Duggan, who led the city for 12 years.
Below, you’ll find how she won, who she is, what the mayor of Detroit actually controls, what the job pays and what Sheffield has done in her first 10 months.
Last updated: Oct. 25, 2026. Facts checked against the City of Detroit’s official Mayor’s Office page, Michigan Public, BridgeDetroit and official election results.
Jump to: At a glance · 2025 election results · Who is Mary Sheffield? · What the mayor does · Priorities · Salary · FAQ
Detroit’s mayor at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Current mayor | Mary Sheffield |
| In office since | Jan. 1, 2026 |
| Number | 76th mayor of Detroit; first woman in the office |
| Previous mayor | Mike Duggan (Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 31, 2025) |
| How elected | Nonpartisan ballot; four-year term |
| 2025 result | Sheffield 77.0%, Solomon Kinloch Jr. 22.5% |
| Next mayoral election | 2029 (regular four-year cycle) |
| Office | Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, downtown Detroit |
How Mary Sheffield became mayor: 2025 election results
The 2025 race was Detroit’s first open mayoral contest in 12 years. Duggan was eligible for a fourth term but chose not to run, and instead launched an independent campaign for governor. (He suspended that campaign on May 21, 2026.)
Who ran for mayor of Detroit in 2025?
Sheffield, then president of the Detroit City Council, led a crowded field in the Aug. 5, 2025, primary with 50.7% of the vote. Solomon Kinloch Jr., senior pastor of Triumph Church, finished second with 17.3% and joined her on the November ballot. Former City Council President Saunteel Jenkins was third, and former Detroit police chief James Craig drew about 5%.
Final results: Sheffield vs. Kinloch
| Nov. 4, 2025, general election | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mary Sheffield | 88,229 | 77.02% |
| Solomon Kinloch Jr. | 25,725 | 22.46% |
| Write-ins | 601 | 0.52% |
| Total | 114,555 |
City Clerk Janice Winfrey gave Sheffield the oath of office in a small family ceremony at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center on New Year’s Day. She spent her first day visiting police and fire stations and serving meals at the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Michigan Public reported.
Who is Mary Sheffield?
Sheffield was born in Detroit in 1987 and grew up on the city’s west side. Her father, the Rev. Horace Sheffield III, is a longtime civil rights activist and pastor. She earned a bachelor’s degree in public affairs from Wayne State University and a master’s in public administration from Central Michigan University.
Her City Council career is the core of her resume:
- 2013: Elected to represent District 5 at age 26, the youngest person ever elected to the council.
- 2014 to 2025: Served three terms on council, pushing affordable housing, tenants’ rights, property tax reform and neighborhood development, and questioning large tax breaks for developers. The city lists Inclusionary Housing, Property Tax Reform and the Right to Counsel initiative among her council legislation.
- 2022 to 2025: Council president, also the youngest to hold that post.
That record matters for readers trying to predict her decisions: her mayoral agenda grew directly out of the housing and cost-of-living fights she led on council.
What does the mayor of Detroit do?
Detroit uses a strong-mayor system. The mayor runs the executive branch day to day, while the nine-member City Council acts as the legislature. In practice, that splits power like this:
- The mayor appoints the directors of city departments, prepares and proposes the annual budget, signs executive orders and sets priorities for services such as transit, recreation, housing and blight.
- The City Council adopts the budget, approves ordinances and large contracts, and confirms some appointments.
- The Board of Police Commissioners oversees the police department. Seven of its 11 members are elected; the mayor appoints the other four.
- The City Clerk, elected separately, runs elections and keeps city records.
Mayors serve four-year terms on a nonpartisan ballot, with elections held the year after each presidential race (2025, 2029 and so on). Detroit has no mayoral term limit, which is why Duggan could have sought a fourth term. Coleman Young holds the record with five terms, from 1974 to 1994.
Public safety is one of the most-watched parts of the job. For the numbers behind that debate, see our look at what the latest Detroit crime data shows.
Mayor Sheffield’s priorities and first-year actions
Sheffield ran on lowering the cost of living, expanding homeownership, investing in families and improving basic city services. The City of Detroit used those same four themes to frame her first State of the City address on March 31, 2026, at Mumford High School. Here is what has happened so far:
- Living wage for city workers (March 9): An executive order set a $21.45-an-hour livable-wage threshold for full-time city employees. Her office estimated up to 900 workers could be affected and set aside $7.9 million for the raises.
- First budget (proposed March 9, adopted April 7): A budget of more than $3 billion for the fiscal year that began July 1. Her proposal included a $30 million increase for the Detroit Department of Transportation, with bus driver pay raised to $25 an hour, a new Department of Human, Homeless and Family Services, late-night recreation center hours and a 1-mill property tax cut (about $50 a year on a $100,000 home).
- Property tax relief: In the State of the City, she proposed cutting property taxes by 30% to 60% once fully phased in. That plan depends on funding and on approval beyond the mayor’s office, so treat it as a goal, not a done deal.
- Population growth: A program with Dan Gilbert and the MoveDetroit Coalition will offer 313 Detroiters up to $15,000 toward buying a home or starting a business, plus $1,000 in relocation help.
- Youth and transit: “Ride to Rise” lets students under 19 ride city buses free with a valid student ID. On Oct. 23, she began a “State of the Youth” tour of 24 Detroit schools.
How to follow the mayor’s decisions
- Check the official page. The Mayor’s Office page on detroitmi.gov carries her bio and city announcements.
- Watch major addresses. The city airs big speeches such as the State of the City on Comcast Channel 10 and AT&T Channel 99 in Detroit, and streams them on its YouTube, Facebook, X and Instagram accounts.
- Track the budget each spring. The mayor proposes the budget and City Council adopts it. In 2026, that ran from the March 9 proposal to the April 7 vote, ahead of the July 1 fiscal year.
- Mark the next election. Detroit’s next regular mayoral election is in 2029.
New to the city’s basics? Our Detroit at a glance guide covers population, county and area codes.
How much does the mayor of Detroit make?
Sheffield’s starting salary was $224,573 a year as of January 2026, according to Axios Detroit, citing BridgeDetroit. That puts Detroit’s mayor slightly ahead of Chicago’s ($221,052) but behind Boston’s ($250,000) and New York’s ($258,750).
The mayor does not set her own pay. Detroit’s Elected Officials Compensation Commission recommends salaries for the mayor, clerk and council, and the council then votes. The current level traces to a 2023 decision that gave an immediate 7% raise followed by three annual 3.5% increases.
Frequently asked questions about Detroit’s mayor
Who was mayor of Detroit before Mary Sheffield?
Mike Duggan served from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 31, 2025. He took office shortly after the city’s 2013 bankruptcy filing and served three terms. Before him, Dave Bing was mayor.
Has Detroit ever had a woman mayor before?
No. Sheffield is the first woman to serve as Detroit’s mayor. She became the 76th person to hold the office.
Is the Detroit mayor on the ballot on Nov. 3, 2026?
No. The Nov. 3 general election covers state and federal races, such as governor and U.S. Senate. Detroit’s next regular mayoral election is in 2029.
Who was Detroit’s first mayor?
Solomon Sibley was the first mayor under the 1806 charter, a largely ceremonial post. John R. Williams was the first mayor elected under the 1824 charter. For the city’s earlier origins, read who founded Detroit in 1701.
How do I contact the mayor’s office?
The Mayor’s Office is in the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center downtown. Current phone numbers, email forms and staff listings are on the Mayor’s Office page at detroitmi.gov.
Bottom line: Detroit’s mayor in 2026
Mary Sheffield is Detroit’s mayor, and her current term runs through 2029. Her first year has focused on wages, housing costs, transit and young people, with her biggest promise, deep property tax cuts, still ahead. We will update this page as her budget and tax plans move forward.
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