On November 3, voters in eleven cities will choose mayors who decide how fast homes get permitted, what police can do with camera data, and how much a shopping trip costs in sales tax. Few of these races will make national headlines. But for any company with stores, projects or customers in these markets, City Hall is where the rules that shape day-to-day operations get written.
At Civint, we track these races because mayors set local tax rates, run the permitting systems that decide how quickly projects move, direct police departments, and choose which technologies their cities use. Voters will also decide billions of dollars in transportation funding. Here are six things we are watching before Election Day.
1. License plate cameras are on the ballot in all but name
At least 277 local governments have canceled or declined to renew license plate reader contracts since the start of 2025, according to an Institute for Justice tracker (as of October 16). Most were contracts with Flock Safety, and many cited concerns that the data could be searched by federal immigration agencies. Flock says it has tightened sharing controls and ended its federal pilot programs.
That debate has now reached the mayoral races:
| City | Where things stand |
|---|---|
| Providence, RI | Democratic nominee David Morales would cancel the city’s Flock contract; the council is weighing an ordinance to end city use of plate readers. |
| Reno, NV | The city will let its contract lapse in March. Both candidates have criticized Flock. |
| St. Petersburg, FL | Challenger Charlie Crist wants a moratorium; Mayor Ken Welch defends the program. |
| Los Angeles, CA | The Police Commission paused deployment in July pending oversight and public input. |
| Lexington, KY | Mayor Linda Gorton created an independent review panel in September. |
Florida has also ordered plate readers off state roads. For businesses, the stakes go beyond police policy: city rules on who can access camera data increasingly shape how privately owned cameras, like those in retail parking lots, are used in investigations.
2. Housing supply and permitting are front and center
Candidates are making specific promises to speed up building:
- Los Angeles: Councilmember Nithya Raman would require the city to respond within 60 days to zoning-compliant housing applications.
- Reno: Councilmember Kathleen Taylor promises to clear the city’s permit backlog.
- Lexington: The city finalized a new process in February for expanding its urban growth boundary, and housing affordability is central to the race.
- Washington, D.C.: Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, the likely next mayor, has promised to stabilize rents. Developers warn tighter rent rules could slow new supply.
Faster permitting means more construction and renovation, which matters to builders, suppliers and the retailers who serve them.
3. Leadership turnover is coming to key markets
Five cities will seat new mayors no matter who wins: Washington, D.C., North Las Vegas, Providence, Reno and Tallahassee. Elsewhere, incumbents are making their case for another term.
| City | Candidates | Seat |
|---|---|---|
| Anaheim, CA | Mayor Ashleigh Aitken, Imran Sharief, Alfredo Rodriguez | Incumbent seeking re-election |
| Los Angeles, CA | Mayor Karen Bass, Nithya Raman | Incumbent seeking re-election |
| Oakland, CA | Mayor Barbara Lee, Julius Robinson, Brenda Grisham, Mindy Pechenuk | Incumbent seeking first full term |
| Washington, DC | Janeese Lewis George (D), Robert Gross (Statehood Green) | Open seat |
| St. Petersburg, FL | Mayor Ken Welch, Charlie Crist | Incumbent seeking re-election; runoff |
| Tallahassee, FL | Jeremy Matlow, Loranne Ausley | Open seat; runoff |
| Lexington, KY | Mayor Linda Gorton, Raquel Carter | Incumbent seeking re-election |
| Louisville, KY | Mayor Craig Greenberg, Shameka Parrish-Wright | Incumbent seeking re-election |
| North Las Vegas, NV | Daniele Monroe-Moreno, Scott Black | Open seat |
| Reno, NV | Kate Marshall, Kathleen Taylor | Open seat |
| Providence, RI | David Morales (D), Dave Talan (R) | Incumbent lost primary |
In Providence, David Morales defeated Mayor Brett Smiley in the September primary, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors has since moved its 2027 annual meeting from Providence to Atlanta. Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson was re-elected in June.
4. Progressive mayors will look closely at business
Progressive candidates are competitive in several major cities this year, including Washington, D.C., Providence and Los Angeles. Expect new and returning administrations to focus on wages, worker scheduling, tenant protections, business incentives and data privacy. Companies that build relationships with mayors and their teams early will be better placed to shape those policies than those that wait.
5. Costs and theft remain top concerns for retail
Los Angeles voters will decide Measure FD, which would raise the city’s sales tax by half a cent to 10.75%. Reno-area businesses report rising retail theft, and Providence’s likely next mayor wants to shift more of the property tax burden onto large property owners. Each of these changes the cost of doing business in that market.
6. Transit and road funding faces a big test
At least eight transportation sales and parcel taxes are on November ballots. Together they will show whether voters are willing to rescue transit systems still recovering from the pandemic, at a time when affordability is a top concern.
| Jurisdiction | Measure | Type | What it raises |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Area, CA (5 counties) | Prop RTM: 0.5% sales tax (1% in San Francisco), 14 years | New tax | ~$1B/yr for BART, Muni, AC Transit, Caltrain |
| Riverside County, CA | Measure A: half-cent sales tax renewal | Extension | ~$280M/yr; no rate increase |
| San Francisco, CA | Stronger Muni parcel tax, 15 years | New tax | ~$160M/yr; most single-family homes pay $129 |
| Front Range, CO (30 cities) | Colorado Connector passenger rail: 0.333% sales tax | New tax | ~$295M/yr for Fort Collins–Denver–Pueblo rail |
| Cobb County, GA | 2028 SPLOST: 1% sales tax, 6 years | Renewal | ~$1.15B, incl. $309.2M for transportation |
| Fulton County, GA (outside Atlanta) | TSPLOST: 0.75% sales tax, 5 years | Renewal | ~$650M across 14 cities |
| Charleston County, SC | Transportation sales tax: half-cent, up to 25 years | Extension | $4.25B for roads, transit and greenbelts |
| Seattle, WA | Seattle Transit Measure: 0.3% sales tax, 10 years | Renewal + increase | ~$138M/yr; doubles the expiring tax |
Three to watch most closely:
- Bay Area: Prop RTM needs only a simple majority, but business and taxpayer groups argue it worsens affordability. A loss would mean deep service cuts.
- Charleston County: The 2024 version failed with more than 60% opposed. This one is a test of whether a reworked package can win voters back.
- Cobb County: Voters rejected a 30-year transit tax in 2024. This narrower package is the comeback test.
For retailers, many of these measures are sales taxes, so they change the price customers pay at the register. For contractors, logistics companies and developers, they fund the road and rail projects that move goods and shape where growth happens.
Pierce Transit (Tacoma, WA) and Athens-Clarke County, GA are also asking voters for transportation funding.
What comes next
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| November 3 | Election Day, including runoffs in St. Petersburg and Tallahassee and L.A.’s Measure FD |
| November 18–21 | National League of Cities City Summit in Nashville, the first national gathering with newly elected officials |
| January 2027 | New administrations take office in most of these cities |
| Summer 2027 | U.S. Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting, now in Atlanta |
The weeks between the election and inauguration are when new mayors pick their teams and set priorities. That is the best time to introduce your organization and the issues that matter to you.
Civint helps companies and organizations navigate City Hall, from understanding what a new administration means for your business to building relationships with the mayors and staff who will shape it. To talk about what these races mean for you, contact us at civint.com.
Sources
- Institute for Justice: License plate reader cancelation database
- Race results and polling: Berkeley IGS / Los Angeles Times; WUSF; WFSU; Kentucky Lantern; The Nevada Independent; Rhode Island Current; city clerk and election offices.
