The office
What the mayor does
The Mayor of Kansas City is the city’s top elected official and serves a four-year term. Kansas City uses a council–manager form of government: the mayor sits on and presides over the City Council, which sets policy and adopts the budget, while a professional city manager runs day-to-day operations.
The mayor is one voice on the Council but a uniquely visible one — setting the agenda, building coalitions to pass ordinances, representing Kansas City to the state and federal government and to businesses considering the region, and helping steer big-picture decisions on public safety, housing, infrastructure, and the city budget. The mayor does not single-handedly write laws or spend money; that work runs through the Council and the city manager.