City Council and Mayor Campaign Websites

A city council race is often decided street by street. The broken sidewalk outside the elementary school. The empty storefronts on Main Street. The new apartment complex nobody was asked about. The permit that took a small bakery eight months. Voters care about the city budget, but they vote on what they see on their way to work.

Mayoral candidates carry the whole city, and voters expect a wider view. Either way, your site should show you know the ground.

Lead with neighborhoods

Name places. "Improve infrastructure" is forgettable. "Fix the drainage on Elm and 4th that floods every heavy rain" tells a voter you have walked there. If you are running for a ward seat, a short section on each neighborhood in the ward, with one or two specific concerns, makes your site feel local in a way a generic platform never will.

Pages that matter most

Ward map and "am I in your ward?"

Many voters do not know which ward or district they live in, especially after redistricting. Show a simple description of your ward's boundaries and link to the city's official map or address lookup. It saves you a lot of doors where the answer is "Oh, I don't live in your ward."

Issue pages on the things people see

Common city topics include:

Streets, sidewalks, drainage and lighting
Downtown and small business: vacant storefronts, parking, events
Permits and code enforcement: how long things take and how fair it feels
Housing and new development
Police, fire and response times
Parks and recreation

Pick three for a council race, or a few more for mayor. A mayoral site should also say how you would work with the council and city staff, since voters know a mayor cannot do much alone. Our guide to writing issue pages shows how to keep each one short and specific.

Downtown and small business

Downtown is often the city's front porch, and business owners are some of the most engaged voters you will meet. If you have run a business, dealt with the permit office or served on a Main Street board, say so. A short page on how you would make it easier to open and keep a business in town can earn endorsements.

Permits and city services

If residents complain that it takes months to get a fence permit or a building inspection, say what you would change: clearer checklists online, posted timelines, a single contact for small projects. Practical fixes like these are easy for voters to picture.

Events calendar

City campaigns move through porch meetings, neighborhood association nights and candidate forums. A clear events calendar helps supporters find you and shows undecided voters you are out talking to people.

Which package usually fits

For ward or district council seats, Launch ($399 setup + $29/mo) or Campaign ($799 setup + $39/mo) is usually enough. Campaign adds a written bio, three issue pages from a 30-minute interview, endorsements, an events calendar and a voter-deadline page.

For mayor, especially in a contested race, Full Season ($1,499 setup + $59/mo) is often the better fit. Monthly updates through Election Day keep the site current with new positions, forums and endorsements, and a matching Facebook header and graphics keep your look consistent. Extra issue pages are $75 each.

Compare everything on the packages page, or see a sample on the demo.

City race site checklist

Your ward or district named on the homepage, with a link to the official map
Specific streets, blocks and places in your issue pages
A downtown or small business page if it matters in your city
Events calendar with forums and neighborhood meetings
Volunteer and yard sign signup (see our signup guide)
Donate link and paid-for-by disclaimer on every page (confirm wording with your state ethics or elections office)

Ready to build? Start your city campaign site.

Common questions

Should my site include a ward map?

If you are running for a ward or district seat, yes. Many voters are not sure which ward they live in. Link to the city's official ward map or lookup tool so they can check.

What package do mayoral candidates usually choose?

Mayoral races in larger towns usually call for Campaign or Full Season, because voters expect positions on several citywide issues. Small-town mayors and ward council candidates often do well with Launch or Campaign.

Can I add a page in Spanish?

Yes. A full Spanish version of your site is a $200 add-on, and individual pages can be translated as part of it.