Williams officially named mayor
The Phoenix City Council has selected Councilwoman Thelda Williams to serve as mayor following former Mayor Greg Stanton’s May departure to run for Congress.
Williams will hold the position until voters elect a new mayor. The mayoral election is scheduled for Nov. 6, but could require a March runoff election if no candidate receives a majority of votes.
Williams will continue to represent her north Phoenix council district as well.
Williams is no stranger to the center seat on the dais. This will be her third time serving as mayor. She served as interim mayor for about seven months following Paul Johnson’s resignation in 1994. She then served for three days in 2012 when Phil Gordon stepped down early.
Williams was vice mayor prior to Stanton’s resignation, so she automatically assumed a temporary mayoral post upon his departure. But the council was required to vote on a long-term
replacement.
During a special meeting Monday, the council unanimously voted to keep Williams in the position. Surrounded by her children and grandson, she took the oath of office in the council chambers, which was filled with prominent attorneys, former city politicos and other local dignitaries.
Following her swearing in, Williams thanked her colleagues for the honor and spelled out her priorities in four succinct sentences.
“I’m a very simple person. I just want the city to move forward. I want us to be as nonpartisan as possible. I want to focus on public safety, making sure we have paved roads and we have a safe and available water supply,” she said.
Councilman Jim Waring was selected to serve as Williams’ vice mayor.