2025 Boston mayoral election explained

The 2025 Boston mayoral election will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, to elect the mayor of Boston, Massachusetts. Incumbent mayor Michelle Wu will be eligible to seek a second term.

If more than two candidates qualify for the ballot, a non-partisan preliminary election will be held on September 23 to narrow the ballot to two candidates. This will followed by the general election on November 4.

Candidates

Declared

• Jorge Mendoza-Iturralde, restaurateur (independent)^[1]
• Michelle Wu, incumbent mayor^[2]

Potential

• Ed Flynn, city councilor from the 2nd district and former president of the Boston City Council^[3]
• Linda Dorcena Forry, former state senator
• Althea Garrison, former at-large city councilor, former state representative, and perennial candidate
• William G. Gross, former commissioner of the Boston Police Department^[4]
• Josh Kraft, nonprofit executive and son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft^{[5] [6]}
• Julia Mejia, at-large city councilor^[7]
• Erin Murphy, at-large city councilor
• Jim Rooney, chair of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce^[8]
• Marty Walsh, former mayor and former U.S. Secretary of Labor^[8]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Spatz . Emily . North End restaurant owner, Wu critic plans to run for Boston mayor . Boston.com . 31 May 2024 . May 29, 2024.
2. Web site: O’Keefe . Ross . Boston Mayor Michelle Wu confirms she’s running for reelection in 2025 . 18 November 2024.
3. Web site: Cawley . Gayla . Rumored Boston Mayoral Candidates Remain Mum on Plans to Challenge Michelle Wu in 2025 . Boston Herald . 9 October 2024 . 9 September 2024.
4. Web site: Kashinsky . Lisa . Garrity . Kelly . Why the Wu train is still at the station . . 7 June 2024 . June 7, 2024.
5. Web site: Dumcius . Gintautas . Short takes: Wu, Kraft appearance creates some buzz . CommonWealth Beacon . 31 January 2024 . 15 December 2023.
6. Web site: Jonas . Gintautas Dumcius, Jennifer Smith, Bruce Mohl, Michael . Short takes: Josh Kraft for mayor? . CommonWealth Beacon . 31 January 2024 . 1 December 2023.
7. Web site: Boston's next mayoral race is two years off. Who are Mayor Wu's prospective challengers? . youtube.com . GHB News . July 28, 2023 . en.
8. Web site: Leung . Shirley . From Kraft to Rooney to Flynn, business leaders look to recruit ‘anybody-but-Wu’ for mayor - The Boston Globe . The Boston Globe . 14 June 2024 . May 28, 2024.