How many terms can a mayor serve?

The number of terms a mayor can serve depends on the particular laws of the mayor's city. According to the National League of Cities, only 9 percent of cities limit a mayor's terms in office, and of that 9 percent, 55 percent of cities have a two-term limit, 30 percent allow three terms and 9 percent permit four terms.

The same study states that 14 percent of city mayors serve a one-year term, 35 percent serve a two-year term, 6 percent serve a three-year term, 45 serve a four-year term and 1 percent serve a five-year term. The term limits of mayors can, of course, change; in New York City, for example, mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a law allowing mayors to serve three terms instead of two.