Sacramento, CA (May 25, 2023) - Mayor Darrell Steinberg announced Thursday that he would not seek a third term in 2024, saying his decision was a personal one and he would continue to give his full energy to the mayor’s job for his remaining year and a half in office.

“There’s a season for everything in life, and it’s time for me to think about the next chapter and the many great things there are to do,” Mayor Steinberg said. “I love the city, and I will always serve. Despite the unprecedented challenges of the past few years, I think we have helped position the city for great days and years ahead.”

*Surrounded by his Council colleagues and City charter officers, Mayor Steinberg announces he will not run for a third term*

Mayor Steinberg’s distinguished political career began on the Sacramento City Council and included service in the California State Assembly and as leader of the California State Senate before he returned to City Hall in 2016 as mayor. His accomplishments (see attached list) include landing major economic development projects such as the UC Davis Aggie Square innovation campus, passing the Measure U sales tax to provide greater city investment in community, and greatly increasing the City’s response to the homelessness crisis and affordable housing shortage.

*Mayor Steinberg speaks with Hope Cooperative staff at the Auburn Blvd. Outreach and Engagement Center - a key resource for DCR.*

Mayor Steinberg steered the City through the Covid-19 pandemic and mass protests following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. He successfully pushed for police reforms and greater oversight that included the hiring of the city’s first Inspector General to review use of force cases involving officers. Under his leadership, the city created the Department of Community Response as an alternative to handle calls relating to homelessness and mental illness that do not involve commission of a crime. Learn more about Mayor Steinberg’s accomplishments here.

“Sometimes cities elect the right leader for the right time; Mayor Steinberg has been that leader for Sacramento,” said City Manager Howard Chan. “For the past six-plus years, he has used his unique skill set and relentless compassion to guide our city through events both challenging and historic. When the City needed more funding for public safety and community services, it was the Mayor who had the vision to develop and champion the second Measure U sales tax. When we were faced with a global pandemic, it was the Mayor who developed the financial framework to quickly disperse over $200 million in federal resources to our neighborhoods and businesses.

“I am incredibly grateful for the close partnership we have developed over the years. Together with the Council, we have led the city through unprecedented crises. Truth is, I would not have been able to do my job as city manager without the Mayor’s support and mentorship. If there is one constant with Mayor Steinberg, it is his unwavering commitment to doing right by his city. During his latest tenure at City Hall, he has remained accessible, accountable, authentic and always on the side of Sacramentans. You often will hear constituents refer to the Mayor simply as ‘Darrell.’ That means he is on a first-name basis with people who feel they truly know him and can speak directly and honestly with him. I can’t think of a higher praise -- or better legacy -- for a leader than that.”

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