Wanda Williams | |
---|---|
39th Mayor of Harrisburg | |
Assumed office January 3, 2022 | |
Preceded by | Eric Papenfuse |
Personal details | |
Born | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. | July 4, 1953
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Jerome Williams |
Education | Harrisburg Area Community College |
Website | Campaign website |
Wanda R. D. Williams (born 1953) is an American Democratic politician from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, currently serving as 39th Mayor of Harrisburg. Running as a Democrat and President of the Harrisburg City Council, she won the 2021 Harrisburg mayoral election becoming the city's second female and second African-American mayor. [1]
Williams grew up in Harrisburg and attended William Penn High and Harrisburg Area Community College. [2]
Williams started her political career in 1998 as a member of the Harrisburg school board. [3] [2] She served on the Harrisburg City Council since 2006, with her last two terms serving as the council president. [2] During her time in the City Council, she worked to set term limits for Harrisburg mayors. [4] In 2016 she received criticism as she was accused of politicizing the Harrisburg Environmental Advisory Council. [5]
Although she had originally planned to run again for city council, [6] Williams announced her candidacy for mayor of Harrisburg in March 2021, running on a platform of infrastructure improvements, affordable housing, and revitalization. [2] She won the Democratic primary for the 2021 Harrisburg mayoral election in an upset [7] with 28.95% of the vote, leading incumbent mayor Eric Papenfuse's 27.93% by only 56 votes, to become the Democratic nominee. [8] [9] [10] She was seen as the heavy favorite to win in the general election, as the winner of the Harrisburg Democratic primary has gone on to win the mayorship since 1977. [11] [3] [7] [12] She faced a single Republican candidate who is facing criminal charges of child abuse. [13] However, on September 15, Eric Papenfuse announced that he would run a write-in campaign in the November General Election. [14] Despite this, Williams won the general election by more than a 2–1 margin. [15] [16] Williams became the city's second Black and second female mayor. [7] [12] [17] On July 31, 2022 Williams transferred mayoral powers to Police Commissioner Thomas Carter due to a medical procedure; Carter served as acting mayor until August 16, 2022. [18]
Williams lost a granddaughter to gun violence in 2013 as a bystander at a shooting. [3]
Wanda Williams | |
---|---|
39th Mayor of Harrisburg | |
Assumed office January 3, 2022 | |
Preceded by | Eric Papenfuse |
Personal details | |
Born | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. | July 4, 1953
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Jerome Williams |
Education | Harrisburg Area Community College |
Website | Campaign website |
Wanda R. D. Williams (born 1953) is an American Democratic politician from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, currently serving as 39th Mayor of Harrisburg. Running as a Democrat and President of the Harrisburg City Council, she won the 2021 Harrisburg mayoral election becoming the city's second female and second African-American mayor. [1]
Williams grew up in Harrisburg and attended William Penn High and Harrisburg Area Community College. [2]
Williams started her political career in 1998 as a member of the Harrisburg school board. [3] [2] She served on the Harrisburg City Council since 2006, with her last two terms serving as the council president. [2] During her time in the City Council, she worked to set term limits for Harrisburg mayors. [4] In 2016 she received criticism as she was accused of politicizing the Harrisburg Environmental Advisory Council. [5]
Although she had originally planned to run again for city council, [6] Williams announced her candidacy for mayor of Harrisburg in March 2021, running on a platform of infrastructure improvements, affordable housing, and revitalization. [2] She won the Democratic primary for the 2021 Harrisburg mayoral election in an upset [7] with 28.95% of the vote, leading incumbent mayor Eric Papenfuse's 27.93% by only 56 votes, to become the Democratic nominee. [8] [9] [10] She was seen as the heavy favorite to win in the general election, as the winner of the Harrisburg Democratic primary has gone on to win the mayorship since 1977. [11] [3] [7] [12] She faced a single Republican candidate who is facing criminal charges of child abuse. [13] However, on September 15, Eric Papenfuse announced that he would run a write-in campaign in the November General Election. [14] Despite this, Williams won the general election by more than a 2–1 margin. [15] [16] Williams became the city's second Black and second female mayor. [7] [12] [17] On July 31, 2022 Williams transferred mayoral powers to Police Commissioner Thomas Carter due to a medical procedure; Carter served as acting mayor until August 16, 2022. [18]
Williams lost a granddaughter to gun violence in 2013 as a bystander at a shooting. [3]