Oct. 6, 2026 10:15
From Racine Mayor Cory Mason
Today, Racine Mayor Cory Mason announced that he will not seek re-election in April of 2027.
“Twenty years ago today, on November 7, 2006, this community first elected me to the state Assembly. I went on to win eight more elections; five as a state Representative and three as Mayor. It has been the honor of my professional life to represent the Racine community. After 20 years, with humility and gratitude, I believe now is the time to pass the torch of leadership on to the next generation,” said Mayor Mason.
Mason was first elected in a special election in 2017 after the previous Mayor resigned mid-term. He then won two full terms as Mayor and has served in this role for almost a decade.
Mayor Mason continued, “As I reflect on my tenure, I have been so pleased to have had the chance to work with the community on so many positive things and I am so proud of what we have accomplished together. Some highlights include:
- Constructed the new Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, bringing a much-needed health clinic to thousands of Racine residents
- Built the Lincoln King housing development, which will add 40 homeowners at affordable prices
- Created the Youth Employment Program, which created paid internships for hundreds of City youth within City departments, including through the police and fire cadet program
- Established the Racine Works Program, which has enrolled almost 400 city residents into construction trades jobs and set aside 20% of work hours on publicly funded projects for city residents
- Secured more than $300 million of investments in housing and development, including Belle City Square, the Breakwater, Hotel Verdant, Ajax, Gold Medal Lofts, and other projects
- Created the TID home repair program which has given out more than 2100 $10,000 grants city residents to repair their homes
- Co-chaired the Yes Committee for the 2020 school district referendum that invested $1 billion in repairing and replacing our community’s public schools
- Raised more than $60 million to remove lead pipes from our drinking water supply
- Established the Clean Sweep Neighborhood Cleanup Program to reinvest in and clean up our neighborhoods
- Reduced gun crime by 47% and established the Department of Community Safety
- Reduced the property tax rate from 17 to 11 mills per thousand
- Funded and expanded the Adult High School Diploma Program that helped more than 500 adults earn a High School Credential
- Expanded early voting locations and opportunities to increase participation in our democracy
- Founded the MARK Rail Commission to work with purpose to bring commuter rail back to the region between Chicago and Milwaukee
- Worked intentionally to increase the diversity of City employees the City, as well as to diversify the members of City boards, committees, and Commissions to better reflect the diversity of the community
- Enacted 12 weeks paid maternity/paternity leave as a benefit for city employees who are starting families
- Established Kringle as the Official State Pastry
Until the completion of his term in April of 2027, Mayor Mason plans to fulfill his promises to open the new MLK Jr. Community Center and Health Facilities next to Julian Thomas Elementary School, and work with the new governor and legislature to fix shared revenue and bring needed state resources back to the Racine community.
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