Wanda Williams
Wanda Williams | |
|---|---|
 Williams in 2023 | |
| 39th Mayor of Harrisburg | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Eric Papenfuse |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 4, 1953 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| 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]
Early life
[edit | edit source]Williams grew up in Harrisburg and attended Harrisburg High School and Harrisburg Area Community College.[2]
Politics
[edit | edit source]1998 School board
[edit | edit source]Williams started her political career in 1998 as a member of the Harrisburg school board.[3][2]
2006 City Council
[edit | edit source]Williams 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]
2021 Mayoral race
[edit | edit source]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 faced 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]
2025 Mayoral race
[edit | edit source]In October 2024, Williams announced a run for re-election in the 2025 Harrisburg mayoral election.[19] On May 20, 2025 she won the Democratic Primary by 80 votes over City Treasurer Dan Miller.[20] Miller won the Republican nomination after receiving enough write-in votes and will face Williams in a pseudo-runoff in November.[21]
Controversies
[edit | edit source]Williams is the subject of a federal lawsuit filed against her by a former city employee who alleged that his sudden July 2022 termination was retaliation against refusing to promote unqualified individuals with personal ties to Williams. The lawsuit claims retaliation for his ethical concerns.[22][23] City taxpayers paid over $20,000 in legal fees for Williams from late 2022 to February 2024.[24]
Personal life
[edit | edit source]Williams lost a granddaughter to gun violence in 2013 as a bystander at a shooting.[3]
References
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- 1953 births
- 21st-century African-American women politicians
- 21st-century African-American politicians
- 21st-century American women politicians
- Harrisburg City Council members
- Living people
- Mayors of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania Democrats
- Women political candidates
- African-American mayors in Pennsylvania
- Women mayors of places in Pennsylvania
- 21st-century mayors of places in Pennsylvania
- Women city councillors in Pennsylvania
- African-American women mayors