Racine Mayor Cory Mason Won't Seek Third Term
Mason's decision opens the city's first open mayoral race since 2017 ahead of the April 2027 election.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Elections
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Racine Mayor Cory Mason announced he will not seek a third full term in April 2027. The decision was made public in a statement from his office on Friday morning.
Why it matters
The announcement means Racine will hold its first open mayoral race since 2017, with Mason stating that now is the time to pass the torch of leadership to the next generation. Residents will choose a new mayor after Mason's eight election victories over two decades in elected office.
Mason won the April 2023 re-election with 8,596 votes to Henry Perez's 6,376, and his 2023 campaign raised more than $500,000, most of it from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. The mayor's office says gun crime fell 47% and the property tax rate dropped from 17 mills to 11 mills, but the statement does not specify the years or sources for those figures.
The players
Cory Mason
Cory Mason is the mayor of Racine, Wisconsin, who previously served in the state Assembly beginning in 2006.
Henry Perez
Henry Perez is a Racine political figure who lost to Cory Mason in the April 2023 mayoral re-election.
The details
Mason, who was first elected to the state Assembly in 2006, became mayor in an October 2017 special election after Mayor John Dickert resigned mid-term to take another job, and was sworn in November 7, 2017. In his 2023 priorities he cited public safety, voting rights, and neighborhood revitalization, and he intends to open the new Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center and health facilities before his term ends.
Timeline
October 2017: Mason wins the special election to become mayor.
November 7, 2017: Mason is sworn in as mayor.
April 2023: Mason is re-elected over Henry Perez.
November 6, 2026: Mason announces he will not seek re-election.
April 2027: Mason's current term ends and the mayoral election is held.
Political Context
Mason's 2017 rise to mayor followed John Dickert's mid-term resignation, the last time Racine held an open mayoral contest. This announcement sets up a second open race in the same city, shifting leadership after two decades of Mason's elected service.
Racine voters will choose a new mayor in the April 2027 election, the first open race for the office since 2017. Mason's plans to open the new Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center and health facilities before his term ends will shape what the next mayor inherits.
The takeaway
Racine residents have a clear opening to weigh in on the city's direction as the 2027 mayoral race takes shape. Watching the candidates' positions on public safety and revitalization will reveal how the city's priorities may shift.
What happens next
Mason's current term ends in April 2027, when the city will hold its mayoral election to choose his successor.
Further reading
Follow the latest on the upcoming contest in our Elections coverage for Racine.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Racine County Eye.
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