Research note: Rise in violence against U.S. mayors: 2017 to 2021

Abstract

Background: Although there is an emerging literature in the United States about violence against officeholders, to date there is no research examining trends in violence against U.S. politicians. Objectives: To examine whether volence against US mayors increased from 2017 to 2021 and whether social and political factors help account for the rise. Methods: we report the results of two surveys of mayors in the United States: one in 2017 and the other in 2021. We compare the results of the two surveys and report on mayors' perceptions of changes in the rates of violence. Results: We find that psychological and physical violence against mayors have risen between 2017 and 2021 and that several momentous political events of those years are associated with mayors' perceptions of increases in violence. In specific, levels of partisanship, the rise and conduct of the Trump presidency and its aftermath, and public reactions to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic were significantly associated with mayoral perceptions of rises in violence. Conclusion: That violence against US mayors is high and increasing raises concerns about the health of our democracy as it may limit the pool of Americans willing to run for office.