| Elections in Florida |
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 Government |
The following is a list of mayors of the city of Lakeland, Florida, United States. The City of Lakeland was incorporated on January 1, 1885. The mayor is one of seven members of the City Commission, acting as the board chair and performing mostly ceremonial and procedural duties beyond the powers of the other six. Prior to 1988, Lakeland's mayor was selected by the City Commission among its members. Mayors can be on the board for up to 12 years in a lifetime, or 16 years in combination with holding a regular commission position. Since 1988 the mayor is elected by the citizens of the city.
The first female mayor was Lois Q. Searl, who served in 1965. Carrie R. Oldham was the first female African American mayor.