2023 Des Moines mayoral election

The 2023 Des Moines mayoral election was held on November 7, 2023. Mayoral elections in Des Moines are officially nonpartisan and use the plurality vote system, with no possibility of a runoff. Incumbent mayor Frank Cownie decided to retire rather than run for re-election to a historic sixth term in office.

At-large city councilor Connie Boesen narrowly defeated ward 3 city councilor Josh Mandelbaum, as well as several other candidates. Boesen had been endorsed by Cownie as well as the city's largest newspaper, The Des Moines Register, and every other member of the city council with the exception of Mandelbaum. Boesen was sworn in as the first female mayor of Des Moines on January 8, 2024.

Declared

 * Connie Boesen, at-large city councilor and mayor pro tempore (Party affiliation: Democratic)
 * Denver Foote, cosmetologist (Party affiliation: Democratic)
 * Josh Mandelbaum, city councilor for ward 3 (Party affiliation: Democratic)
 * Christopter Von Arx (Party affiliation: Republican)

Declined

 * Frank Cownie, incumbent mayor (Party affiliation: Democratic) (endorsed Boesen)