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John J. Bauters is an American politician, attorney, and nonprofit policy director. Since 2021, he has been the mayor of Emeryville, California. Bauters is known for his work promoting the use of bicycles, and he is one of the few gay mayors in California.

Early Political Career
Bauters moved to Emeryville in 2012 and began most of his political work then. After his time in the nonprofit sector, he worked on the Housing Planning Commission, citing it as an issue he’s sensitive to. Bauters also has worked on the Housing Committee in Emeryville, as the policy director at Housing California, and at the CalWorks Housing Support Program, specializing in care for homeless mothers. Bauters ran for a city council position in 2014, but lost by under 200 votes. He ran for city council again in 2016 and was elected. He now works in a city council of five members with a rotating mayoral position.

Mayoral career[edit]
In April 2023, Bauters, alongside other mayors, was voted into The Mayors Institute on Pedestrian Safety, which is partnered with AARP and Smart Growth America. Emeryville, the city which Bauters represents, has the smallest population of any city represented by the Mayors Institute on Pedestrian Safety. Milwaukee mayor Cavalier Johnson praised the addition of Bauters. The mayors meet monthly to discuss solutions to pedestrian safety hazards in cities.

In September of 2023, Bauters visited the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan for a bike ride in which residents were invited to participate in. The ride was organized by the city council members Dharma Akmon and Erica Briggs. A few days later, Bauters spoke as a guest at the Ann Arbor mobility summit, along with Christopher Taylor. When he goes on group bike rides, Bauters says he discusses "people-oriented infrastructure and community safety" with local community members.