Turnover ahead in big-city mayors' seats across US

By November, a roll call of big-city mayors will sound very different from just a few years ago.

After the election, a new generation of mayors will be leading several of America's major metropolises. More than a dozen cities with populations above 300,000 will elect a chief executive. While incumbents are running in many of those races, a change of leadership is guaranteed in some of the biggest cities.

Like Detroit, New York will have a new occupant at City Hall, as Rudolph Giuliani is not seeking a third term. Four Democrats and two Republicans, including businessman Michael Bloomberg, are fighting for the job. With Los Angeles having already elected James Hahn in June, that means three of the 10 biggest cities will have new mayors by year's end.

What's more, the tide of Republican mayors that engulfed cities in the mid-1990s is receding a bit.

In New York, polls suggest one of the Democrats will replace Mr. Giuliani, a Republican, in November. In Los Angeles, Mr. Hahn, a Democrat, takes over from Republican Richard Riordan. By next year, it is likely that only one of the 10 biggest cities will be led by a Republican: San Diego.

Among the large cities that hold mayoral elections in November are Miami; Atlanta; Boston; Minneapolis and St. Paul; Charlotte, N.C.; Cleveland; Toledo, Ohio; Pittsburgh; Houston; and Seattle.