If I Were Mayor Contest

City Council Chambers

The 2024-25 OMA “If I Were Mayor…” Student Contest is now live!

This fun and educational contest can be incorporated into your school year’s curriculum by reaching out to your local schools, youth organizations, scouts, and home-school organizations.  Please consider giving your students the chance to learn more about public service and local government, and a chance to voice their ideas.  They come up with some GREAT ideas that mayors have taken back to their cities.

Here is how it works:

  1. Your city has a local contest (can be announced at city council meetings, promoted through newspapers, newsletters, schools, etc.).
  2. One winner from each category of local contests can submit their entries to the state contest for a chance to win a prize and recognition.
  3. Winners of the state contest are invited to the OMA Summer Conference Awards Luncheon for a presentation of the prizes.

Additional information about the contest is attached, including flyers, entry forms, information about what mayors do, and services cities provide. Another great tool to help educate students about local government is the Civic Education Toolkit produced by the Oregon City/County Management Association. These forms can also be accessed on the OMA website.