Democrat Cherelle Parker, a former member of the City Council will be the next mayor of Philadelphia. She is the first woman to hold this office after this historic victory.

Parker easily defeated David Oh, her Republican opponent. But first, she had to make her way through a tough Democratic primary in May before going on to the general election.

Parker defeated five other Democratic contenders to win the primary with 32% of the vote. Her elevation to the position of mayor seemed imminent after she received her nomination. Notably, Philadelphia has not had a Republican mayor since 1952.

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Who is Cherelle Parker?

Cherelle Parker is a member of the Democratic Party. She was born in Mount Airy, Philadelphia, in 1972. She graduated from Lincoln University with a degree in political science and the University of Pennsylvania Law School with a law degree. 

In 2005, Parker made her political debut when she was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, serving the Northwest Philadelphia 200th district. She worked on multiple committees and held several positions for ten years, including Chair of the Philadelphia Delegation.

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Parker moved to the Philadelphia City Council in 2015, where she currently serves as the representative for the ninth district, which includes portions of Northwest Philadelphia and the lower Northeast. Her peers elected her to the office of Council Majority Leader, which she held from 2020 to 2022.

Parker, who is well-known for taking a progressive stand, has been an outspoken supporter of causes including criminal justice reform, affordable housing, and education. Along with advocating for working families, she has worked to improve early childhood education and daycare availability.

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Cherelle Parker was running as the Democratic Party’s nominee for mayor of Philadelphia in 2023. With a victory, she became the first woman in the history of the city to occupy this position.