The mayor of Danville, Illinois is Rickey Williams Jr., who is serving a four-year term that runs through 2027. He is the city’s chief executive, directing every municipal department, appointing officials, presiding over the City Council, and setting the direction of the budget. He first took office in November 2018 and won re-election in April 2023.
Who Rickey Williams Jr. Is
Williams became acting mayor in October 2018 after Scott Eisenhauer resigned to take a village administrator job in Rantoul. The City Council appointed him to fill the vacancy, and he was sworn in on November 6, 2018. He then won a full term on April 2, 2019, campaigning on community policing and fiscal responsibility.
His 2023 re-election was close. On April 4, 2023, Williams beat challenger Jackie Vinson by 59 votes out of more than 4,400 cast.
Before politics, Williams worked in Danville’s nonprofit sector. He served as Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club and later as CEO and CFO of Project Success, where he managed a $1.8 million annual budget, oversaw more than 120 staff across 15 locations in Vermilion County, and administered federal and state grants.1City of Danville. Mayor He sat on the Vermilion Advantage Board and helped found Vermilion County CASA. He first won elected office in 2009 as a member of the Danville City Council.
What the Mayor Does
Danville operates under a mayor-council form of government, and the mayor is the city’s chief executive. Under the Illinois Municipal Code, the mayor is responsible for carrying out all city laws and ordinances and ensuring they are faithfully enforced.2Illinois General Assembly. 65 ILCS 5/3.1-35-5 – Mayor or President; General Duties The job runs day-to-day operations across every department and sets spending priorities.
The mayor appoints all department heads and city officers, as well as members of boards, commissions, and committees.1City of Danville. Mayor The mayor can also remove appointed officers, subject to review by the council, which can reinstate an officer by a two-thirds vote.3Illinois General Assembly. 65 ILCS 5 – Illinois Municipal Code – Section 3.1-35-10
By operation of Illinois law, the mayor also serves as Danville’s liquor commissioner, with authority over issuing, suspending, and revoking liquor licenses within the city.1City of Danville. Mayor
Council Role and Veto
The mayor presides over all City Council meetings. The mayor is not a regular voting member but can vote when alderpersons are tied, when half of those elected have voted in favor of a measure, or when a supermajority is required to pass an ordinance. That is broader than a simple tie-breaker.
The mayor also has veto power over ordinances, resolutions, and certain motions. When the mayor vetoes a measure, the council reconsiders it at its next regular meeting, and an override requires a two-thirds vote of all alderpersons then holding office.4Illinois General Assembly. 65 ILCS 5/3.1-40-50 – Reconsideration; Passing Over Veto
Salary
The Danville mayor is a full-time, salaried position.1City of Danville. Mayor As of 2026, the salary is $110,000. In April 2026, Williams introduced a proposal to raise the salary to $130,000 beginning in 2027. Under Illinois law, a salary change for an elected official cannot take effect during the current term, so any increase would apply to whoever holds the office after the next election.
Running for Mayor and When Voters Decide Next
A candidate must be a qualified voter in Danville and have lived within the city for at least one year before the election. Anyone convicted of a felony, bribery, or perjury is barred from taking the oath of office unless pardoned or otherwise restored to rights by the Governor.5Illinois General Assembly. 65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-5 – Qualifications; Elective Office
The term is four years.6Illinois General Assembly. 65 ILCS 5/3.1-15-10 – Mayor; President Illinois municipal elections are held in the spring of odd-numbered years, and Danville’s next mayoral election is scheduled for April 2027.
Reaching the Mayor’s Office
The mayor’s office is inside the Robert E. Jones Municipal Building at 17 W. Main Street in Danville. The office phone is 217-431-2400.1City of Danville. Mayor
Residents can also raise concerns in person. The Danville City Council meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month, and meetings are open to the public with time set aside for public comment.7City of Danville. City Council