TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey has been named the Florida League of Cities’ 2026 Municipal Official of the Year, receiving the E. Harris Drew Municipal Official Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Florida League of Cities honored Dailey with the award, which is presented annually and recognizes local elected officials who have made lasting contributions to Florida residents through their work in local government. The award is named for Supreme Court Justice E. Harris Drew, who coined the League’s motto: “Local self-government, the key to American democracy.”
“Mayor Dailey’s lifelong commitment to local government has made a meaningful difference for communities across our state and serves as an inspiration to leaders everywhere,” said 2025-2026 Florida League of Cities President Holly D. Smith, a councilwoman for the City of Sanibel.
Dailey said he was grateful for the recognition. “I am honored to receive the E. Harris Drew Municipal Official Lifetime Achievement Award. Local government has been at the heart of my life’s work, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve. I’m proud of the difference we can make at the local level and thankful to the Florida League of Cities for this recognition,” Dailey said.
Dailey has nearly three decades of service in local government and public policy. He began his career with the Florida League of Cities in 1996, advocating for more than 400 municipal governments before the Florida Legislature and state administration. He later worked for the National League of Cities in Washington, D.C., representing municipalities nationwide before Congress and the federal administration.
Dailey is a graduate of Florida State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration. He later earned a second master’s degree from the London School of Economics while serving as an aide in the British Parliament. After returning to Tallahassee, he founded a consulting firm focused on local governance and community development.
In 2006, Dailey was elected to the Leon County Commission, where he served three terms and was chairman twice. He was elected mayor of Tallahassee in 2018 and reelected in 2022.
During Dailey’s tenure as mayor, Tallahassee has been recognized for having the strongest economy in the United States, ranked among the top 20 best-run cities in America, and designated a three-time All-America City, along with other national distinctions.