Incumbent Jim Ross, Steve Cavender, Hunter Crow, and Shaun Mallory are running in the general election for mayor of Arlington, Texas, on May 2, 2026. As of March 2026, Ross and Cavender led in endorsements and local media attention.

The Arlington Report's Chris Moss reported that in a press release, Cavender said "he was urged to run 'for the past couple years' by civic and community leaders and small business owners who are frustrated with budget shortfalls and rising property taxes." Moss also reported that "Ross said many of the [budget and tax] issues were caused by the Tarrant County Appraisal District’s move to freeze property appraisals."

Ross was first elected mayor in 2021. Ross is an attorney and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and the Arlington Police Department. Ross says he has "brought over 27,000 new jobs to Arlington...[and] increased the average wage by more than 20%" during his two terms in office. The Arlington Professional Firefighters Association and the Arlington Police Association endorsed Ross.

Cavender is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and the U.S. Army Reserve. Cavender is a real estate developer and the president of the River Legacy Foundation. Cavender says he is running because "Arlington deserves energetic, fiscally responsible leadership that puts residents and taxpayers first." Former mayors Jeff Williams and Richard Greene endorsed Cavender.

The city of Arlington has a council-manager government. The mayor is one of nine members of the city council and has responsibilities including presiding over council meetings and representing the city. The city council appoints a city manager to serve as chief executive. Arlington mayors are elected to three-year terms in nonpartisan elections and are subject to a three-term limit.