Katjana Ballantyne

Katjana Ballantyne (born 1962) is an American politician who served as the 36th mayor of Somerville, Massachusetts between January 3, 2022 and January 2, 2026.

Early life and education Ballantyne was born in Greece and was adopted by her father and mother, a Scottish man and a Czech-German woman. They immigrated to the United States four years after she was born. She later received her B.A. from Saint Michael's College in 1984 and her M.B.A. from Suffolk University in 1998.

Political Career Ballantyne ran unsuccessfully in a close race for the Ward 7 seat on the Somerville City Council (then named the Board of Aldermen) in 2011, but ran again successfully in 2013, and won each of her reelection bids. She was elected President of the City Council by her fellow councilors in 2018.

After then-mayor Joe Curtatone announced that he would not run for another term, Ballantyne announced her bid for mayor in 2021, and won in a race against fellow city councilor Will Mbah. She ran and won a second term in 2023.

In February 2025, under Ballantyne's administration, Somerville, alongside Chelsea, Massachusetts, sued the Trump administration for threatening to withdraw federal funds from the city because of its sanctuary city status.

She ran for a third term in 2025, but lost in a preliminary election against city councilors Willie Burnley Jr. and Jake Wilson. Wilson went on to win in the municipal election and took office on January 2, 2026, ending Ballantyne's term.

Electoral history City Council 2011 Somerville City Council election (Ward 7) Candidate Preliminary election Municipal election Votes % Votes % Robert C. Trane (inc.) 541 42.8 1,068 50.8 Katjana Ballantyne 532 42.1 1,028 48.9 Joan Whitney Puglia 187 14.8 Write-in 4 0.3 5 0.2 Total 1,264 100 2,101 100

2013 Somerville City Council election (Ward 7) Candidate Municipal election Votes % Katjana Ballantyne 1,122 57.5 Joseph A. Capuano 825 42.3 Write-in 4 0.2 Total 1,951 100

2015 Somerville City Council election (Ward 7) Candidate Municipal election Votes % Katjana Ballantyne (inc.) 687 98 Write-in 14 2 Total 701 100

2017 Somerville City Council election (Ward 7) Candidate Municipal election Votes % Katjana Ballantyne (inc.) 1,724 98.7 Write-in 23 1.3 Total 1,747 100

2019 Somerville City Council election (Ward 7) Candidate Municipal election Votes % Katjana Ballantyne (inc.) 1,566 97.7 Write-in 37 2.3 Total 1,603 100

Mayor 2021 Somerville mayoral election Candidate Preliminary election Municipal election Votes % Votes % Katjana Ballantyne 4,176 27.8 10,032 55.5 Will Mbah 4,509 30.0 6,737 37.2 Mary Cassesso 4,088 27.2 William B. Tauro 2,219 14.8 Write-in 19 0.1 1,321 7.3 Total 15,011 100 18,090 100

2023 Somerville mayoral election Candidate Municipal election Votes % Katjana Ballantyne (inc.) 13,657 80.9 William B. Tauro 3,029 17.9 Write-in 201 1.2 Total 20,497 100

2025 Somerville mayoral election Candidate Preliminary election Municipal election Votes % Votes % Jake Wilson 5,190 42.1 11,294 55.1 Willie Burnley, Jr 4,174 33.9 9,144 44.6 Katjana Ballantyne (inc.) 2,927 23.7 Write-in 40 0.3 59 0.3 Total 12,331 100 20,497 100