Katjana Ballantyne

• Saint Michael's College (B.A.)
• Suffolk University (M.B.A.)

Katjana Ballantyne
Ballantyne at the opening of Union Square Station in 2022
36th Mayor of Somerville
In office January 3, 2022 –January 2, 2026

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. ^[2]

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. ^[3] She later received her B.A. from Saint Michael's College in 1984 and her M.B.A. from Suffolk University in 1998. ^[4]

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, ^[5] but ran again successfully in 2013, and won each of her reelection bids. ^[6] She was elected President of the City Council by her fellow councilors in 2018. ^[7]

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. ^{[8] [9]} She ran and won a second term in 2023. ^[10]

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. ^[11]

She ran for a third term in 2025, but lost in a preliminary election against city councilors Willie Burnley Jr. and Jake Wilson. ^{[12] [13]} Wilson went on to win in the municipal election and took office on January 2, 2026, ending Ballantyne's term. ^{[14] [15]}

References

1. "OCPF". www.ocpf.us. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
2. "Office of Mayor Katjana Ballantyne | City of Somerville". www.somervillema.gov. Archived from the original on December 20, 2025. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
3. Schoenberg, Shira (February 13, 2022). "Meet Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne". CommonWealth Beacon. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
4. Newman, Alex. "Candidate Profile: Katjana Ballantyne, Somerville Mayor". Patch.
5. "Somerville ElectionStats » 2011 Nov 8 :: Municipal Election :: Councilor :: Ward 7". Somerville ElectionStats. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
6. "Somerville ElectionStats » 2013 Nov 5 :: Municipal Election :: Councilor :: Ward 7". Somerville ElectionStats. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
7. "2018/01/01 05:00 PM City Council Organizational Meeting - Web Outline - City of Somerville, Massachusetts". somervillecityma.iqm2.com. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
8. Committee to elect Katjana Ballantyne. "Ward 7 Councilor Katjana Ballantyne announces run for mayor of Somerville". Wicked Local. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
9. "Somerville ElectionStats » 2021 Nov 2 :: Municipal Election :: Mayor :: City of Somerville". Somerville ElectionStats. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
10. "Somerville ElectionStats » 2023 Nov 7 :: Municipal Election :: Mayor :: City of Somerville". Somerville ElectionStats. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
11. Fortin, Matt; Klein, Asher (February 24, 2025). "Somerville, Chelsea file lawsuit against Trump administration over immigration policy". NBC Boston. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
12. "Somerville Mayor Ballantyne announces reelection bid for 3rd term". The Tufts Daily. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
13. Cristantiello, Ross (September 17, 2025). "Somerville mayor eliminated in preliminary election". Boston.com. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
14. Muneer, Sana (November 5, 2025). "Jake Wilson to be Somerville's next mayor, unofficial results show". Boston.com. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
15. City of Somerville MA; Wilson, Jake (January 2, 2026). "Instagram". Instagram. Archived from the original on January 2, 2026. Retrieved January 2, 2026. Happy New Year, Somerville! This morning at City Hall I was officially sworn in as Mayor. First order of business? Opening the Mayor's office door.