Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, following months of online, worldwide voting, has emerged as the “Best Mayor in North America” and is one of only 11 finalists in contention to be named “Best Mayor in the World.”

Every two years the world's most outstanding mayor is presented with the World Mayor Award by City Mayors. City Mayors is an international network of professionals working to promote strong and prosperous cities, and is headquartered in London.

According to its Web site, “The World Mayor project …seeks out mayors who have the vision, passion and skills to make their cities amazing places to live in, work in and visit. The World Mayor Project aims to show what outstanding mayors can achieve as well as raise their profiles nationally and internationally. It honors those who have served their communities selflessly and courageously and who have made significant contributions to the well-being of cities. The most outstanding mayor of 2008 will be presented with the World Mayor Award.”

In 2007, 820 mayors were nominated for the honor. That number was narrowed to 50 mayors from five global regions: three from Africa; 10 from North America (including Mayor Gordon); 11 from Latin America; 11 from Asia; and 15 from Europe.

Citizens of the world were encouraged to vote online for their choices, and to provide comments in support (or opposition). One voter described Gordon as “a man who builds bridges; his complex and diverse constituency makes the job especially difficult in this era of anti-immigrant sentiment.  He is intelligent, fair, open and, above all, creative.  He …sees Phoenix as a global citizen, partner and player."

Gordon emerged as the only mayor in North America to make the final grouping. To do that, he outpolled the mayors of Los Angeles, Miami, Albuquerque, Columbus, Honolulu, Memphis, Minneapolis, Edmonton and Winnipeg.

When voting ended, only the following 11 mayors remained as finalists:

Helen Zille, Mayor of Cape Town, South Africa
Leopoldo Eduardo Lopez, Mayor of Chacao, Venezuela
Goran Johansson, Mayor of Gothenburg, Sweden
Jaime Nebot, Mayor of Guayaquil, Ecuador
Marides Fernando, Mayor of Marikina City, Philippines
Ulrich Maly, Mayor of Nuremburg, Germany
Phil Gordon, Mayor of Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Jose Fogaca, Mayor of Porto Alegre, Brazil
Mohammad Baquer Ghalibaf, Mayor of Tehran, Iran
Salvador Gandara, Mayor of Villa Nueva, Guatemala
Elmar Ledergerber, Mayor of Zurich

From these 11 finalists, the “Best Mayor in the World” will be announced on October 14.

Previous winners are Edi Rama, Mayor of Tirana; Dora Bakoyannis, Mayor of Athens; and John So, Lord Mayor of Melbourne.